#782 Town of Calico & #892 Harvey House

County: San Bernardino
City: Calico?
California State Historic Landmark: #782 Town of Calico

"The Calico Mining District, which had a peak population of 3,000, produced between $13 and $20 million in silver and $9 million in borate minerals between 1881 and 1907. On April 6, 1881, several claims were located that formed the Silver King, largest mine in the district. Profitable mining of silver in the area ceased in 1896."(CA State Parks, 1996)

This was our February historic landmark of the month. We were going to see Britney Spears in Vegas for Jessie's belated birthday, so we planned to stop at the old mining town of Calico on the way. We love mines and old ghost towns. We went on the train tour and also through the mine tour, and it did not disappoint. We saw all the cheesy touristy things in the gussied up town, as well as the authentic diggins on the hill. Check out the tourist's awesome outfit in top left of the picture above... his plaid pants were on point and he was skillful with his selfie stick!

Overlook on to the town of Calico

Jackie being "scared" of the cavernous mine tour

Jessie checking out all the old shanty buildings lining the town

We were also fortunate to stumble upon a second historic landmark while on a pit stop in Barstow: BONUS LANDMARK! We couldn't think of anything more clever to call it than a bonus landmark...

County: San Bernardino
City: Barstow
California State Historic Landmark: #892 Harvey House

"In 1893 Fred Harvey, founder and operator of the Santa Fe Harvey Houses, took over the operation of all hotel and restaurants on the Santa Fe line, including the one at Barstow (then Waterman Junction) constructed in 1885. In 1908 this Harvey House burned, and in 1910-13 the present Spanish-Moorish structure designed by architect Mary E. J. Coulter was constructed. It is the best surviving example of California's depot-hotels of the turn of the century." (CA State Parks, 1996)

This historic landmark is situated at a working Amtrak station. We had to circle the station before we found the plaque on the track side of the station. The actual Harvey House has a little museum you can go in, but as we were just stopping by we didn't go inside. Maybe on another trip we will investigate more. We did see lots of cool old trains in the parking lot though...

Looks like Jack needs some directions...

Throwback: January 2015 Museum of the Month

January 2015
Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History 

Last year, our goal was to visit at least one museum a month for the entire year. Which, we are happy to say, we completed! This year, in addition to posts about our California Historic Landmarks, we will recap what museums we visited in 2015. Starting out, here is our January 2015 Museum of the Month: the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History!

In January 2015 we visited the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. We had to see us some dinosaur bones!

We took the Metrolink to LA from Orange County, stopped off at Coffee Bean, and then hit up the Museum of Natural History. We also got to explore the new Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center, also known as ARTIC or also known as the Anaheim train station.

In the ARTIC station, there is a library book vending machine. Too bad neither of us had our library card on us. We plan on going back to the station just so we can try this out!

Here is what we came for, DINO BONES! Here we have the mighty T-Rex and a triceratops.

We touched a dino bone! (with permission of course)

Outside the Museum of Natural History is a lovely rose garden. We strolled through it on our way back to Union Station.

#554 Cecil B. DeMille Studio Barn

Hollywood's first movie location

County: Los Angeles

City: Hollywood

California State Historic Landmark: #554 Cecil B. Demille Studio Barn 

"Cecil B. Demille rented half of this structure, then used as a barn, as the studio in which was make the first feature-length motion picture in Hollywood- The Squaw Man - in 1913. Associated with Mr. DeMille in making The Squaw Man  were Samuel Goldwyn and Jesse Lasky, St. Originally located at the corner of Selma and Vine Streets, in 1927 the barn was transferred to Paramount Studios" (CA State Parks, 1996, p. 100)

We started out January 2016 with a visit to the old barn down the hill from The Hollywood Bowl. Inside the barn is the quaint Hollywood Heritage Museum. A lovely woman sold us tickets for the museum and gave us a great overview of the history of the barn. Cecil B. DeMille came out west in search of a place to film pictures in. He finally settled in California, after trying out Colorado and Arizona as potential filming locations. He rode the end of the rail line to Los Angeles, and eventually rented this barn for $400 a year to set up what would be the first location in Hollywood's first feature length motion picture: The Squaw Man (1914). 

 

DeMille, Lasky, and Zukor at the CA Landmark dedication December 27, 1956

 

California State Parks Office of Historic Preservation, (1996), California Historical Landmarks. Sacramento, CA: State of California - The Resources Agency.