FORT STEVENS TOOK ENEMY FIRE

Its a little know fact that:

The only military base in the United States to be fired on by an enemy since the Civil War was Fort Stevens. A Japanese sub fired on fort Stevens during WWII but failed to inflict much damage.
Remains of a century old wreck, the Peter Iredale is visible on the south jetty which is an excellent spot to watch ships.
Fort Stevens was one of the early forts on the Columbia near Fort Clatsop and served during the Civil War from 1862 and on through to World War II. Most of the buildings were leveled long ago, but the Guard House is intact with grounds and a park where this Single Bore cannon stands as a reminder of its role in protecting U.S. shores from entrance by an enemy through the Columbia. The 3,800 acre park has one of the largest public campgrounds in the U.S.
The intact Guard House mostly punished drunken servicemen and had generous sized cells in a bunkhouse style. The Fort was decommissioned in 1946.

MOTHERLODE TREASURES

The Kautz Winery gold nugget is a fixture. It can be seen anytime, but so many other motherlode treasures are elusive. Vistas of wildflowers in bloom; old miner's shacks; river views such as Candy Rock, and Natural Bridges. Photo ops abound. A plethora of events in multiple communities offer art, drama, street faires, musical events and more. There is an ice rink in Long Barn, skiing on Ebbetts Pass and Sonora Pass. River rafting, antique boutiques, equestrian events Civil War Re-enactments, open air markets, casinos, crafters, spinners... the list seems endless. A treasure within reach for day trippers and weekenders both.
This blog will alert you each Friday about upcoming events in the Motherlode. Currently, in Sonora, Fiddler on the Roof is still playing at Sonora Repertory Theatre through April 5th. Curtain times Thursdays and Fridays 7 p.m. Saturdays 8 p.m., and Sundays 8 p.m. and 2 p.m.. Dracula plays at Fallon House, Columbia, through April 19th. Call 209-532-3120. Classical guitarist Antoniy Kakamakov will be in concert at Columbia College 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 31.

QUARTERMASTER'S DEPOT

The Quartermaster's Depot sits on the banks of the Colorado River and was a Western Outpost for the military. The grounds, buildings and artifacts are now part of a State Park. The museum holds many, many wonderful old pictures and the most complete set of drawings of Civil War Uniforms known. The drawings were commissioned at a time when few leaders really thought it was important to record the various changes in uniforms over the years. Luckily for us, a very valuable history was preserved.
The depot was located near a shipping company on the banks of the Colorado River. The company brought paddle wheelers upriver to deliver goods as far up as Utah for $40 a ton. When a competitor went into business, the price dropped to $20 a ton. That is the devil in private enterprise and the savior is competition. It all came to a halt when dams impeded river traffic and the Pacific Railroad became the new "savior".

Travel is nothing if not educational and I will soon have to forget something to make room for all this new stuff I'm learning. At the museum, docents worked at weaving. This woman has a special loom called a shawl loom. Others made lace and turned cotton balls into weaveable threads.
Hasta La Vista