P.O. Box 25 Clio, CA 96106-0025
White Sulphur Springs Ranch
Living History School Days
White Sulphur Springs Ranch
Living History School Days Program
This program was conceived by retired 3rd grade school teacher Janice Cross and Janet Reihsen, both Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council (MVSC) members, who wanted to develop a program for 3rd graders that taught them about California living history. The White Sulphur Springs Ranch (WSSR) was the perfect place to develop the program as it provided both a natural history environment and a living history opportunity given the remaining structures on the ranch property. The program had its debut in 2012 when almost 50 3rd grade students from C.R. Carmichael Elementary School in Portola were bused to the ranch where they participated in hands-on activities learning about life on the ranch in the 1850's. Students learned about blacksmithing and how important that skill was in maintaining ranch property. They also performed laundry activities, engaged in leather repairs, built wooden fruit boxes, played games, learned about native Americans that lived in the Mohawk Valley in the 1800's and learned about the environment on the ranch that is still rich today.
Participation has expanded to include students from Quincy. The program has been extremely successful and is consistent with one of our most important MVSC goals.
"To promote healthy lifestyles, connect people with nature, and cultivate community engagement through providing a community gathering place, recreation and environmental education center at the
White Sulphur Springs Ranch. "
2022
Posted 10-3-22 Article by John Lulo Photos by Linda Cooley
After a two year Covid layoff, the kids came back to White Sulphur Springs Ranch in 2022. The previous School Days was in 2019, which was the last one in an unbroken string stretching back eight previous years to September of 2009. Unlike in previous years which only welcomed students from Portola, this year 3rd graders from two different schools stepped back in time. Over 100 kids from Quincy and Portola participated, helped by 16 teachers and 20 volunteers from each community.
Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council (MVSC) volunteers showed what the ranch and the community was like in the old days. The event was organized by a five member planning committee. Six different educational stations were coordinated by Cathy Danielson and directed each day by Jim Maul.
Each day began with a group welcome and introduction by Bob Hughes. The kids were then broken down into small groups to begin their tour of six different stations. First one was a tour of the old ranch house given by docent and volunteer chairman Judy Porep-Lullo, in period costume. The kids then proceeded to 5 different educational stations. There was frontier cooking, shepherding, Maidu life, fruit box construction and washboard laundry.
The pioneer cooking station was manned by Cathy and Bob Danielson. The kids ate Johnny cakes and made homemade butter. They learned about the daily life of a pioneer child. The next stop was “shepherding” with real live sheep! Anna Harvey and her crew from Harvey Farms showed the many products we get from sheep and the kids were allowed to see these animals close up. In station number four Janice Cross and Hillary Hughes led the kids up a local trail to show them Maidu Indian grinding rocks and local artifacts. At station number five Janet and Leo Reihsen, with a bunch of volunteer “carpenters”, showed them how to make miniature wooden fruit boxes. In 1919 the California Fruit Company purchased the land along Graeagle Creek in order to cut and mill lumber to build shipping boxes for fruit which they provided to growers throughout the State. The old fruit exchange still stands in Graeagle and the blue anchor California fruit logo can be seen on this stone building. The students got to keep the wooden boxes they produced. At the final station Janine Wolcott showed them how the laundry was done in the old days. The kids hauled water and used old fashioned washboards.
Each day ended with the classes assembling on the deck for a group photo taken by Linda Cooley.
Living History School Days 2022 was partially funded by the Safeway Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to bettering the lives of people in the neighborhoods. In a letter dated May 23. 2022, Wendy Gutshall of the Foundation’s Northern California Division, sent a check for $2500 to Janet Reihsen of the MVSC. The MVSC depends on support like this to complete the work of restoration at the historic ranch site. It is especially welcomed because this grant specifically supports the School Days program for 3rd graders in Portola and Quincy schools.
The mission of the MVSC is to serve as a community gathering place and a center for living history. The many hardworking volunteers hope that these students will be future supporters of White Sulphur Springs Ranch and that their children will be able to come here one day to enjoy the site and learn about the proud history of the Mohawk and Sierra Valleys.
Interested parties that would like to be a part of the restoration of WSSR should e-mail Volunteer@WhiteSulphurSpringsRanch.com
2018
Posted 9-25-18 Photos by Linda Cooley
Third grade students from C. Roy Carmichael stepped back in time again by attending the 5th annual “School Days at White Sulphur Springs Ranch” field trip. Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council (MVSC) volunteers showed what it was like at the Ranch in 1858 when it was a stage coach stop on the way to Quincy. Teachers Alex Cone and Tenaya Kooynan used the trip as an opportunity to inject a little local flavor into their California history curriculum for the 44 - 3rd graders in attendance. The MVSC hosted the field trip as a part of its community outreach effort. The day was organized by Karen Fraser and assisted by a dozen volunteers manning six stations where hands on demonstrations were conducted.
A highlight of the day was a lunchtime music fest led by Ranger Pat O’Reilly who played the guitar and was accompanied by kids banging on washboards, string bases and other improvised instruments.
All in all it was a great day for the kids and for the MVSC volunteers who were delighted to experience the energy and enthusiasm of the C. Roy Carmichael 3rd graders.
2016
Posted 9-25-16 Photos by Linda Cooley
OUR LARGEST CLASS OF 3rd. GRADERS EVER with 58 students attending this years White Sulphur Springs Ranch "Living History School Days program", on September 15th.
2015
Posted 10-6-15 Article by John Lulo Photos by Linda Cooley
KIDS LEARN ABOUT LOCAL HISTORY... White Sulphur Springs Ranch hosted its fourth annual Living History School Days on Friday, September 18. It was a busy day of great fun and learning for the 3rd grade classes at C. Roy Carmichael Elementary School. A series of six stations run by White Sulphur Springs Ranch volunteers gave the children a look at life on the Ranch in 1858 when it was a stagecoach stop. Prior to the settlers, only Native Americans gathered here and some of the activities dealt with how they did things. The day included bits of local California history to fit the curriculum for teachers Tenaya Kooyman and Kim Williamson.
White Sulphur Springs Ranch hosted the field trip as part of its community outreach. Janice Cross, retired 3rd grade teacher from C. Roy Carmichael, organized the event. The 55 kids rotated in groups around six stations manned by teaching volunteers. Bill and Sally Tantau showed kids the old fashioned way to haul water and wash clothes. Annie Fischer demonstrated kids playtime back then by using marbles and she helped the kids craft dolls from scraps of fabric. Patrick O’Reilly, a ranger at Plumas Eureka State Park, taught the kids how to play music with washtubs, wash boards and other everyday items. Janice Cross showed how Native Americans, who gathered in the Valley, used plants, animals and stone tools for all their needs. She pointed out the grinding holes where they worked. Janet and Leo Reihsen, with several helpers, helped the kids to construct miniature fruit boxes, complete with labels, to illustrate the activities of the old fruit exchange in Graeagle. The final station was manned by John Work, a volunteer at Plumas Eureka State Park, who demonstrated how a blacksmith made metal items for the horses and wagons that stopped at the Ranch in its early history.
At the end of the day, the kids took home the items they had made along with a lot of enthusiasm about what they learned. New this year, thanks to an idea by volunteer Tim Buckhout, each student received a certificate awarding them a calendar year membership in the Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council with the title of “Ranch Apprentice”. Beginning in October, each student will receive the first part of a three part series on the history of the Ranch. The series will tell about contributions White Sulphur Springs Ranch has made to Plumas County and California history.
2014
Posted 10-19-14 Article by John Lulo Photos by Linda Cooley
A Step Back in Time... 2014 marks the third annual White Sulphur Springs Ranch Annual School Days where 47 3rd grade students from C.R. Carmichael Elementary School in Portola participated in a "Living History" of life on the Ranch in the 1850's. Program Coordinator Janice Cross, a retired 3rd grade teacher from C.R. Carmichael School organized the day. Upon their arrival students were taken into the historic ranch house for a brief history lesson on life in 1858. From there they participated in six living history activities which included, blacksmithing, laundry, indian lore, making fruit boxes, leather crafting and play time where students played games, played musical instruments they made and worked on crafts like kids did in 1858. The day was fun for everyone and a great learning experience for the kids.
Many thanks to Janice Cross for organizing the day and to Bill and Sally Tantau, Leo and Janet Reihsen, Dave and Dink Rife, Kathy Hall, Dennis Black, Annie Fischer, Patrick O'Reilly and others for operating their living history activities. A special thanks goes to 3rd grade teachers Katie Dollard and Tenaya Kooyman and their students for all the hard work they did to prepare for this important day.
2013
2012
School Days "Outdoor Ed" - Portola Reporter 9/26/2012 (in pdf)
Member comments and photos from School Days (in pdf)
