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Living History School Days Brings Plumas County History to Life for Local Third Graders
**Annual educational field trip at White Sulphur Springs Ranch connects students with the region’s rich heritage through hands-on learning**
**CLIO, Calif.** — History came alive for third-grade students from C. Roy Carmichael Elementary School in Portola and Quincy Elementary School in Quincy during the annual Living History School Days at White Sulphur Springs Ranch. This year's event was held on October 6th and 7th. Organized by the Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council (MVSC), this longstanding educational tradition has welcomed local students each year since 2012, offering a unique opportunity to experience the history, culture, and heritage of the region firsthand.
During the field trip, students rotated through five interactive learning stations, spending approximately 30 minutes at each one. The stations were designed to immerse students in different aspects of Plumas County’s past while giving them opportunities to learn through exploration, demonstrations, and hands-on activities.
Students toured the historic White Sulphur Springs Ranch House and learned about its history as a hotel and stagecoach stop. Other stations introduced them to frontier-era cooking and cleaning, equestrian history, a Maidu learning center, and a fruit box building activity celebrating Graeagle’s historic connection to the fruit box industry.
One of the highlights of this year’s event was the equestrian station led by Gina Luciano of Lüch Equine. Luciano brought a mule and a miniature donkey to the ranch to help students understand the important role horses, mules, and donkeys played in the lives of early ranchers, miners, and farmers. These animals were essential working partners for the earliest settlers of Plumas County, helping them travel, transport supplies, and carry out the demanding work of building communities in the Sierra Nevada.
The event was made possible through generous donations from Plumas Bank, the Calpine Elks Club, and the Sierra Cascade Street Rodders. More than a dozen volunteers also contributed their time and energy to staff the stations and ensure a memorable experience for the students.
Recognizing the financial challenges facing local school districts, the Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council also donated $200 to each participating school to help offset the cost of bus transportation. With school transportation and field trip funding becoming increasingly difficult to secure, this support helped ensure students could continue participating in this valuable educational opportunity.
The enthusiasm of the students, parents, and teachers was evident throughout the day. One parent who had chaperoned numerous school field trips over the years described Living History School Days as, “Hands down the best one I have ever experienced.”
Living History School Days reflects the Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council’s commitment to preserving the history of White Sulphur Springs Ranch while helping younger generations develop a deeper appreciation for the people, traditions, and industries that shaped their community.
Planning is already underway for next year’s event, with organizers looking for ways to expand the experience and provide even more opportunities for local youth to connect with their region’s history.
By bringing together local schools, community organizations, donors, and volunteers, Living History School Days continues to demonstrate the power of community partnerships in preserving the past and inspiring future generations.
**About the Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council**
The Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and stewardship of White Sulphur Springs Ranch, a historic property in Clio, California. Through restoration, educational programs, and community events, the organization works to protect the ranch’s heritage and share its historical significance with current and future generations.
SOLD OUT! Thank for your support!
🏛️ Step Back in Time: Sundown in the Company Town
Join the Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council on Saturday, October 24th, from 4:30–6:00 PM for a special walking tour of historic Johnsville, California.
Explore the fascinating history of this secluded mining town as representatives of the Johnsville Historical Society, in collaboration with the Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council, lead us through some of the area’s best-known residences, historic buildings, and colorful local characters.
Along the way, you’ll hear stories of Johnsville’s past—including a look at the town’s mining history, stories from former residents, and perhaps the haunting tale behind the portrait of Maziel Moriarty that has hung on the wall for generations.
🍂 The afternoon will include:
- A guided walking tour of historic Johnsville
- Stories, old photographs, and local history
- Refreshments at the Iron Door
- A special talk featuring stories from Johnsville’s past
📅 Saturday, October 24, 2026
🕟 4:30–6:00 PM
📍 Meet at the State Park parking lot in Johnsville at 4:30 PM
All proceeds benefit the Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
🎟️ Tickets are limited — scan the QR code on the poster or use the ticket link to reserve your spot!
2026 is going to be filled with lots of exciting events.
Please click on the calendar to check it out!
For events that require tickets, please click on the registration option on the actual event listing
2025 A Big Year at White Sulphur Springs Ranch
The rehabilitation of this historic site in Plumas County began in 2010. Progress has been steady but slow. Last year saw so many improvements and special events that the volunteers of the Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council (MVSC) want to share them with the community. Here are just a few:
Recent improvements – The projects committee is proud of the newly paved ADA pathway from the bath house to the amphitheater. The completed paving of the “dance floor” in front of our stage deck. The tiered pavers used to make the venue into a true amphitheater with great views from every level.
Weddings and Events promotion - In March we participated in the two day “Weddings of the West” Wedding Show at the Atlantis in Reno, NV.
We are doing our best to promote White Sulphur Springs Ranch as a premier destination for weddings and events.
Tavern Talks – On June 14, Jason Foreman and founder of “Tavern Talk” hosted an informal evening of sharing stories and tales of the Mohawk Valley on Tom Sherrard contributed the local “color”. The event was enjoyed by all and resulted in some generous donations to our cause.
Mother’s Day Flower Sales – In May we partnered with Marigold Blooms, Kristen Marquette and Katy Petersen, for a Mother’s Day “Bouquets and Plant” sale at the ranch. They made an amazing display of color by festooning their vintage truck with flowers and plants while we provided an open house and tours of the Ranch House.
Virtual Tour - Spring provided the perfect green meadows for us to film a virtual tour video, produced and donated by Scott Chandler Studios. It is a colorful and excellent three-minute production that can be seen on our website www.whitesulphurspringranch.com – to date the tour has had thousands of views allowing those who have not visited The Ranch to get a sense of its amazing location and ambiance.
Memorial Services - In June, we hosted an 80-person memorial service for long time local, Paul Bianco. His daughter, Kayle Martin, orchestrated a full western service with full military honors. The Ranch and the meadows provided a beautiful backdrop to honor our long-time resident and friend.
Partnership with California State Parks – Throughout the summer months we met with our Northern California district manager for CA State Parks system, Rich Adams and his staff members to discuss a possible partnership. Many State Parks representatives toured the house and property, and we are hoping to develop a partnership to ensure that White Sulphur Springs Ranch continues to improve and evolve as a community asset and is forever historical marker in the Mohawk Valley.
Arts and Crafts Fairs - As in past years, we participated and sold beer with our port- a- saloon and had a raffle at the August Lost Sierra Artisan Fair at Herb Rowe Park in Graeagle.
Community Thank you 80’s Dance Party – In August we had an extraordinary 80’s dance party and concert. “New Wave Crave” from Reno showcased the evening. As a big thank you to the community, we kept ticket prices at $10 for adults and free for children. Décor and lighting were disco era, and the dance floor was filled all night.
School Days Historical hands-on education - September was filled with school busses and 3-4th graders for our Annual Living History Event “School Days” program orchestrated this year by our President, Brian Martinez. This is a local favorite and is continuing to be supported by our generous business community. The 3rd graders from all our local schools as well as the home school community enjoyed hands on learning that taught them the valuable history of our region’s pioneers’ lives.
Fall Community Rummage sale – Our annual fall rummage sale was a great success with community members donating many gently used treasures. Sales were brisk from the moment gates opened until the sun set and what small items were left were donated to the local Elks Lodge for their fund raisers later in the fall.
Octoberfest Art Fair and Pumpkin Patch – In October we hosted a colorful fall event with Pumpkins and craft vendors. Weather hampered this year’s attendance, but we hope to make this an annual event.
Christmas Tree Sales - We had our second annual Christmas tree sale. Partnering with “Lost Sierra Kids” organization who helped cut trees and man the sales venue.
We want to continue to grow our event offering and we are always open to ideas from members of the community. We are grateful to all the volunteers who help with operations, events, property improvements, docent tour guides and so much more to bring life to our venue.
If members of the community would like to help in the efforts to restore White Sulphur Springs Ranch or volunteer at our events or with activities – reach out to our website at Whitesulphurspringsranch.com
Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council Secretary, Nancy Meyers received a check today from Korin, Feather River Food Coop, Portola Store Manager, from their November 'Round Up at the Register' program! Thanks so much to the co-op and to our wonderful community that donated during checkout!
Our New Event Center is Nearing Completion
The Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council is excited to share that we are now in the final stages of completing our brand-new event center at White Sulphur Springs Ranch. This project has been a labor of love for our community, and we’re proud to see it come to life.
Over the past months, we’ve built a beautiful new dance floor adjacent to the stage, created terraced hillside seating with sturdy block retaining walls to form a natural amphitheater, and added a 450-foot ADA-accessible path leading to the restrooms. We’ve also installed new paving stones around the restroom area, improving both accessibility and appearance for all who visit.
None of this would have been possible without the dedication, skill, and generosity of the people who stepped forward to help us realize this vision. We extend our heartfelt thanks to James Motarex from Basalite Reno, Alex Vear from Redvers Renovations, Bob and Dixie Higgins with Cretecraft Concrete, Tony Hartwig with Midnight Sun Construction, and Rick & Ken Joy with Joy Engineering. Their craftsmanship and commitment made this project truly exceptional.
We are equally grateful to our incredible volunteers and to the many community members whose donations and encouragement sustained us every step of the way. And most of all, we offer a very special thank-you to the Park L. Loughlin Charitable Foundation for their tremendous financial contribution, which made this dream achievable.
Together, we are building a place where memories will be made for generations. Thank you for being part of it.
Check out our mini documentary which details some of the historic ranch's story
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS RANCH IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE EVENTS
The Board of Directors of White Sulphur Springs Ranch, considering the many improvements made to the historic site, has announced that it is now available to the public both as a wedding destination and for other special events. The Ranch offers spectacular views of meadows, mountains, and grazing cattle, at the gateway to the beautiful Mohawk Valley in Clio.
The site offers many options, whether it’s a small intimate gathering in the ranch house or a 120 person outdoor celebration. It can be the perfect place to bring a dream to life.
The availability of the site for weddings and other special events is an important part of the ongoing commitment to restore the historic property for use by the community. It will join Summerfest, The Rummage Sale, and other fund raisers as an important financial contributor to the ambitious goals of pool restoration and site development.
To reserve a date for an event call Jan Tew at 530-520-7990 or email events@whitesulphurspringsranch.com
From left to right, White Sulphur Springs volunteers Tim Buckhout and Carolyn Blom accept a check from Rachelle Ramelli of the Plumas Bank with 2024 event coordinator Jim Maul on the right.
NEW FUNDING FOR LIVING HISTORY SCHOOL DAYS
Living History School Days at White Sulphur Springs Ranch is one of the most rewarding activities enjoyed by both the dedicated volunteers and the third graders that learn about the history of the place where they live. New funding has been received which will allow the event to be presented again in 2025.
In October of 2024 third grade students from Quincy and Portola rotated through five learning stations. First they toured the historic ranch house, then they rotated through four outdoor stations that illustrated homestead cooking and washing, livestock branding, Maidu life and fruit box building. A veteran schoolteacher remarked that the 2024 event was the best field trip she had experienced in her 25 years of teaching. The volunteers that put on the two day event are enthusiastic and look forward to making each School Days a positive learning experience for the students that take part.
Recently, Plumas Bank generously offered to fund both the 2024 version of School Days and the next event in 2025.
Successful restoration depends on fundraisers, contributions and grants. There are over 300 members and a large group of active volunteers. The work of restoring the historic ranch site is ongoing and new volunteers are always welcome!
LIVING HISTORY SCHOOL DAYS
AT WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS RANCH
The volunteers at White Sulphur Springs Ranch (WSSR) hosted 3rd graders from Quincy and Portola, on two successive days, October 23 and 24, at the historic ranch site in Clio. On Wednesday the group from Quincy Elementary toured the site. On Thursday it was the students from C. Roy Carmichael Elementary in Portola. A total of 95 kids, accompanied by 5 teachers and 20 parent chaperones, gave the children a look at what life was like in Plumas County in the 1800’s.
Students rotated through 5 learning stations. First, they were treated to a tour of the historic ranch house by docents in period costume. Then they were rotated through 4 outdoor stations that dealt with homestead cooking and washing, branding, Maidu life and fruit box building. The activities ended at about 1:00 PM with a group picture on the new deck that overlooks the Mohawk Valley.
Some highlights included the discovery of new Maidu grinding stones. In the course of preparing for the students' arrival, Hillary and Bob Hughes moved some brush, scraped off some dirt and uncovered grinding holes that hadn’t be seen in years. At the fruit box station children could make miniature fruit boxes by nailing wood slats together and gluing on labels to illustrate the activities of the old fruit exchange in Graeagle. In 1919 the California Fruit Company purchased land along Graeagle creek in order to cut and mill lumber for fruit boxes they provided to growers across the State. The noise of dozens of hammers pounding nails caused a volunteer’s Apple Watch to declare an emergency. One of the kids at the fruit box station had such a good time he asked Tim Buckhout to shake his little hand….it was a highlight of the day for WSSR volunteers. The kids got to take the boxes they had put together home with them along with wooden plaques that had brands burned into them at Jan Tew’s livestock branding station. The homestead cooking and washing station was presented by Cathy Danielson and Janine Wolcott. Brian Martinez managed the fruit box station.
Living History School Days is partially funded by a grant from the Safeway Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to bettering the lives of people in the neighborhoods and WSSR is very fortunate to have their support.
The organizer for this year’s event was Jim Maul. School Days is an important outreach of the Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council, stewards of WSSR. A veteran schoolteacher remarked that this year’s event was the best field trip she had experienced in her 25 years of teaching.
Successful restoration depends on fundraisers, contributions and grants.
SUMMERFEST 2024 DRAWS A CROWD
The conditions were right. The heat had not arrived yet and the grasshopper swarm didn’t reach the stage area. The last day of June saw over 250 guests enjoy the many features of this year’s outdoor celebration at the historic ranch site in Clio. It was the 14th annual summer event and an army of volunteers offered food, drink and entertainment at the single biggest fundraiser of the year for the Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council, (MVSC) stewards of White Sulphur Springs Ranch.
A highlight of the afternoon was the musical entertainment supplied by Matt Axton and the group he calls Bad Moon. He brought a five piece band consisting of 3 guitars, a drummer and a keyboard. After three hours of music Matt finished with a rendition of “Jeremiah and the Bullfrog”. That song was written by Matt’s father, Hoyt Axton, in 1971 and made famous by the group named “Three Dog Night”. Matt’s mom, Donna, was the artist on the keyboard. She lives in Tahoe and continues to add to the local music scene.
The live auction is always a big attraction at Summerfest.
This year one of the premium items offered was a week-long stay on the North shore of Kauai at Hanalei Bay Villa. It was quickly snapped up by an enthusiastic bidder. Golf, wine, Reno baseball and local dinners completed the other offerings.
The restored ranch house was open to visitors, and many exclaimed about the dramatic improvements. The volunteers of the MVSC put many hours into the restoration of this historic site and are delighted when they hear that residents appreciate their efforts. Some important improvements to the grounds are scheduled for the rest of the summer.
Interested parties should check the website for all kinds of ranch activities, ranch history and the opportunity to join and be a part of this community effort.
White Sulphur Springs Ranch
is excited to announce
the Grand Opening of our NEW
RANCH STORE
Our first products include our new clothing line featuring men's and women's comfortable shirts and heavy blend zippered hoodies. Each shirt and hoodie come with our famous White Sulphur Springs Ranch logo or name on it.
Click the image on the right to visit our clothing selections.
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Please consider donating today and keep our community strong.
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