Twentynine Palms Historical Society
29 Palms, California
Welcome!
"What draws us into the desert is the search for something intimate in the remote." ~Edward Abbey


The 2022-2023 Second Friday Lecture Series continues...
Friday, February 10th at 7:00pm
"Kemper Campbell Ranch at the Mojave River Narrows: An Enduring Legacy in
Desert History and Lore"
by Ruth Nolan
Join Mojave Desert literary scholar Ruth Nolan for a journey through the legacy in history and lore of the legendary Kemper Campbell Ranch in Victorville. Situated in the stunning riparian corridor of Victor Valley's northward-flowing Mojave River where it squeezes through the granite cliffs of the Mojave Narrows, this keystone ranch - still a working ranch today with cattle, horses, and alfalfa fields - is one of the desert's oldest and most intriguing locations, brimming with noteworthy history and color that touches on the important western legacies of Native American habitation; westward expansion; Hollywood and film, including important connections to the screenwriting of Citizen Kane, with that story evoked in the 2020 movie Mank; notable California desert literature; 20th-century desert settlement and development, and more.
Sponsored by the Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park and the Twentynine Palms Historical Society, this lecture will be held at the Old Schoolhouse Museum, 6760 National Park Drive in 29 Palms on Friday, February 10th, at 7 pm. Doors will open at 6:15 pm. The fee for the presentation is $5.00 paid at the door.
For further information call:
The Desert Institute
760-819-4714
or email desertinstitute@joshuatree.org
Download a flyer
with this season's schedule.
Our Museum is now open
Wednesday - Sunday 1:00-4:00 PM
Now available in our gift shop
One With The Creosote – Memories of a Desert Child
By Chris (Spangenberg) Tiffany
With a blending of poetic imagery and journalistic prose, writer Chris Tiffany reflects on her childhood growing up on the Mojave Desert during the '50s and '60s, to reveal the origins of an interwoven connection to the natural world around her and its influence on her life's paths and perspectives.
Tiffany, a Santa Ynez Valley resident who grew up in Twentynine Palms, is daughter of the late Joe and Margot Spangenberg, who moved their family from San Pedro, California, to Twentynine Palms in 1953. The Oasis of Mara, at the northern entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, was her childhood playground.
Since age 10, Tiffany has kept personal diaries and journals, and credits her writing talent to her mother, who worked as a reporter for The Desert Trail for many years.
A graduate of the University of California, Irvine, Tiffany is a former director of the Santa Ynez Valley Family School, whose curriculum encourages exploration of the surrounding Los Padres National Forest as an extension of the classroom.
A 40-year resident of the Santa Ynez Valley, she is a past editor of the Women's Environmental Watch newsletter, and served as the initial publicist and program coordinator for Arts Outreach for many years.
She continues to enjoy frequent retreats to her cabin on the boundary of Joshua Tree National Park.
Willie Boy & The Last Western Manhunt
By Clifford E Trafzer
The saga of Willie Boy has survived over one hundred years and the captivating story remains alive today.
American Indians throughout Southern California, the American Southwest, and Great Basin remember the story
well. Willie Boy's pursuit of redemption, his attempt to become culturally whole again, reflects a tragic
journey that still resonates today, over a hundred years on from the deaths of William Mike and Carlota.
In his journey to survive, Willie Boy challenged numerous lawmen eager to capture or kill him, prompting the
posse, press, and citizens to demonize Willie Boy.
Clifford E. Trafzer is a Distinguished Professor of History and Costo Chair of Amerian Indian Affairs at the
University of California, Riverside. He has published A Chemehuevi Song, Fighting Invisible Enemies,
Strong Hearts & Healing Hands, and Shadows of Sherman Institute.
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