Muriel
Encinas was born April 28, 1919 in Martinez, California.
She was first brought to North Fork in 1963 by her husband,
Andy. They purchased a lot in Cascadel Woods on June 4,
1963 from Dev-land Corp. and built their home on this
lot in 1965. Between them they have 3 children, Ronald
and Janet are hers and Gary is his. Gary and Janet attended
and graduated from Sierra High School. Ronald graduated
from Benning High School in Georgia. None of their immediate
family presently resides in the area.
They
came to North Fork because Andy had spent his younger
years here in the Forest Service and C.C. Camp and he
loved the area and Muriel had grown up in the mountains
of Georgia and she loved the area too. Andy had seen an
ad in the Oakland Tribune describing the lots in Cascadel
Woods. The lots were going for $2,900.00 even tho the
salesman told him $3,600.00 (but) they would be given
a discount. At that time, there was only one house being
built on Loma Linda by a contractor by the name of Holly
(from Fresno). Holly was hired by the Encinas' to build
their house when he was through building the other house.
There
were a lot of lots for sale and, at that time they would
give you a second lot free if you would build on it within
a year. They had to be adjoining lots and the Norwood's
and Wilson's took advantage of this offer. (to the best
of their knowledge, there was no written paper work on
this offer -- it was just common knowledge from the people
who got the lots)
Wes
Wilson should be asked about this. He and his wife,
Marge, presently live in the big, 2-story house
behind the library. They had lived in Cascadel for 12 years when Encina's
bought their lot. Wilson is the one who originally dug
the hole for the swimming pool. Wilson built and lived
in the house where Jan & Bob McKee now live and also
built the block house for Les & Katherine Miller.
One
big lot, down by Whiskey Creek, was owned by Looney's.
He divided it and someway or another he picked up another
water share.
Les
& Katherine Miller bought their lot in January of
1963 but Encinas' lived here a year before Miller's.
People
living here at that time (1963-65): Wilson, Morgan, Hassage,
Looney, Robinson, Millett, Norwoods (across from Curtis),
Butterfields (built and lived in Curtis house).
Homes on Cascadel South (known as Doctor's row):
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There
was Wes & Marge Wilson. Other houses built on that
side but mainly weekenders on Cascadel South: Masten,
James, Liggatt. Then there was Butterfield's (now Curtis),
then brown house that Charlene Owen rented all the time
(had no insulation), one in between (owned by Adventist
when painted yellow and now owned by Arvance), shacky
brown house next to it (Lee & Lorraine Hoagland),
no house in between, then a Doctor or Dentist where Stellings
live and then no houses until Whittikers at end of cul
de sac on Cascadel South.
Corner
of Cascadel Drive & Cascadel South: Millett (Fongs),
block house at falls owned by Adventist, Youngbirds built
across creek (Castle).
Above
where Quistad's live, now Kinser-Hill home, was Elizabeth
& Stanley Harris (he was a preacher) and was built
by Adventist.
Now,
past the clubhouse, Cascadel North: Looney, his sister
(Nell Marie Reinfert) [now Chipman], log cabin (Turrell),
next to it the Russian house (one falling apart and owned
by Russian lady), next house built by Edna Barnett who
was an Adventist (now Roger Tucker's). She divided lot
next door where Horn's now live. She also built a little
place, closer to Whiskey Creek, and still on her property,
which she rented to an Adventist preacher.
Gossip:
Basil Robinson and Katherine Looney, who was Priestess
in Adventist Church, went to Edna requesting the preacher
move as there was adverse gossip about the two of them
so he had to move.
Two
other houses on creek side of Cascadel North were Malolly's
(need spelling) before Waterfall Way (Lefebvre) and the
present house of Rich's (Muriel did not know who owned
this before Rich's) but it is located on corner of Cascadel
North and Waterfall way. Across from Waterfall Way on
Cascadel North, Eichmann (presently Saylor), then Day's
home (across from Kullrich). This site was owned by Dunn's.
[ed.note: was this rebuilt by Day's or Dunn's?]
Cascadel
Ranch Properties:
Millett and Robinson bought, what was to become Cascadel
Ranch Properties from the Dunn's. Millett was the money-man
and had some apartments in the L.A. area. Basil Robinson
was his apartment manager. Basil came to look and wanted
this property but had no money even tho he had his own
masseuse shop and apparently was a masseuse to some 'stars'.
Basil's wife, Marie, was an alteration and dressmaker
for one of the big department stores in North Hollywood.
Millett
brought Cascadel Ranch and made Basil the manager. Basil
would take no money but after a number of years he took
the property away from Millett.
Millett
moved up with his son, Glenn, (who was paraplegic from
polio). They owned and operated the Cascadel Telephone
Company (old switchboard style) out of their home which
is the old block house (now Fong's) on the corner of Cascadel
& Cascadel South. Glenn Millett ran the phone operation
and he used to listen in on everyone's conversations,
sometime's even butting in to the conversations. All phone
lines were above ground and would connect with the outside
world even tho you had to go through Millett's switchboard.
There weren't too many phone connections as there were
only 28 homes (only 12 were used as full time residences)
in 1965 and not all of them took this party-line service.
Encinas' did not have a phone put in to their home as
they had two teenagers and there were already some problems
with other families with teenagers and their continuous
use of the phone.
In
late 1965 or early 1966 Ponderosa telephone came in with
underground lines and you could also subscribe to a private
line. Encinas' don't know whether Cascadel Telephone Co.
was sold to Ponderosa or that it was just disconnected
and dropped by Millett since the original Adventist Retreat
plan had been abandoned.
Cascadel
was originally set up to be an Adventist community ...
an Adventist Doctor's Retreat ... A hospital was to be
built over in the vicinity where the Vining's live (SW
of dirt road by pond).
Little
known fact: Muriel used to do Millett's banking. Glenn
used to call Muriel, knowing when Andy would get paid
by the sawmill, and ask her if she was going to Oakhurst
to the Bank of America. He did not want Basil to know
that he had any money. (She never mentioned this until
all the partys involved left, this area.)
Swimming
Pool, Clubhouse & Golfcourse:
First year Encinas' moved up here Robinson closed the
swimming pool and clubhouse. He did open it one year,
during summer months which was basically from when school
was out in June until it started again after Labor Day
[need year, Ed.], by borrowing $12,000. All residents
were assessed $121.00 (on a voluntary basis) if they wanted
to use the facilities.
Clubhouse
& Swimming Pool:
The clubhouse was opened from 9 am until 8 pm. Anybody
could go in to the clubhouse. Wes Wilson dug the hole
for the swimming pool. Marge Wilson kept the swimming
pool open one summer but some adult had to be there. In
order to use the pool you had to sign a release form as
there was no lifeguard. Everyone would take turns, on
a voluntary basis, cleaning the clubhouse, the bathhouse,
and the swimming pool. In 1968 or 1969 Laura Morgan opened
the swimming pool. Had to go to Madera to get permits,
and was told how to run it, how to chlorinate it. Muriel's
daughter, Janet, vacuumed the pool that year. They had
a very good year that year with the pool open and the
men kept the golf course open. This was the last year
the pool and golf course were open.
Golf
Course:
Even tho Andy worked nights at the sawmill, he would get
an 8 AM call to go mow the greens and fairways of the
9-hole golf course. That way the Encina's did not have
to pay the $121.00 that was assessed to the homeowners
by Robinson. This assessment was paid directly to Robinson,
not through the Association or anything else.
Youngbird
used to be a manager of a golf course in Fresno and he
would call up Muriel (who had played a little golf as
a teenager) and say he and Flo were going to play a round
and would she like to come along. He taught her how to
play a pretty good round of golf. Golf course closed in
1969 or 1970.
The
golf course was let go because this was a very dry year.
The golf course was getting its water from Whiskey Creek
and it was running very low that year. The ranchers down
below started complaining that the golf course was taking
too much of their water out of Whiskey Creek as they needed
water for their cattle. It came about that "they"
told Cascadel they couldn't use any more of that water
so the golf course was just let go. There was a lawsuit
against Cascadel by a lady rancher by the name of Pryor,
who had property along Whiskey Creek down by Mammoth Pool
road (on the up side). She passed away just before the
hearing that was to be held in Madera and apparently the
suit was then dropped.
When
the golf course was open, people would even play in the
snow, using orange golf balls. They even had a big, old
dog they would send to find their golf balls.
Weather:
For
about 10 years after they moved in here there were good
snow packs in Cascadel ---up to about 3 feet and the rain
totals would run 40" to 60". Snow would last
in to May and sometimes June.
Mr.
Looney had a snowplow that was as big as his little tractor.
He would get up at 4 or 5 AM and plow so they could get
their kids down to Mammoth Pool road by 6:45 AM to catch
the school bus.
At
one time, the people who lived here had red tags on their
vehicles and those were the only vehicles that were allowed
up here because of the fire hazard during the summer time.
Also,
at one time, Warren Morgan had 4 snow mobiles that he
would fire up right there at the back of his house and
go all the way up to the back country.
School:
There were no paved roads up to, or in Cascadel so kids
had to be driven to Mammoth road where they were picked
up by Bill Wilson who drove the school bus. The school
bus would go up to DeMaster's on Mammoth Pool road (which
was paved) and on his way back would pick up the kids
at the bottom of the hill.
The
road to Cascadel had been changed since the arrival of
the Encina's. It used to traverse the hill across from
the Sheeps Landing area and had a spot that used to be
called Inspiration Point as you could view all of the
Central valley and everything in between from there. The
logging operations were instrumental in changing the road
as their trucks could not negotiate that curve. The steep
grade right outside the CW arches is the result of this
road change. There has always been a question why the
present horseshoe bend wasn't taken out at the same time.
Cascadel
Mutual Water Co:
Working for the water company was done on a volunteer
basis. Andy would help Curley Gerlach when needed and
would take care of the water system when Curley was away
on vacation or for whatever reason. After a while they
started paying Andy gas money for use of his car. Sometimes
mice would get into the covered reservoirs and they had
a dipper that was used to pull them out. Mouse traps around
the reservoirs helped alleviate this problem. Black ABS
pipe (that still is predominately in use on the west side
of Whiskey in Sub. #2) was used throughout the system.
Some of the pipe ran on top of the ground but most was
put down to a depth of where it resides today -- 6"
to maybe 18". The pipe was laid in ditches that had
mainly been dug by hand --- Barney Rohrbaugh and Wes Wilson
probably know more about this. Water only came from the
spring located on Forest Service land. This spring was
producing almost 120gpm at that time. There were no wells
--- at least not legitimate ones. Apparently three "dummy"
wells had been dug to satisfy the requirements set forth
by the county or the state. These wells never were on
the water system as they were set up to create an illusion
but never were deep enough to produce water (about 35'?).
The present #1 well started out as one of these "dummy"
wells. Vince Goodwin did the water shed [ed.-what shed?].
He also engineered and laid out the roads.
Andy
served once on the water board sometime in the late 70's.
Some of the people serving with him: Hansen, Morgan, Youngbird.
Subdivision
#3 was never filed because around that time the county
changed the restrictions and you could no longer have
a septic tank and leach lines on 1/3 acre lots. Cascadel
Heights was the same way. This was around the last part
of 1965. That is why Subdivision #3 was broken into larger
than 1/3 acre parcels and sold as "outlots."
There
were picnic tables along the west side of Whiskey Creek,
near the bridge. There were 3 cabins on the same side.
Barney & Zella Rohrbaugh lived in the one closest
to the road. The next two cabins were closer to Whiskey
but before you get to the ditch that carries the water
from the pond to Whiskey. On the other side of the ditch
is where part of the golf course was located. These cabins
were rented to people who came up to the Lodge. Our clubhouse
used to be a lodge and stables were located next to the
lodge (around the burn pile area). Vince Goodwin's niece
was a waitress at the lodge. There was another cabin on
the clubhouse side of Whiskey but downstream in the area
where the old footbridge went across Whiskey. This is
where Marie & Basil Robinson lived when they first
came here. It burned down and under some possible suspicious
circumstances.
Right
beside clubhouse (on left-hand side) there was a home.
It was close to the road right there like you were going
to Looney's (Heisig's). Goodwin said it had the most beautiful
fireplace made of rocks and arrowheads that the house
should have been made into a museum. Instead Robinson
and Millet tore it down a couple years before Encina's
moved here. Also gone were the stables.
Dunns:
Sold Cascadel property to Millet & Robinson. Their
home was directly across from Kullrichs. Mr. Dunn got
drunk and burned it down. The Days(?) built the present
day house right on top of that site.(who owns it today?).
Muriel found an ink well, made of marble, from that fire.
As the story goes according to Basil Robinson, the Dunn's
were alcoholics. One time Mr. Dunn got mad at his wife
and buried some silver and all the expensive stuff they
had in barrels in the apple orchard. When he sobered up
he could not remember where he buried the two barrels.
Apple
Orchard:
Many of the trees have died since the Encinas' arrived.
The trees were never properly cared for yet they produced
(and continue to do so) enormous crops of delicious apples.
Elizabeth & Stanley Harris told Muriel that Chinese
workers were brought in over 100-125 years ago and their
labor was used to plant those apple trees. (Ed. note -
Other research indicates Chapin planted those trees. Could
he have brought in the Chinese labor?)
Indian
burial ground out by arches:
W. Morgan said that was a store and not a burial ground.
Also, possibly a post office.Artifacts
collected in this area by Encina's:
Whiskey bottle, "Kellogs Nelson County Extra Kentucky
Bourbon," (picture?). This bottle is different because
the screw top grooves are on the inside of the neck at
top of bottle. Have quite a few 'blob'?-type beer bottles
which have cork and wire in it.
Indian
soap beads - found down by falls, across road from their
house, Kinsman Flats. (she has put them on a string to
keep them together).
Gallon
fruit jar - found by stream by clubhouse. Has little crack
on lid and has 1884 on it. A
number of arrowheads in their collection were found in
various areas around Cascadel.
LOGGING:
Need to ask W. Morgan about this but there was a High
Line logging operation from up on top to down where the
spring is. Across the road from Van Amburgs was a mess
hall where the loggers ate. There was one up by the spring
along with some sort of blacksmith shop and barn.
MINING:
There are quite a few holes left from mining tungsten
up in that same area (now Sierra Nat'1 Forest). One in
particular was called the old Morgan mine. The fellow
working the Morgan mine used to walk to and from North
Fork to get his groceries. After he shot his daughter
(thinking she was a bear), he left the area. There was
also quartz mines that were located going out toward Cascadel
Point.
NAMES
OF PEOPLE TO TALK TO WHO ARE STILL HERE:
Al Lichti, Warren Morgan, possibly Chuck Hassage, Katherine
& Les Miller, John Knorr, Wes & Marge Wilson.
There
is a strip of land, 20 feet or so wide, that runs along
the west side of Whiskey Creek all the way up to the cul-de-sac
on Hillcrest. The Forest Service has a right to some of
that property (do not think it is an easement) right along
the edge of Whiskey. Bud Klette & John Knorr have
found many arrowheads in that area along the creek.
There
was an old road that came down from Whiskey Falls road.
It came down right by Joe Balog's place, crossed over
between Dominic Ballanti and Eunice Griffen lot and then
hit Cascadel down by the mail boxes at the corner of Cascadel
and Loma Linda roads. It went on down to Sheepman's flat
and then down the back side to the mill. This was a wagon
road and at one time you could still see the wagon tracks.
The
name MONO means doll, or figurine, in Spanish. (ed. had
read that spanish word for monkey was mono). According
to Andy, Chango is the spanish word for monkey.
At
the time when Encinas' first bought their Cascadel lot
Andy was working in Manteca for Libby-Owen Ford. It was
decided that Andy quit his job and see if he could work
at the mill which was owned at that time by American Forest
Products. He started out as a roustabout (doing all sorts
of odd jobs) and ended up as a Tally Man. A Tally Man
is the person who estimates the board foot on a unit after
it has been planed, dried and graded. A unit is about
3' to 4' wide and so many courses high. He worked there
from 1966 to his retirement in 1985.
Andy
was born August 2, 1923 in Los Angeles. His family moved
to Madera. His Dad passed away in 1937 leaving his Mother
with two girls and two boys to raise during the Depression.
At that time there was no welfare or any type of public
assistance so Andy had to drop out of high school to help
support the family. In Madera he joined the C.C.Camp in
1939, at age 17, and was sent to the camp in North Fork.
He served for two years, leaving when he was 19.
CIVILIAN
CONSERVATION CAMP - This camp was located on Road 222
just up a few turns from the present post office complex.
It was on the right hand side of the road down a gravel
road. Presently, there are a bunch of trailers sitting
on that location, near the fish hatchery. Andy has pictures
of mess hall and this camp. Crews from this camp cleared
firebreaks, fire trails and cut up downed logs for firewood.
When called upon they also fought fires. There were about
250 young men in the camp. The equipment they mainly had
available to do all this work was a McCloud, axe, and
shovel. At that time they did not have access to bulldozers
and/or chainsaws. But the work was not too hard, when
cutting a firebreak or trail, because there would be 30-40
men working together with each man only taking a few chops
in the soil and then moving on. By the time all of them
had done this, it made a pretty nice firebreak and took
very little time. There were several sub-stations around
the area, one at Reddinger, but Andy did not remember
where they all were. You could not be in the C.C.C. after
age twenty-five.
Andy
was at this camp for about six months and then was transferred
to a Substation near O'Neals (CSUF Experimental Range).
Professors worked at this complex and experimented with
cattle, horses and other domestic animals. They also brought
in various grasses from all over the world for experimental
purposes. Wild animals were trapped, tagged and released
in order to learn the ways and habits of these animals.
Andy and his 25 fellow workers helped the Professors with
all of these tasks. The Professors would catch rattlesnakes
and tie a thread around the last button in their rattles
and then let them loose.
A
member of the C.C.Camp was always on call for fighting
fires. They were also used to help when there was an automobile
accident, whether it be directing traffic, putting out
an automobile fire and/or cleaning up the mess caused
by the accident. Because of people throwing lighted firecrackers
out of their cars on Hwy. 41, Andy would be with the crew
that would take a fire truck and park by the fountain
(on 41) so they could be at the ready in case any of these
firecrackers started this hills on fire.
FOREST
SERVICE - In 1946, after World War II, Andy came back
to the North Fork area and worked for the Forest Service
for two to two and one half years. At that time they thought
the Gooseberry was emitting a pollen or something that
was killing the Fir tree. Of course, that was not so.
It was a beetle. But, one of the jobs was to dig up the
gooseberries. After that, Andy drove a truck, containing
2-4D that had four hoses on each side. He would drive
it along the road and spray any gooseberry bushes that
were within reach. He also was involved with maintaining
different roads within the forest service area. One of
the main ones was Whiskey Falls road. There was also a
big camp, with mess hall and tent cabins for sleeping
quarters at Whiskey Falls. He stayed there when they were
eradicating the gooseberry. There was also one of these
camps up on Gertrude Creek.
Being
a single man, Andy grew restless and left, moving to the
Bay Area where he got married, divorced and married Muriel.
With the passing years, Andy never forgot about North
Fork and when he saw the ad in the Oakland Tribune, in
1963, he knew it was his chance to return and raise his
family in the area he loved so much.
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