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Milestone to be tie that binds Laws events |
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Wednesday, 26 March 2008 |
 Participants at last year’s Laws Good Ole Days board the historic Brill Car. Laws is celebrating the 125th anniversary of the first train to roll through the station and has planned a summer full of events that will culminate with the annual Good Ole Days celebration. File photo
By Mike Gervais
Register Staff
3-25-2008
One-hundred-and-twenty-five years ago the Slim Princess No. 9 made its first historic appearance in Laws, traveling along a stretch of narrow gauge rail that reached from Nevada to Keeler.
In celebration of the completion of the railroad, Laws Railroad Museum has planned a summer chock full of historical events designed to bring back the time when the Slim Princess ruled the rail in the Owens Valley.
The official anniversary of the arrival of the Slim Princess is April 1, 1883. Rather than host a one-day celebration, the museum has planned five events throughout the summer.
The first Laws anniversary celebration will be a reenactment of the arrival of the Slim Princess in 1883, complete with “an old-time atmosphere with old-time VIPs giving old-time speeches and a brass band,” said Laws Board of Directors member Susan Cullen.
Board members and others from Laws will be playing the role of historic figures who were present for the arrival of the first trains. Max Cox and Elvie Henderson are just two of the “dignitaries” who will be speaking to the public in April.
“There’s going to be refreshments and souvenirs,” Cullen said. “We’ve got some new shirts made, with a new logo” that will be available, she added.
Laws is also digging up some old documents, including historic railroad maps that have never been on display at the museum, Cullen said.
The following month, on Saturday, May 17, the museum will host another event to “honor freedom and those who have kept us free,” in celebration of Memorial Day.
Dignitaries at the May event will include local soldiers, past and present. “All our veterans are asked to wear their uniforms if they have them, or their medals,” Cullen said.
Also, the Bishop Mothers of Military Servicemen and Women (MOMS) Club will operate a booth representing current soldiers who are serving overseas.
The local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars has also been scheduled to do a flag presentation and the Daughters of the American Revolution will have their own information booth.
Continuing with its celebration, Laws staff has prepared a musical act for its June event that will include two famed artists, a barbecue and refreshments.
Dave Stamey and Fiddlin’ Pete Watercott will perform at Laws at 5 p.m. on June 21. This will be the only anniversary event at the museum this summer with a cost. All proceeds will be donated to the museum.
Stamey is a longtime Mule Days performer who has been awarded the Male Performer of the Year award by the Western Music Association and has been nominated three times for the Songwriter of the Year award.
Link Stanley will be cooking up his famous barbecue sandwiches for the concert and the Bishop Sunrise Rotary will be serving refreshments.
Next up for Laws will be a “fun look at working historic machines, from old tractors and harvesters to old sewing machines and looms,” said Cullen. This event has been unofficially dubbed “Vroom Vroom Days.”
Laws is a haven for history buffs as well as mechanics. The museum grounds are home to both the Slim Princess No. 9 and the Death Valley Brill Car, which was recently restored and is now functional, as well as dozens of old engine-powered and horse-drawn wagons and tractors.
“There is a lot of old stuff that’s kind of out behind the museum that they’ll bring up” for the event, Cullen said, noting that there will mining relics and old farming equipment, as well as examples of early transportation.
In addition to the machines that are already on display at the museum, the Bishop Model A Club will bring an array of classic, show-quality Model A Fords.
Various demonstrations will be ongoing throughout the day, with history buffs showing off some of the early technology settlers used for common household tasks, such as washing clothes or cooking.
In August the museum will be bringing out all its mining displays, including some antique motorized equipment and, of course, old-fashioned picks and shovels.
“There will be talks and demonstrations about some of the local mines” given by local historians, as well as some demonstrations, Cullen said.
The anniversary festivities will continue through September, culminating with the annual Laws Good Ole Days celebration, which includes period garb, food, music, socializing and the ever-popular home baked pie auction.
Auctioneer Richard Reel will be conducting the auction this year, with the proceeds going to Laws.
At each of the anniversary events, the Crafty Ladies of Big Pine and the Calico Quilters of Bishop will be selling raffle tickets for a train-themed quilt. The raffle will take place at Good Ole Days in September.
The Laws Board of Directors “just thought these events would be interesting to residents,” said Cullen, noting that the museum hosts lectures and events once a month. But this summer, the board wanted to use those regularly scheduled events to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Laws railroad.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 21 April 2008 )
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