Doble was a settlement on the north side of Baldwin Lake CA
The Ditch and Old Ball Mill
Perhaps few living know the water from Van Deusen that was taken in a ditch along the edge of the hills and behind (north) Talmadges and all the cabins, into the flat southwest of Doble to run the first of four mills in that neighborhood. Will Talmadge informed me of this, and that it was a ball Mill. The next three were all on higher ground and farther north, one a ball and two of cyanide. Instead of the Baldwin Mine making millions for Lucky, it really lost money, but dry Baldwin Lake proved a fine race training track for the owner’s fancy stock, and the name Doble came from the name of his head jockey.
Too Much Log for X.G.
In the building of a new general store on the highway, the Bartlett Brothers wanted a kind of skeleton-log-covering in front to house the gas pump. The brother known as X.G. took care of the outside work in general, so he went to Knickerbocker for logs.
Now Bill always had a pile of lumber odds and ends on the southeast corner of the highway and Knickerbocker road, just south of the present school. “Sure,” said Bill, “I’ve got’em”, and they found he was correct. Selecting one about twelve feet long, Bill lifted the small end, placing it on X.G.’s shoulder. Then the larger end he adjusted on his own.
They started for the store five hundred feet away and walked less than one hundred when Barlett yelled “let her go” and the log was dropped to the ground. X.G. told me that he thought that log would cut him in two, and he was what I call a stout, chunky individual.
So the log waited for a team of horses you say? Not a bit of it. That man Bill began at the small end and worked it up to the center of gravity, then raised it to his own shoulder and walked – - walked all the way to its destination with no help from anyone. Try and tie that one. Find any man in the country could do it, and I’ll bet on Bill. Strange, though, there is nothing in the looks of the man, either in his legs or shoulders, that has suggestion of power. Not a thing.
Logging Wagon in the San Bernardino Mountains
Hi. I’m seeking information (just for my private knowledge) about the old rustic general store that was located at approximately 41611 North Shore Drive. I see on Google Earth this store (and adjoining house) were recently demolished, and a large new home built behind where they once stood.
The reason for my inquiry is that this general store was used in a 1971 Columbo TV show episode (starring the late Peter Falk) titled: Murder By The Book. I saw that episode when it was first aired back in September of 1971, and to this day it was my favorite episode. I just recently purchased newly released DVDs of the old Columbo TV show, once again getting to watch the afore episode after 40 years.
Out of curiosity I went onto Google Earth to see if I could find this old general store, and lo and behold I did, in Google Earth’s “street scene” mode. However, sadly, in Google’s aerial view mode the store was now gone!
From close observation of the Columbo show episode I deduced that this old country store was part of a commercial business that also included rental cabins and boats, and that the attached home must of been where the owner lived.
As you may be aware, Peter Falk passed away about a week ago. I post at a Peter Falk/Columbo website, where I recently posted a thread talking about the little general store, plus a cabin also used, located in Fawnskin (which I see is still there, but modified since 1971). Many members at this website (and that includes me) have a sentimental feeling for this old store, all due to it appearing in the Columbo episode.
I would be so pleased if you or someone of knowledge of my inquiry could possibly tell me some history of the store,i.e., business name, when it was built, when it closed up, etc.
I can furnish via email photos of said store from screen captures I made from my DVD and/or Google Earth street scenes if that might be of help or for your interest.
If you can’t help me, can you recommend a source I might contact?
Regards,
Walter R. Darnall
Lake Placid, Florida
I think they moved that building over to the Big Bear Museum!