Furnace Creek Ranch - Death Valley, CA - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

TEXT ON THE MARKER

FURNACE CREEK IS A SPRING-FED STREAM FLOWING INTO DEATH VALLEY. NATIVE AMERICANS LIVED HERE CENTURIES PRIOR TO ITS DISCOVERY BY THE LOST FORTY-NINERS. IN 1881, AARON WINTERS FOUND BORAX NEARBY, AND SOLD HIS CLAIMS AND WATER RIGHTS TO WILLIAM TELL COLEMAN. GREENLAND RANCH WAS CONSTRUCTED AT THIS SITE TO SUPPORT THE BORAX WORKMEN AND TWENTY-MULE TEAMS. FRANCIS MARION SMITH ACQUIRED THE SITE FOR HIS COMPANY WHICH BECAME U S BORAX AND RENAMED IT FURNACE CREEK RANCH. THEY PRODUCED BORAX IN THE VALLEY UNTIL 1927.

THE RANCH WAS OPENED TO GUESTS IN 1932. THE MUSEUM WAS SET UP BY HARRY GOWER AND ANN ROSENER IN 1954 IN THE OLDEST STRUCTURE IN THE VALLEY, BUILT ABOUT 1883.

FRED HARVEY COMPANY PURCHASED THE DEATH VALLEY PROPERTIES FROM U S BORAX IN 1969.

The marker was placed by E Clampus Vitus Slim Princess Chapter 395 on June 15, 1996.

Group that erected the marker: E Clampus Vitus Slim Princess Chapter 395 URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Highway 190 Death Valley, CA United States 92328.

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Date Logged Log   11/10/2023 Don.Morfe visited it