P.O. Box 25 Clio, CA 96106-0025
Welcome to
White Sulphur Springs Ranch
Working to support our community, our schools, and our
disabled children and disabled veterans
From left to right, White Sulphur Springs volunteers Tim Buckhout and Carolyn Blom accept a check from Rachelle Ramelli of the Plumas Bank with 2024 event coordinator Jim Maul on the right.
NEW FUNDING FOR LIVING HISTORY SCHOOL DAYS
Living History School Days at White Sulphur Springs Ranch is one of the most rewarding activities enjoyed by both the dedicated volunteers and the third graders that learn about the history of the place where they live. New funding has been received which will allow the event to be presented again in 2025.
In October of 2024 third grade students from Quincy and Portola rotated through five learning stations. First they toured the historic ranch house, then they rotated through four outdoor stations that illustrated homestead cooking and washing, livestock branding, Maidu life and fruit box building. A veteran schoolteacher remarked that the 2024 event was the best field trip she had experienced in her 25 years of teaching. The volunteers that put on the two day event are enthusiastic and look forward to making each School Days a positive learning experience for the students that take part.
Recently, Plumas Bank generously offered to fund both the 2024 version of School Days and the next event in 2025.
Successful restoration depends on fundraisers, contributions and grants. There are over 300 members and a large group of active volunteers. The work of restoring the historic ranch site is ongoing and new volunteers are always welcome!
LIVING HISTORY SCHOOL DAYS
AT WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS RANCH
The volunteers at White Sulphur Springs Ranch (WSSR) hosted 3rd graders from Quincy and Portola, on two successive days, October 23 and 24, at the historic ranch site in Clio. On Wednesday the group from Quincy Elementary toured the site. On Thursday it was the students from C. Roy Carmichael Elementary in Portola. A total of 95 kids, accompanied by 5 teachers and 20 parent chaperones, gave the children a look at what life was like in Plumas County in the 1800’s.
Students rotated through 5 learning stations. First, they were treated to a tour of the historic ranch house by docents in period costume. Then they were rotated through 4 outdoor stations that dealt with homestead cooking and washing, branding, Maidu life and fruit box building. The activities ended at about 1:00 PM with a group picture on the new deck that overlooks the Mohawk Valley.
Some highlights included the discovery of new Maidu grinding stones. In the course of preparing for the students' arrival, Hillary and Bob Hughes moved some brush, scraped off some dirt and uncovered grinding holes that hadn’t be seen in years. At the fruit box station children could make miniature fruit boxes by nailing wood slats together and gluing on labels to illustrate the activities of the old fruit exchange in Graeagle. In 1919 the California Fruit Company purchased land along Graeagle creek in order to cut and mill lumber for fruit boxes they provided to growers across the State. The noise of dozens of hammers pounding nails caused a volunteer’s Apple Watch to declare an emergency. One of the kids at the fruit box station had such a good time he asked Tim Buckhout to shake his little hand….it was a highlight of the day for WSSR volunteers. The kids got to take the boxes they had put together home with them along with wooden plaques that had brands burned into them at Jan Tew’s livestock branding station. The homestead cooking and washing station was presented by Cathy Danielson and Janine Wolcott. Brian Martinez managed the fruit box station.
Living History School Days is partially funded by a grant from the Safeway Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to bettering the lives of people in the neighborhoods and WSSR is very fortunate to have their support.
The organizer for this year’s event was Jim Maul. School Days is an important outreach of the Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council, stewards of WSSR. A veteran schoolteacher remarked that this year’s event was the best field trip she had experienced in her 25 years of teaching.
Successful restoration depends on fundraisers, contributions and grants.
Brick buy Brick
Honor a Veteran today with your purchase of a Commemorative Brick.
These bricks will be permanently placed at White Sulphur Springs Ranch to honor your loved one. To design and purchase your brick, click on the
GREEN button below.
SUMMERFEST 2024 DRAWS A CROWD
The conditions were right. The heat had not arrived yet and the grasshopper swarm didn’t reach the stage area. The last day of June saw over 250 guests enjoy the many features of this year’s outdoor celebration at the historic ranch site in Clio. It was the 14th annual summer event and an army of volunteers offered food, drink and entertainment at the single biggest fundraiser of the year for the Mohawk Valley Stewardship Council, (MVSC) stewards of White Sulphur Springs Ranch.
A highlight of the afternoon was the musical entertainment supplied by Matt Axton and the group he calls Bad Moon. He brought a five piece band consisting of 3 guitars, a drummer and a keyboard. After three hours of music Matt finished with a rendition of “Jeremiah and the Bullfrog”. That song was written by Matt’s father, Hoyt Axton, in 1971 and made famous by the group named “Three Dog Night”. Matt’s mom, Donna, was the artist on the keyboard. She lives in Tahoe and continues to add to the local music scene.
The live auction is always a big attraction at Summerfest.
This year one of the premium items offered was a week-long stay on the North shore of Kauai at Hanalei Bay Villa. It was quickly snapped up by an enthusiastic bidder. Golf, wine, Reno baseball and local dinners completed the other offerings.
The restored ranch house was open to visitors, and many exclaimed about the dramatic improvements. The volunteers of the MVSC put many hours into the restoration of this historic site and are delighted when they hear that residents appreciate their efforts. Some important improvements to the grounds are scheduled for the rest of the summer.
Interested parties should check the website for all kinds of ranch activities, ranch history and the opportunity to join and be a part of this community effort.
Remembering Paul Bianco
John Lullo, October 2024
He was a frequent visitor at the Mohawk Community Resource Center (MCRC) in Blairsden. He enjoyed the library and some of the other conveniences. As it is for so many residents of Eastern Plumas County, the resource center is a familiar and important community meeting place. In the course of his many visits, he got to know the MCRC coordinator, Holly Johnson. After a while and many conversations later, Holly realized that this guy had an important story to tell. He was a senior citizen, a longtime resident of Graeagle, and a part of the history of Plumas County.
Paul Bianco’s grandfather came to Ellis Island from Italy in 1917, probably to escape the world war that was destroying Europe. Paul’s father was a World War II naval veteran and Paul was born in San Francisco in 1946. He was in his late 30’s, on a long horseback ride on the Pacific Crest Trail in 1985 when he stopped for a while in Graeagle. In his words he was “overwhelmed” by the appearance and ambiance of the community. He saw an impressive looking gent that was striding through the park. The guy stopped to pick up a piece of trash and put it in his pocket. Paul decided then and there that he wanted to be a part of this community. He found out later that the impressive stranger was Harvey West.
Paul stopped at the Graeagle Stables to ask for a job. Both the horses and the grounds were in terrible shape. He offered to work at the stables in order to improve the conditions and establish himself in the community, knowing that someday he would own the business. After less than two years working as a wrangler, he made the right offer to buy and become the new owner. The next ten years saw a great improvement in the stables. Paul worked hard to make the customer’s experience something special. One of the most popular trips was a ride and an overnight at the then, bed and breakfast Inn, White Sulphur Springs Ranch. Paul had turned the dilapidated Graeagle Stables he found in 1985 into a successful tourist attraction and an important chapter in the history of the White Sulphur Springs Ranch. The Board of Directors of the Ranch has donated a legacy brick to honor Paul’s connection to the Ranch. The inscription reads “Paul Bianco, Graeagle Stables 1985 – 1995”. This brick on the grounds of the historic Ranch will ensure that he will not be forgotten in the community he so dearly loved.
White Sulphur Springs Ranch Presents
A Virtual Tour Presentation from the
Buffalo Bill Center of the West Museum
featuring some of the most famous American Firearms
Tickets are limited
so act now!
White Sulphur Springs Ranch
is excited to announce
the Grand Opening of our NEW
RANCH STORE
Our first products include our new clothing line featuring men's and women's comfortable shirts and heavy blend zippered hoodies. Each shirt and hoodie come with our famous White Sulphur Springs Ranch logo or name on it.
Click the image on the right to visit our clothing selections.
Note: When you enter the store, ignore the "Out of Stock" comment next to many items in the store. It appears there because all items are custom orders, and no inventory is maintained.
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