The Shoshone Museum
In this museum, there are skeletal remains of a prehistoric mammoth that was found nearby in 1983 by university students. The building for this unique antique museum, which is located in downtown Shoshone, California, was built in 1906 in Greenwater during the copper rush. It was later moved to its current location in Shoshone after the copper boom in Greenwater Valley had run its course. Other uses of the building prior to the museum include: boarding house, hospital, general store, post office, private residence, rock shop, railroad stop, and even a gas station. In fact, there is still an old car parked out front where the pumps once allowed motorists to fill up for ten cents a gallon!
Other exhibits include area mining history, geologic items of interest, history of Shoshone, and the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. Another exceptional display area is the women’s history exhibit, which focuses on the untold and under-told stories of women in the Death Valley area. As explained on the website: “Although women appeared mostly as background characters in the history of Death Valley, they were actively involved in most major events that occurred here. The women were an essential part of the day-to-day workings of life on the desert.” This museum is a nonprofit organization that gladly accepts donations to further the cause of historical preservation. This little byway gem is a nice restful stop on your way into Death Valley National Park, and we can even step across the street to browse the Charles Brown gift shop later.
I lived in death Valley in 1945 – 46. I was against every Kennedy’s home on the Indian reservation during that time. I went to school in a small building on the border of the date ranch and the Indian reservation. One of my classmates was Ross. I do not remember his first name or if that was his first name. He was younger than me and I am now 75 so he should be about 73?.
This is probably not the George Ross referred to in your book but perhaps it was George’s son.
My mother and I were living with Harry Kennedy when he was playing at the Green Lantern in Pasadena
I would like to speak with George Ross and tried to determine other information of Harry in that timeframe. If you could let me have George’s phone number or e-mail address I would be very please.
I can remember sitting around a fireplace with a tub of their and very old Indian would be telling stories to the young people. I remember his name is Johnny Shoshone. He always spoke in their native tongue and I never understood the stories he was telling. But when I would ask Ross when he said he would tell me that he was telling stories of how they fought the white man and won. We used to earn money taking tourist cars out of the sand right next to his house. These were some good times and I would enjoy talking to George about them.
Dan Lambson
February 7, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Following our corrections to the above posting.
Second sentence should read “I was a guest in Harry Kennedys home”……….
in the last paragraph he should read “fireplace with a tub of beer”
February 8, 2012 at 12:05 pm
George Ross is on the Shoshone Museum Board and can be reached there; he attended our meeting last wednesday. Come to Shoshone Days celebration in late Oct and talk to ALL. Susie Sorrells, owns Shoshone, can get a message to him. I am Senator Chas Brown’s grandson.Jim Gilliam
February 15, 2012 at 10:57 am
I will be in Shoshone in the latter part of March. I hope to make contact with Ross. How old is Ross. If he is in his 70s then I very well may know him from my death Valley days. We would have gone to school together at furnace Creek. My mother and I were living with Harry Kennedy on the reservation and later we returned to Pasadena with him and he played at the Green Lantern on fair Oaks Boulevard near Colorado Boulevard.
I’m looking forward to visiting Shoshone.
February 26, 2012 at 11:55 am