The Road to Sequoia: Uniquenss

Steve is so sweet to stop at Estate Sales for me. This one, at the McCourry Hills Ranch was too enticing to pass by.

The home was custom built by George F. McCourry (1920-2003). Born in Tennessee, he was the youngest of thirteen brothers and sisters. His being born during the depression explains a lot about his collecting.

Books say a lot about a person. This guy was certainly interesting. In 1943, he joined the U.S. Army and was decorated on several occasions and distinguished as a sharpshooter in World War II. He landed in Normandy and was on the front lines in France and Germany until he was seriously wounded at the Rhine River. He moved his family to Bakersfield in 1947.

In the early 1950s, he began a long and successful career as a custom homebuilder. He built one of the first convalescent hospitals (Parkview Juliana) in Bakersfield, and hundreds of homes in the Southwest and Hillcrest areas.

When he retired he built this ranch and lived here for the last two decades of his life. He was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying hunting and fishing. The reason for the sale is the passing of his daughter, who inherited the property. Whoa, so much stuff was left behind.

Our path to the big trees took us through mandarin groves. Yum!

Every roadside pull out had a litter bucket. I loved that and it was very effective.

It's not often we have to stop for someone to finish their lunch. This vulture was dining in our path. Wild.

A surprise find was the town of California Hot Springs.

The development of California Hot Springs started in 1882 by Henry Witt. By 1902, a large hotel was under construction. In 1920, a commercial center, swimming pool and therapeutic center were constructed. The landmark California Hot Springs recreation hall was built in 1926 and dedicated in May of 1927. Wild stuff out in the middle of nowhere.