Oh wow I read the rest. Just goes to show theres history that isnt on the internet or in books...very cool....
Back in the pre-internet days of the very late 1980s/early 1990s, I was at the library leafing through their local history files. That is printed resources like pamphlets and brochures-type-stuff, that's too small to be considered "books" for the regular library shelves. And over the years, they get alphabetized and filed in manila folders in file-cabinets.
As I was going through the local-history section, I stumbled on to a thin paper-pack booklet of perhaps 25 pages. It was on the History of Gonzales, CA. It had been written at the time of that city's 100th anniversary, in 1976. At that time, in 1976, several long-time ranching family patriarchs and aldermen old-timers had gotten together to write their memoirs of early life in that city. Most of it was common knowledge stuff. Like when the railroad came to town, how the town got its name, blah blah. But then there was a few pages on "social life in early Gonzales". Which talked about the various fraternal lodges, recreational pursuits, etc... And a sentence alluding to "picnics in such & such canyon". And the next sentence saying that "... as of 1926, such & such other new site became the location for picnics".
I got out my topo maps, studied that canyon name, but found that it was MILES LONG. Hence I'd need more precise info. I asked a few people from that town, but no one knew anything about it. Then I looked at the contributing authors names in the front flyleaf. About 5 names of those who had apparently been old-timers in 1976. Hmmm, is it possible that any of them are still around ~15 yrs. later ? I went through the phone book and one by one found no such name, etc... When I got to the very last name, I found a perfect match in the phone book. Cold called and someone answered the phone!
From the sound of the voice, a very elderly man. I explained that I was a history buff doing research, and wondered if he could shed like on mention of picnics in such & such canyon. He described the exact bend in the road, and from there, a certain dirt road that goes another 1/2 mile out into a draw canyon, etc.... And with that description, we found it.
We found out someone had been there before us (long story) but we don't know who they are and what they found. They certainly missed a lot
I may have to have a "Hearing Ear" dog to alert me to the BEEPS.
