L-R, Barbara Braaten, President of the Quail Club and Dolores Robb, Treasurer. The Quail Club raises funds to provide scholarships to qualified students. Photo by Becky Foster
MEADVIEW – After a summer hiatus, the Community of Meadview (COM) met on Thursday, October 3. Meadview’s many groups and clubs, including the Chamber of Commerce, Friends of the Joshua Tree Forest, the Quail Club and the Meadview Historical Society reported on their activities.
It was announced that the Meadview Museum is now operational in a space next to the Boathouse which used to be a rock and mining shop. The society is preserving documents and photos and will also include historic drives for people to make in and around Meadview. (Note: The September 11, Standard article regarding NPS and South Cove incorrectly stated that the Duffield house where the National Park Service ranger station is located was built in the 1930s. The correct time frame is about 1960).
A community-wide Octoberfest event is scheduled on Saturday, October 12 and will feature a car show, water balloon toss and other activities all around town. Tickets are being sold as a fundraiser by the VFW Auxiliary. There are several prizes with the grand prize of a two-night stay at the Grand Canyon West Ranch with breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
The BLM (Bureau of Land Management) staff provided an informative program for the nearly 100 attendees. Jacqueline Brill, Realty Specialist and Pam Clausen, Land Law Examiner made a presentation and answered questions on a variety of topics including how to determine boundaries between BLM land, NPS land and private property; rules for rock hounding; and metal detector use on public lands.
Questions included how wind/solar generation projects approved by BLM would restrict other uses of the public lands, items which can and cannot be collected and the difference between trash and artifacts. Brill stated that something as simple as a rusty tin can could possibly be an artifact depending on the age of the can. She said if in doubt, it would need to be determined by a BLM archaeologist whether it is an artifact or trash. She also explained under what circumstance a prospecting and/or mining permit is required.
According to a BLM publication, rocks, minerals and semi-precious gemstones and petrified wood may be collected without a permit on public lands managed by the BLM for personal use only.
However, there is a limit of 25 pounds per day with a total limit of 250 pounds annually. Historic sites such as cabins, sawmills, graves, trail traces, mining areas, town sites ranches and railroads are closed to collecting.
Also available were two live, non-venomous snakes, a California King Snake and a Bull Snake displayed in wood and glass containers. Brill advised the group that the BLM also has a collection of live snakes and reptiles at its Kingman office on Hualapai Road.
The collection includes a Gila Monster, a desert tortoise, Mohave Green, Western Diamondback, and Speckled rattlesnakes. The Western Diamondback is the longest and is considered one of the deadliest rattlesnakes in Arizona.
Becky Foster
