SFBCPOA Product 2

History of the Area

Looking up-canyon at the South Fork of Bishop Creek.

Native Americans used Bishop Creek Canyon as long as 7-9,000 years ago. Signs of their use of the canyon include bedrock mortars and millslicks. The first recorded permanent occupation by Euro-Americans was in 1861 at the mouth of Bishop Creek. In 1893 President Harrison created the Sierra Forest Reserve (aka Sierra Timber Reserve). This reserve encompassed roughly six million acres, including much of the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada. In 1907 President Roosevelt created the Inyo National Forest, which now manages most of Bishop Creek and the eastern Sierra. In 1908/09, the Nevada-California Power Company constructed South Lake Dam. Southern California Edison now manages the dam and the power plants further down the canyon.

The following is a brief timeline of private property ownership in the South Fork of Bishop Creek:

Timeline

	Circa 1885 William Coats builds a log cabin and plows crops in "Coats Meadows" near present day South Fork of Bishop Creek.
	Circa 1909 Harold & Ruth Schober purchase land in the canyon.
	October, 1946 The Schobers deed land to Austin & Dorothy Shreve for "...the sum of ten dollars, lawful money of the United States of America, and other considerations not herein recited..."
	April, 1953 The Shreves have Cecil Smith survey for a subdivision.
	November, 1953 Cecil Smith files the Mountain View Estates subdivision map with Inyo County.
	May, 1955 The Shreves deed land to Oliver & Vera Habegger for $15,500.
	May, 1962 The Habeggers begin to sell lots within Mountain View Estates.
	Summer, 2006 Lots are listed for sale at about $150,000 and homes for $300-500,000.

The canyon has a long history of summer resorts. Perhaps the first was Andrew's Camp, located near present day Four Jeffery Campground. Andrew's Camp operated from about the early 1900's until at least the 1930's. Parcher's Camp (aka Parcher's Rainbow Camp, Parcher's Resort) was begun in the early 1920's and still operates today. Bishop Creek Lodge (aka Schober's Lodge, the Mountain Lodge) began in the late 1920's and is still in business today. To see historic pictures of the camps, click here.

Mail was being delivered to Bishop Creek at least as early as 1880!