Chautauqua and author launch August events at Dangberg Historic Park

August events open with a Chautauqua of Calamity Jane and a presentation on Tales Along El Camino Sierra at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park.

On Wednesday, August 4, at 6:30 pm, Chautauquan Kim Harris will present “Calamity Jane: Heroine of the Plains”.

Perhaps no woman embodies the spirit of the Western expansion more than Martha Jane Canary better known as “Calamity Jane”. She challenged society’s standards of behavior for women, and at the same time was admired for her generosity, honesty and lack of pretentiousness.

Calamity Jane could drive a team of mules as well as any man. Her bullwhacking skills were invaluable to several scouting expeditions, along with her skills with a rifle and a six-shooter. Calamity could also out-drink and out-cuss any man alive, keeping many a saloon owner in business. Yet her good heart and zest for adventure propelled her into the annals of our Western history.

Kim Harris is an accomplished Chautauquan who has portrayed living history characters at various venues including Genoa Cowboy Festival, Pipers Opera House, the Gold Hill Hotel, Dangberg Historic Park and The Lake Tahoe Chautauqua Festival.

Harris currently serves as the park's events manager and is the owner and operator of Western History ALIVE! where she portrays several Chautauqua characters including stagecoach driver Charley Parkhurst, Libbie Custer who was the wife of General George Armstrong Custer and Lizzie Borden. Admission is $10 for adults, and free to Friends of Dangberg members and youth 16 and under.

On Saturday, August 7, at 10:00 am, author David Woodruff will give a presentation on his book series Tales Along El Camino Sierra.
Iconic Highway 395, originally known as El Camino Sierra, is a magical ribbon of blacktop that has been taking people on a sentimental journey for over 100 years. Rarely does a roadway invoke such nostalgic memories as The Mountain Highway. Tales Along El Camino Sierra is a collection of little-known stories involving people, places and events that have taken place over the years, in the beautiful lands of the Eastern Sierra. These engaging and often amusing narratives bring to life the area’s rich human history, that has not only helped shape the social culture of this cherished region but have often created an enduring impact upon the human psyche.

David Woodruff and his wife Gayle have written a series of three books about Highway 395, as well as a book about Furnace Creek Resort. A personal quote of Mr. Woodruff is “If you don't know where you are going, it doesn't matter how you get there.” The Woodruffs have lived along El Camino Sierra since their childhoods. With a love of history, a deep fondness for their natural surroundings and a passion for all things 395, the two spend their time exploring, enjoying and writing about their beloved Eastern Sierra. This event is free to the public.

Please bring your own seating and no pets allowed - service animals only. Guests are welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy as no food or beverages will be sold at these events. All events are held outdoors.

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