Many from the High Desert of Southern California, have driven through Lucerne Valley a number of times. Perhaps on the way to Big Bear. Perhaps on the way to Joshua Tree National Park. Perhaps on the way to Landers to experience the Giant Rock. Or perhaps just to stop in Lucerne Valley for breakfast or lunch, on the way for some heavy duty four-wheeling in Johnson Valley.
And perhaps, according to imdb.com, to film some of the following movies – Valkyrie (2008), Green Lantern (2011), and Alpha II (2918).
There are so many more films, television series, and commercials that have been shot in Lucerne Valley – but, I just got lazy, and decided mentioning the three most popular films was enough to make my point.
But, Don Henry, owner and awesome artist, of ‘Art by Henry’, had something to add to those few I mentioned.
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| Some of Don's art work - there's plenty more |
While I was back in town, I stopped by his business again.
“Didn’t you stop by here years ago?” Don asked.
“Yes, of course. You recognize me, since I don’t age,” I responded.
“What do you want?”
Did I mention Don is a pretty straight shooting kind of guy?
Of course, being the social butterfly I am, Don and I hit it off immediately again.
“You know, I was in a music video, here in Lucerne Valley.” He told me. “The Hollywood types always use this part of the desert for commercials, music videos, and the like. We’re remote, and I guess viewers like remoteness.”
“I like remoteness,” I replied.
He just looked at me.
Turns out that Don Henry, was one of the actors in the music video by Kranium, filmed in Lucerne Valley in 2015. Kranium’s Kemar Donaldson, is a Jamaican reggae star. The video shot in Lucerne Valley was for his 2013 hit single, ‘Nobody Has To Know’.
He played his role down though. “I was the guy in the video cooking and waving at the crew when they left. Not much of a part, but nice folks and very professional.”
Well, that part was more than I had in my bag of memorable moments with reggae singers. I listen to Bob Marley on Sirius – that’s all I have.
But, I wasn’t in Lucerne Valley to discuss stardom with Don Henry. Nope, a reader had written to ask if I had ever heard of Chimney Rock, just west of the town limits of Lucerne Valley.
I know what a chimney is. I have plenty of fires during the winter, but no – not a chimney rock in Lucerne Valley.
Research, Watson, research.
Turns out that Chimney Rock is an important part of the history of the Mojave Desert.
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| Plaque located near Chimney Rock |
It is historically known as the last battle between immigrant settlers and Native Americans in the Mojave Desert.
As with all history, there are two perspectives.
Pioneers in the valley and up in the mountains near modern day Big Bear, had had enough of some of the local tribe members stealing their cattle, stealing their horses, burning down saw mills, burning down houses, killing a settler here and there, and just overall being aggressive.
Then, on the other side of the proverbial coin, the Native Americans didn’t like the settlers coming into the area carving up large amounts of territory for themselves. Erecting fences, constructing houses, creating more roads for more settlers, building towns, and having the overall effect of destroying their hunting grounds.
Not a positive situation for anyone concerned.
The matter was settled at Chimney Rock. This was the final camp of the natives, and they were surprised by a posse who had been following them for months.
There was a shootout, and the natives retreated to the desert areas. People of both parties were wounded and killed, and that was the last violent resistance in the Mojave Desert, according to historical sources.
I had driven to Lucerne Valley to investigate the site of Chimney Rock. It was easy to find. At the junction of Highway 18 and Rabbit Springs Road, there are two stone markers indicating the site of the last struggle between natives and settlers.
“That was easy to find,” I said, as I pulled over and saw the markers. “Now what?”
I took some photos of the hills northwest of the markers and peered through a metal tube on the marker on the right. Looking through the tube, a person has a perfect sight to where chimney rock is.
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| The tube to see Chimney Rock |
“Stop talking to yourself.” I said.
I had brought a metal detector for some searching around Chimney Rock. Never know what a person may find at the site of the last struggle between Native Americans and settlers. Bullet casings, belt buckles, or even a bucket of gold.
It was windy, chilly, and the hike would be well over a mile from where I was parked. And, there probably would be no pot of gold, so I decided to drive into Lucerne Valley and have a look around. When in doubt, take the easy route – another great motto.
Entering the town, I passed another place we had driven by many times in the past but never explored. ‘Nelson Studios’.
The location is easy to pinpoint on the north side of Highway 18, and the water tower with the name of the studio emblazoned on it, was a dead giveaway. The entrance is guarded by beautifully decorated stone walls with two ornate iron gates.
Very impressive, but there is no film studio.
Why was this place deserted? I took out my phone, and asked Mr. Google.
A little research led me to an article from the Daily Press, published on September 22, 2016. It was written by none other than Matthew Cabe.
His piece, This Desert Life: My Nelson Studios Obsession, is a must read. Fascinating, and full of research on how this place came about and the demise.
Detailed and precise. That’s his style – facts matter.
My take: he got it wrong.
As I walked through the deserted grounds of the Nelson Studios, what I experienced was tumbled down Roman columns, Roman tubs, Roman walkways, Roman benches with all those fancy curly kind of designs they were known for.
“What do you want on that fountain?”
“Some curly rock carved things. What do you think?
“I like curly fries.”
“Sorry, we’re two thousand years before they are invented.”
It was eerie, each step I took around the grounds I expected a Roman Centurion to come at me asking my business.
“Draw your sword,” he would demand.
“I have a camera with a flash,” I would threaten.
And, where was Matt wrong?
I’ve traveled a lot in the desert over my years. Met great people from all the places I never knew existed.
So, in those travels and listening to what I’ve listened too, perhaps there is another reason for all the Roman stuff laying around the Nelson Studios.
Could Julius Caesar have stopped by Lucerne Valley to build a new empire?
He was powerful, egoistical and had desired world domination.
“What do you think, Crassus? Should Lucerne Valley be our next conquest?”
“I don’t think that’s how it happened,” Don Henry told me. “What I understand is that the studio was actually manufacturing things for Hollywood films. Like you saw as you walked around today.”
That meant Cabe’s research was more accurate than mine! Foiled again.
The day was spent, and so was I. Lucerne Valley is not a place to drive through from here to there. It is a place to stop. There is so much history, that it would take hours, if not days to take it all in.
Businesses are open, so take a moment and spend some time. Perhaps, like me, you may see the ghost of Gaius Julius Caesar hanging around, near Nelson Studios.
If not, how about a burger at Café 247? They are real. And tasty.
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| Café 247 is open for business |
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| The art and the artist is worth the stop |
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