Visiting the MASH 4077th

 

Welcome to the MASH 4077

A major event occurred on February 28, 1983 which has never been duplicated. The finale of the television show MASH (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) garnered nearly one hundred and six million viewers; a record for that time which has held until today. That is a lot of viewers, considering the population of the United States only had two hundred and thirty-three million in that year.

That would mean, nearly half of all television sets in the country were tuned in to watch the final episode for a series that had lasted eleven years. Yes, the iconic depiction of doctors and nurses working at the 4077^th lasted eight years longer than the Korean War actually did.

Of course, there were some viewers across the globe who had also tuned in for this farewell to such a beloved show. But, my research revealed that it may have been in fact very few non-Americans who, with baited breath wondered how Hawkeye and BJ would end this long-running series.

One such viewer was a bloke in Australia who had tuned in believing the show would teach him the correct formula for some home-made ‘hooch’ he was making in the back yard.

“Fair dinkum,” he told his wife. “Tonight I’ll learn what the blokes up yonder use for mash in their whiskey, and then I’ll throw a few shrimp on the barbie and grab a coldie at the same time.”

The show was over, bringing a climatic end to one of America’s most watched and beloved television series. But, the show is so popular today that it is shown about fifteen thousand times per minute around the world.

In fact, MASH is one of the most popular reruns on television. Once the series ended in 1983, it was picked up by various networks – FX, Hallmark Channel, TV Land, AMC, Sundance Channel, MeTV, and the little known and non-existent Beyer’s Byways Network.

One Sunday afternoon, I was channel surfing and caught an episode or two of the gang from MASH – I laughed at their jokes, and then thought of some possible research that could be accomplished.

I looked over at Laureen, who was busy doing something while sitting on the sofa.

 “I wonder where MASH was filmed.” I queried.

“Ask Mr. Google,” she responded. She’s ever-so helpful sometimes.

And soon, a trip was planned for the following Saturday to Malibu Creek State Park. According to the Conejo Valley Guide, 20^th Century Fox, filmed MASH from September of 1972 until February of 1983. Eleven seasons, producing two-hundred and fifty-six episodes at the park.

Main characters from the MASH series

The film studio sold the area to the State of California in 1974, expanding the acreage of the park.

We haven’t spent much time in Agoura Hills, or for that matter in the Santa Monica Mountains either, where Malibu Creek State Park is located.

“I don’t think we’ve been there,” I stated.

“We’ve been to Malibu,” Laureen replied.

I nodded. “Yes, we ate at Geoffrey’s, and you had steamed Maine lobster along with the artisan cheese plate, if my memory serves me correctly.”

“You just made that up.”

She was right, I did. I do that sometimes.

The park is huge, stretching over eight thousand acres between Calabasas, Agoura, and Malibu, featuring hiking trails, bicycle trails, horse trails, walking trails, and trails within trails for those who cannot make up their mind on their desired mode of transportation.

In all transparency, when I looked up information on where the television site actually was, I was lazy and only viewed one description. It seemed, from what I read, a person could drive into the park and see the MASH location in the parking lot.

I was wrong.

“You have to hike three miles to see it,” the ranger told us at the front gate of the park.

“Huh?” I replied.

“Yeah, we get that a lot,” he said. “Nice thing though, it’s a good trail with only about a two hundred foot elevation gain. Real doable.”

Lots of places to stop and take a rest in the shade

Laureen and I had dressed for Malibu! See the MASH thingy and then venture toward the coast to hob-nob with the celebs who live there. We don’t know any, and probably wouldn’t recognize them anyway, but having a nice lunch while viewing the blue waters of the Pacific had seemed like a fine idea.

“Now what?” Laureen asked.

“Plan B,” I returned. “Time to go shopping for cooler hiking clothes. It’s ninety-three degrees outside and I’m wearing going-to-Malibu-for-lunch clothes.”

We returned for the hike within an hour, dressed properly but a bit poorer after shopping in some galleria that I couldn’t pronounce.

Water bottles in hand, large brimmed hats on head, and hiking shows on feet, we were ready.

The ranger had been correct. The trail to the MASH site is wide, well graded dirt, with a few spots here and there with tall green trees offering the adventurer a bit of a respite from the overhead rays of the sun.

Cool sections along hiking path

It was hot – in fact, one woman was carted out from the trail by another ranger in his official ranger truck.

“My wife, she can’t deal with the heat,” her husband said to us, as he started to climb into the truck beside his spouse. “I think she has sun stroke.”

I nodded then said to my lovely heat-sensitive spouse, “Take a sip of water, we got another mile and half to go in this heat and then the return trip.”

“You are one considerate man,” Laureen remarked. She never fails to recognize my gallantry. Quite a woman I got there!

20th Century Fox Studios bought two thousand acres of vacant land in 1946, to be used as a ‘shooting ranch’. It wasn’t only MASH which has been filmed there – dozens of movies and television series have used the location.

In the early years, before it was owned by 20^th Century Fox, the lands were used for silent black and white films such as; the 1919 film, Daddy Long Legs, starring Mary Pickford – the 1936 film, Tarzan Escapes, starring Johnny Weissmuller – the 1938 film, Blockade, starring Henry Fonda – just to name a few.

Then as time moved on, so did the movies shot here in the Malibu Creek area. Planet of the Apes in 1968, Dr. Doolittle in 1967, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in 1969, Pleasantville in 1998 – just to name a few.

This whole area has Hollywood history written all over it – like a script. And, many of the locations are easily located for those movie buffs who want to walk where great movies were made and film stars tread.

But, even if films aren’t to a person’s liking – there is so much to do in and around the park. Camping is even permitted, which would give a lot of opportunity to investigate everything there is to be seen.

We were on a mission though. And that mission was to step foot where the crew of the 4077^th had walked.

We hiked. We talked. We hiked. And we did so more hiking, until finally just northwest of the trail came a glimmer of an American military ambulance from the time period of the Korean War.

John Beyer in front of MASH ambulance

“That is so cool,” I stated.

Laureen stopped, took a sip of water and stated. “I have to agree, and up yonder is another one.”

Yonder?

Remains of a Korean War jeep

We had made the trek in less than an hour, and that is with stopping here and there taking in the beautiful scenery along the way.

We wandered here and wandered there, reading various signs which explained which scene was filmed at this spot or that spot with photographs for visual guidance.

The view which caught our attention right away was looking eastward toward the tops of a few hills, which had been used in the opening scene of each episode. Radar, played by actor Gary Burghoff, is filmed staring toward two helicopters approaching the 4077^th  with wounded soldiers flying low over the Goat Buttes. 

You can just about see the helicopters arriving

You could almost hear the whirr of the choppers preparing to land.

Iconic view of 4077 nurses rushing to help the injured soldiers

We climbed up a short hill to the west of the set, and visualized where the portable hospital had stood, where the Swamp was located (this is the quarters for the senior surgical staff), where the latrines were placed, and other areas that with a slight jar of the imagination painted a realistic image of the entire MASH complex.

Overlooking of the original MASH set

There was the iconic sign stating mileages for various places around the world; Burbank, Toledo, Seoul, and other cities.

A couple of ambulances, a jeep, a truck, a picnic area covered in camouflage netting, and other items allowed us a chance to go back in time to when this series was filmed.

Picnic area for visitors

“It’s as though the actors are still here,” Laureen stated.

No, those days are gone, but there was a sense in the air, in that canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains where MASH was filmed that something special had been created here.

But, perhaps that is what Laureen had meant and I felt it too.

As we returned to our vehicle, we bumped into another ranger who said, “It’s really strange, I see people hiking over to the MASH site wearing fatigues, hospital attire and other outfits from that time period. Of all ages and you know, it’s pretty cool.”

Visiting places you haven’t been before is exciting, but to visit a place you’ve seen dozens of times on television or the big screen has a certain ambiance to it. You feel as though you are welcomed and appreciated during that visit.

We did.

 

For more information: http://www.malibucreekstatepark.org/history.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giving Thanks - Around the World

Forty-three years before the Pilgrims sat down for their feast of thanks with their Native American neighbors in 1621 the tradition had already begun in 1578 on the North American continent. It was in that year that explorer Martin Frobisher held a ‘thanks giving’ in October – his thanks? Surviving the arduous sea voyage from England to his new home in Canada. Thanksgiving started as a harvest festival to celebrate the bounties of food stuffs that would maintain the settlers through the cold winter months.

Though most resident of the United States may believe Thanksgiving is a unique American tradition it is not.

The celebration of the previous year and hopes for a good harvest is an ancient rite but the more modern concept of Thanksgiving really is a Canadian and American tradition. Canada holds this holiday on the second Monday in October and we of course the fourth Thursday in November – wouldn’t want to cramp our cousin’s style to the north.

But in fact, dozens of countries around the world hold the idea of giving thanks as so important that they too have specific declared dates for such an event. It is a time to celebrate the good fortunes of the past year as well as prepare for the upcoming year with family and friends. To sit down together at a feast and count the blessings seem to be a constant around the world – sounds very familiar.

It is. From ancient times people gathered about the hearths and tables laden with all sorts of yummy foods to give thanks for what they had and for what they hoped to have as winter came and then turned into spring. Forever hopeful - those humans no matter what century they belonged.

The grass is always greener.

President George Washington proclaimed it should be observed yearly in 1789. It wasn't every year the giving thanks day was celebrated - no, that didn't occur until 1863 when President Lincoln declared it a federal holiday. President Abraham Lincoln declared that Thanksgiving would be held always on the fourth Thursday of November after being persuaded by a letter written from Philadelphia on September 28th of 1863 by Sarah Josepha Hale -  author of the 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' story.  She was a very astute and convincing woman since the president ordered that Thanksgiving would begin that very year. She knew what she wanted and got it.

Though not to be too nationalistic, though there is nothing wrong in that, other countries as mentioned earlier celebrate similar holidays.

In China the eating of moon-cake during the August moon festival which falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month of their calendar is an extremely important tradition. It is the time when lovers tell each other their deepest felt emotions and women are considered similes to warm and compassionate virtues - fertility is a big thing mentioned here - albeit the lover issue.

Brazil celebrates something very similar to the United States due to the fact that an ambassador once visited the United States during Thanksgiving and believed it to be such a wonderful expression of thanks he brought it back to his own country. Carnivals, sports and great harvest celebrations are held there each year in thanks for what the Brazilians are thankful for.

And on October 4th in Rome is celebrated Cerelia - in honor of an ancient 'goddess of the corn ' Ceres. Musical events, parades and sporting events are conducted to keep this ancient custom alive.

So, around the world there is always time set aside each year for peoples to gather among each other and give thanks for what they have and give thanks for what they may receive in the coming year.

Good food, great family and friends are more than anyone could be thankful for and for that uncertain future - give thanks and a few prayers may serve the purpose also. Perhaps Thanksgiving should be looked at as a time when friends and family visit - put away past troubles and look to the future. A momentary respite from a hectic year when we all look into our fellow humans eyes and say we are thankful they are with us. Life is often too short so this year, as every year we should make an effort to be thankful for all we have.

We at J and L wish all a wonderful Thanksgiving no matter what country you call home..

The Ghost Town of Bodie, truly worth the visit

 

John R Beyer - ready for some visiting

According to Ranger Jake, the ghost town of Bodie is truly haunted.

“Well, I’ve never had an encounter with any real ghosts or stuff like that,” he stated. “But, the state rangers who reside in the town itself says there are some really strange things that go on after dark.”

“With the staff, or the ghosts?” I asked.

Being a ranger, Ranger Jake didn’t see the humor in my question. “No, with things they cannot explain.”

Bodie, which is part of the California State Historic Park system, was known for all sorts of things in its heyday – a mining boomtown, violence, drinking, violence, gambling, violence, and more of the same.

A section of downtown Bodie

The state park is located about twenty miles south-east of the town of Bridgeport. It’s an easy drive, suitable for any vehicle. 

Just east of the tall and beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountain range, the drive to Bodie is beautiful any time of the year. Highway 395 is always a great route to take, and the thirteen mile easterly drive along Highway 270 to Bodie is paved all the way, excepting the last three miles. But, those three miles are hard packed making the journey relatively easy.

Except in winter, when a snowmobile or a bunch of Huskies dragging a sled should be the mode of travel. They get a lot of snow in this part of California.

In fact, one of the original discoverers of the gold in the area was W.S. Bodey, who perished in a fierce snowstorm in November of 1859, while bringing supplies back to the small mining camp from nearby Monoville to the west. 

His friends decided to name the town after him, but the name was misspelled when a sign painter in another mining town, Aurora, mistakenly painted ‘Bodie Stables’ over a horse stable. The spelling stuck.

Though gold had been discovered in Bodie in 1859, it was years before the settlement went from a few tough and stubborn miners to its boom years.

It wasn’t until 1876, that the Standard Company found a large and rich vein of gold-bearing ore. Almost overnight, the sleepy little town of Bodie suddenly found itself on the verge of becoming one of the largest towns in California.

With all that gold, there has to be a bank vault

By 1879, the population had soared to nearly ten thousand folks and two thousand buildings, which consisted of houses, saloons, hotels, meeting halls for the miners, fire stations, schools, and so much more that makes a town a town.

According to some research I did, Bodie, at its peak had 65 saloons just on Main Street, which was a mile long. That is a lot of places to wet one’s whistle, and all in walking distance.

But, as I stood overlooking what was left of Bodie, it didn’t seem that large. Sure, there were two to three streets with homes, businesses, a church, and a school, but not much more to hint that ten thousand people had resided here at one time.

 “You have to understand that Bodie, like many frontier towns experienced numerous fires,” Ranger Jake stated. “It was like a plague for these places built out of wood.”

In fact, so many fires occurred in this town that only five percent of the structures remain to this day. The last major fire was in 1932, which pretty much wiped out the downtown district of Bodie.

As I wandered through the town, I wondered how it would have been to live here during the great mining days. Bodie was a twenty-four/seven sort of town.

Nine large stamp mills crushed the ore dug up from the ground around the clock from the thirty mines located in the area. The echoes from the machinery must have been loud in this town built in a valley. The gold bullion was shipped to Carson City, Nevada and each shipment had to have armed guards since robbery was something Bodie had to deal with.

With mining booms, no matter where, lower social elements usually arrived to take advantage, and Bodie was no exception.

Robbery, gun fights, stabbings, opium dens, gambling halls, brothels, were an integral part of the life in Bodie. In this incident, integral is not to be misunderstood as something positive – nope, not positive but just a fact of life for the towns in the Wild West.

A horse drawn hearse, appropriate for Bodie

As with any mining district, there is the beginning and eventually the ending. Bodie saw the population start to dwindle starting in 1880 when other ‘promising’ booms were reported in places like Butte, Montana and Tombstone, Arizona.

With miners leaving, so did much of the rougher crowds which meant the remaining citizens of Bodie were families. In 1882, the Methodist Church was built, and still stands today. Then a Roman Catholic Church was built, followed by a school house, and more properties suited for a more genteel population.

The Methodist Church in Bodie

The ore was not good, but not bad either, and families were able to make a living in Bodie. With new technology in the 1890’s though, more ore could be found using a cyanide process, which allowed miners a chance to go through the old mill tailings and extract the gold and silver just lying there.

I’d explain the cyanide process, but I don’t want to sound too scientifically nerdy.

But, things eventually turned south for Bodie and according to the U.S. Federal Census of 1920, only one hundred and twenty people resided there. The post office officially closed in 1942, and by 1943 only three people were on hand to keep the town from being looted and vandalized.

In 1961, Bodie was designated a National Historic Landmark, and in 1962 it became the Bodie State Historic Park. With nearly one hundred and seventy buildings still standing, the town has become known as California’s official state gold rush ghost town.

It was early, being the first tourist there, I wanted the place for myself – the park closes at six p.m. during the summer, and though I had planned to spend the night there to see if any ghosts or goblins walked the streets, no overnight stays are allowed – unless you are one of the ranger residents.

As I wandered here and there through the dusty streets of Bodie, I could almost hear the mills thumping away in the nearby hills. The sounds of people laughing seemed to be floating along the slight breeze heading east along Main Street. 

Bodie is referred as in a state of arrested decay, which gives the illusion of people just getting up and leaving their abodes.

The houses, businesses, and the rest which remain today have heavy metal screens over the windows and doorways for good reason.

Looking in through those windows is such a strange sensation. Dinner tables with dishes, utensils, and drinking glasses set around empty chairs. In an accountant’s office, there are ledgers, ink pens and a pair of reading glasses on a desk. In the schoolhouse there are desks with text books resting on them as if the children are simply out for recess.

It's as though the family will be returning

      

A tailor shop, waiting for customers in Bodie

It is a haunting experience to walk the streets of Bodie.

Prior to the anti-theft measures put up by the state, visitors would often take ‘relics’ or ‘souvenirs’ with them when they left the town.

So much so, that the Bodie Curse was invented by a ranger at the park. Legend has it that if an article is taken from Bodie, then bad luck will surely be upon the thief and their family.

When news of this was made public, all sorts of things were mailed back to the park with notes such as: ‘Hey, didn’t mean to steal the shoes from the schoolhouse but now I have two noses.’

I met up with Ranger Jake during a tour of the Standard Mill, and after a great and interesting hour long tour, I asked him more about the paranormal sightings in the park.

“Like I said,” he stated. “I have never had experienced anything out of the ordinary but those rangers who live here say they see shadows going across doorways. Perhaps, voices where no one should be. It seems that in the evenings is when spirits, if there are any, tend to come out.”

According to some other ghostly research, there is a woman with a large basket in her hand, wearing a white hood and wearing a black and white dress, who comes out at midnight and walks a bit before vanishing. Another is a tall figure carrying a light who enters the mines and wanders there until dawn.

Just before the last folks left Bodie, a man murdered his wife and then three men killed him for the murder. Later, the killer returned and yelled at his killers – those three other men died of diseases shortly there-after. Now, these four seem to visit the town or the cemetery from time to time.

Is Bodie haunted? I don’t know, but walking those lonely streets with houses, businesses, and other establishments as though people just stood up and walked away, is creepy enough.

It’s as though, at any moment, a door will open and a family will descend onto the street wondering what activity may be awaiting them.

I didn’t see that happen, but in Bodie, it seems anything could.

A haunting view, east of downtown Bodie