Local Pioneer Mark Law

With cold weather slowing down visitation to the hot springs, this seems like an opportunity to share some local history.

The following article was recently published in the FOJF newsletter:

Rock Springs--First Land Patent in Arrastre Canyon/Juniper Flats

The Homestead Act of 1862 promised ownership of as much as 160 acres of contiguous public land to a citizen or head of a family who resided on and cultivated the land for five years after the initial claim. Area pioneer Mark Law was the first to successfully patent a homestead claim in Arrastre Canyon/Juniper Flats.

He was born September 12, 1879 in Shullsburg, LaFayette County, Wisconsin. In 1906, at the age of 26, he relocated to this region and took a job at the Sidewinder Mill as a gasoline engine repairman. When that mill closed in 1909, he was employed by Tom Stuart rebuilding a saw mill in Holcomb Valley. In 1911, he homesteaded 160 acres on Rock Springs Creek on the Van Dusen Road. Law's claim included an earthen dam at upper Rock Springs used to water mule teams facing the arduous climb up the Coxey Trail.

Note: Historic Van Dusen Wagon Road was built in 1861 to connect the Cajon Pass to Holcomb Valley by way of Rock Springs and Coxey Truck Trail. Segments of the old road can still be seen adjacent to Dead Man's Curve on Bowen Ranch Rd.

Homesteaders were required to have two neighbors or friends vouch for their statements regarding improvements. Doubtless, neighbors Albert W. Miller (further down Rock Springs Creek) and James F. Monaghan (in Arrastre Canyon) vouched for Mr. Law. The initial patent for 120 acres was granted July 8, 1919, and an additional 40 acres was patented on November 27, 1925. Mr. Law's improvements included two cabins, a shop, chicken house, root cellar, hand-dug well, stonework and a large stock tank. Having walls of stone, poured concrete and large tin cans, the barn are thought to have predated other improvements. All roofs were of heavy gauge corrugated steel. Two pipelines were built to springs in the canyons above the ranch. Overflow from their reservoirs went to the stock tank and on to the garden. His trellised garden included grapes, apples, olives and pomegranates.

His ranch road was later extended to Bowen Ranch along a pre-historic Native American path to the hot springs. Former neighbor Olive (Bowen) Corrington recalls that Law lived quietly and kept his ranch "neat as a pin". In those days, Rock Springs Creek flowed all year. Occasionally, on returning from classes, the Bowen children were forced to either wade the creek or spend the night at Monaghan's ranch in Arrastre Canyon.

In 1918, the Kelly Filter Press Co. of Salt Lake opened the Old Rose Mine, where Law worked repairing and operating the steam engines and hoist. In his later years, he worked for Cliff Moon as a printer on the News Herald. In 1945, he sold his ranch to Joe Gutierrez, moving to Victorville where he lived at 15590 Sixth St. Mark Law died October 18, 1966 at age 87.

Sadly, in 1999 the Willow Fire destroyed Law's original homestead buildings as flames swept through Rock Springs Ranch. His water system continues to flow cool spring water to the ranch reservoirs, stock tank and garden.