Liz Writes Life: A glimpse of life in the Scott Valley during the Great Depression, Part 2
Liz Bowen
Liz Writes Life
In the fall of 1934, George rented the Staff Wilson house and 600 acres on Patterson Creek from owner Leland Young for $1,700. It included pasture and timber land. After his wild horse gathering adventure, Bob went back to Arizona. He likely took the train. Hearst was still living with Paul Denny, at Oak Farm, working half-day for Denny earning $1 each half-day. The other half of the day, Hearst fed and managed the Dillman cattle.
During the winter of 1935, it snowed and snowed and seemed to Hearst that all he did was shovel snow off buildings to keep the roofs from caving. Rose Ann remarked the Staff Wilson house was the coldest place she had ever lived. They did have running water that flowed through a buried wooden pipe-line from Patterson Creek. The pipes were hollowed-out logs that were fitted-together with metal bands.