Old School Signage: Alamar Canyon, ~1931

Another from the LPNF Archives, and one I’ve shared previously on the Condor Trail‘s Facebook page.

Alamar Canyon, ~1931
Image courtesy LPNF Archives

The hand-written note on the back reads only “Alamar Canyon,” rendering the exact “where” of this specific junction a bit hazy. The upper enamel sign is easy enough to read, and initially lead me to believe this was taken somewhere near the junction of the Alamar Trail and Hildreth jeepway, around the vicinity of modern-day Rollins Camp (which wouldn’t appear for almost a half-century after this photo was snapped).

It’s the two wooden signs that truly pique my interest, however. The one facing away is a mystery lost to the ages, but the one upon our intrepid ranger leans reads thusly:

SANTA BARBARA NATIONAL FOREST
BIG PINE [ ] CAMP [ ]M –>
BIG PINE [ ] CAMP [ ]M –>
SISQUOC RIVER [ ]M –>

Note there is no mention of either Alamar Guard Station (built in 1937) or West Big Pine Lookout (built in 1934). Originally I had thought the mileages listed were 3, 7, and 6, respectively, but there are few precedents of listing points “out of order,” as it were. A check of the 1926 SPNF and 1938 LPNF visitor’s maps fails to yield any real insight into what the configuration of those camps along the old Cuyama and Santa Barbara RD boundary might have been; such are the trappings of the smaller-scale maps.

Alamar and Vicinity ca 1926

Any insights as to what those illegible sections there along the stain might say are welcomed.

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Comments

4 responses to “Old School Signage: Alamar Canyon, ~1931”

  1. Looks like the junction of Puerto Suelo and Alamar Trail. The grass and trees look the part and the mileages tend to match up, more or less. The small hidden sign might read “DUTCH OVEN”? What do you think?

    1. I am inclined to agree, CT. And that also reminds me, I have some photos of Dutch Oven from the 1960s I still need to share. Any thoughts on the lower sign’s reading? Cowboy guessed “Big Pine Bear Camp” and “Big Pine Meadow Camp,” with which I’m also inclined to agree.

  2. Love the old time photo. That adds to the coolness of the sign in it.

  3. Anthony Avatar

    I’ve got a porcelain sign like that large one that also references “Madulce Pine” and 3 other places. Maybe you guys can tell me more about it?

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