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Thursday, January 27, 2011

Convict Lake...the story...



Believe it or not...it's been sunny and warm since New Year's...
I took this one today, at Convict Lake...Looks pretty darned cold doesn't it?!!
It's actually been in the high 40's...very warm for this time of year...

Awhile back, I posted a photo of Convict Lake...actually, there've been numerous...and someone asked how it got the name, Convict Lake...


Well, here's the story....

In September of 1871, 29 hard core prisoners broke out of the Nevada Territorial Prison in Carson City Nevada.   The prisoners broke up into several small groups to enable them to travel faster and confuse the posses that were after them.  One of these groups headed south to the Sierra Nevadas.  On the way to the Sierras, they killed a mail rider near Sweetwater, Nevada.  A posse formed out of Benton Hot Springs and followed the small band of outlaws to the beautiful Mount Diablo, and Mount Diablo Creek where the posse confronted the outlaws.  A deadly shoot out occurred, resulting in two of the posse members being shot and killed.   The convicts fled to Bishop where three were captured and lynched, two were tried and hung, and one escaped.




Mount Diablo (the one on the left) was renamed Mount Morrison in honor of one of the lawmen who was killed, and the lake was renamed Convict Lake, and the creek, Convict Lake Creek. 

If you're an old movie buff, you might remember the old 1951 movie, The Secret of Convict Lake, starring Glenn Ford and Gene Tierney.  The movie was based on the story of Convict Lake.

http://www.convictlake.com/about/history.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convict_Lake
http://gunplayatconvictlake.com/
http://www.marktwainbooks.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=53&catid=16

11 comments:

  1. I knew about this because Tash often posts photos of Convict Lake. Great story. Mount Diablo -- that means Devil's Mountain, right?

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  2. Interesting history... And that shot is gorgeous!

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  3. Awesome scenes!
    Thank you for sharing.

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  4. Yep Hiker! Devil's Mountain...

    Thanks LadyFi!!! The sun was going down so not a lot of light, but that seemed to add to the cold look!!!

    Welcome Regina! Glad to have you visit!!!

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  5. It looks so darn cold I went to find a sweater! Cool story too K.
    V

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  6. I was there some time in the late 70's when an earthquake hit. It was supposedly traced to a fault under the lake.

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  7. When you come up to visit V, you'll need to bring a jacket!!!

    PA...Supposedly, there are almost constant tremors up here...we've only felt a couple of very small quakes...It's a little freaky...Volcanic activity (we have carbon dioxide escaping from somewhere in the earth that's killing trees up at Horseshoe Lake) and earthquakes...at least we live near the "escape" route...Mammoth Lakes Scenic Loop!!!

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  8. Thanks for the story. Such drama goes with that scenery.

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  9. Between Bodie and Convict Lake, I guess we're in the middle of the wild, wild, west!!!

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  10. I know! when I was visiting an old friend near Benton, her kid starting giving me the lowdown on the area: major volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, locust, second coming etc. Told him to zip it, the little sadist was giving me the willies.

    loop? bet you guys have keys to the underground bunker or helipad. Me? I'd be Pompaied

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  11. We were in Pompei last year...the memory certainly adds to the willies!!!

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