WRIGHTWOOD DUMP DAY

[GRAHAM_RANCH]

[GRAHAM_RANCH]

[GRAHAM_RANCH]

[ChrisLynnet]

Wow Graham, these memoirs are great. I've only lived in WW for four years, and your writings are not only interesting but make me feel even more connected to a town I swiftly grew to love.

Bless you!

[CA5th]

Wrightwood still needs a decent park!

[Chesslike]

Wrightwood still needs a decent park!

There are a few of us working on that.

[Wrightwood]

I find it interesting that 33 years later a park location is being worked on that is very near the location from the 1974 Four Seasons Park concept.

[Wildman]

I seem to remember around 1972, there was a dump just North of the highway.  The fire department had a metal building that would be loaded up with trash and old lumber and burned to train the volunteers.  The road is still there, I believe.

[RobertW]

From 1965 to 1970, I too, loved going to the dump.  We wouldn't let grandpa Schobert go without us.  As I remember it, it was burned every other Friday.  As mentioned in the story, it was always a treasure hunt, and particularly exciting on Fridays.

[desertwillow]

How fun these memories are of the  "exchange".  Any useable items we set to the side instead of throwing down just in case  others could use them. Riding in the back of the truck to the dump and black, ashy hands from exploring. Oh the simpler times. Good memories. Thank you

[hill okie]

Haven't read a more interesting work in ages!! Please keep them coming!!

[Chuck]

From our house we look out into the high desert and can see the dump area below.  When we first moved up here 15 years ago, and didnt know about the dump, we watched these people suspiciously walking through the brush and look like they were dumping a body (had these large cases).  We called the sheriff and they came out to inspect the suspicious behavior.  Later we found out the dump used to be there and the people were hunting for old bottles, not dumping bodies.  It was exciting being the detective until we learned we (I) was the fool. 

To make it worse it turned out to be the daughter of someone we knew.

[storm]

Was the dump in this area, north of the Hwy. 2/Sheep Creek intersection?

[raddog]

I am looking at this map from Microsoft Streets and Trips, there is a road named Dump Road.  This road starts right where the old dirt road near Pacific Crest Estates ends at Highway 2.  So if I am not mistaken, the dump would have been just due south of Wright Mountain Rd.

[GRAHAM_RANCH]

I am looking at this map from Microsoft Streets and Trips, there is a road named Dump Road.  This road starts right where the old dirt road near Pacific Crest Estates ends at Highway 2.  So if I am not mistaken, the dump would have been just due south of Wright Mountain Rd.

INTERESTING THAT YOU BROUGHT THAT UP. I TALKED TO A REAL OLD TIMER IN TOWN WHO SAID THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN OLDER DUMP IN TOWN BEFORE THE ONE NORTH OF HIGHWAY 2. I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT, THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THE INCINERATOR ON WRIGHT MT ROAD.
TERRY G

[storm]

Perhaps I'm not interpreting things correctly, but maybe the dump is near the center of this map?

[Chuck]

Here is a picture of the dump incinerator shown next the Wrightmountain Road during construction.

[GRAHAM_RANCH]

CHUCK...DID YOU TAKE THIS PHOTO OF THE INCINERATOR? LIKE TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER,,,,I'M WRITING SOMETHING ON THIS DUMP SITE.
TERRY G

[Chuck]

Yes.  This is from our bedroom (quite a ways away of course).  Over 15 years I have many pictures with many seasons.  Let me know if you would like some of the beautiful ones.

[GRAHAM_RANCH]

JUST SOME ADDED TIDBITS ON THE WRIGHTWOOD DUMP...

THE WRIGHTWOOD DUMP WAS LOCATED SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 2, BEFORE THE OLD DUMP NORTH OF IT WAS PUT IN. IT WAS USED IN THE 1930'S UNTIL 1945 AND WAS LOCATED WEST OF PRESENT DAY WRIGHT MT ROAD, IN THE AREA WHERE THRUSH RD USED TO GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH. THERE WAS NO PIT, BUT A LEVEL DEBRIS FIELD THAT WAS ABOUT 2-3 ACRES BIG. G.S. CORPE, PAT KRIG'S FATHER, USED TO HAUL THE TOWN'S TRASH TO THIS POINT AND DUMP IT, BUT OTHER RESIDENTS INDIVUALLY BROUGHT THEIR TRASH, ALSO. EVEN IN THOSE DAYS PEOPLE ALSO DUMPED HOT ASHES FROM THEIR FIREPLACES ON MOST FRIDAYS, WHICH CAUSED THE TRASH TO BURN. ON A COUPLE OF OCCASSIONS, FIRE SPREAD FROM THE DUMP TO SURROUND AREAS BUT WERE QUICKLY CAPTURED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BEFORE ANY REAL DAMAGE COULD BE CAUSED.

IT IS UNKNOWN WHEN THE DUMP FIELD WAS ACTUALLY STARTED, BUT THE LEVEL DUMP FIELD WAS NORMAL PRACTICE IN SMALL COMMUNITIES.

IN 1945, HEAVY FLOODS WATCHED OUT THRUSH RD., WHICH PREVENTED PEOPLE FROM REACHING THE DUMP AREA. AT THAT TIME THE DUMP WAS MOVED NORTH OF HIGHWAY 2. THE DUMP NORTH OF HIGHWAY 2 STARTED AS A LEVEL DUMP DEBRIS FIELD, BUT TOWN JACK-OF-ALL-TRADES HANDYMAN AMOS ROBINETTE WOULD PLOW UP THE TRASH AND BURY IT. OVER THE YEARS, THE DUMP EVOLVED INTO A LARGE PIT FOR PEOPLE TO THROW THEIR TRASH INTO.

TG