Thanks to our Farmington Fire Department, Capt. John Kalebaugh, Mark Arnold, Richard Yater, Matt Bailey, Jared Borba and Chase Keener for their assistance in fighting and mopping up at the Mill Fire, Ponderosa Fire and the Chips Fire.
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From "Doc Alders, Farmington's Lone Eagle": Michael Landon and the crew of the television series Little House on the Prairie filmed the pilot episode in 1976 on location at the Orvis Ranch outside of Farmington. Doc was called on to do some wheel work. The next year, he received ten of "Little Joe's wheels" to repair and was replacing the wood in the tongue of one of the show's wagons. As a memento, Doc has a photo of himself on the Michael Landon set at the Orvis Ranch during the filming.
The Orvis Ranch is six miles east of the Drais Rock Creek ranch in Stanislaus County. They were pioneer families. As with the Drais ranch, Orvis' father and grandfather had owned it before him. The kids went to the old Rosedale School at Eugene and then went to Oakdale High School. According to Doc, Bruce Orvis attended College of the Pacific in Stockton, where he played on the football team with quarterback Eddie LeBaron.
Even though Doc was still running his automotive service, he restored wagons wheels for stage coaches, carts, spring wagons, buggies and "mud wagons." He even reproduced replicas of the archaic vehicles in his shop adjoining the service station. He restored wagons for Peffer's farm. Peffer had created quite a spread on his Hewitt Road place with a fancy two story house viewable from the road with a nice entrance gate. A drive went back beyond the house to a horizontal spread of large stables and a barn. Peffer had a passion for Belgian draft horses.
He had fifty head at one time. When his horses were shown at the State Fair, Peffer usually wasn't on the driver's seat. It was a Scotsman named McGregor. He was their showman driver. Peffer, never drove anything but a car.
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Happy Birthday wishes to Conni Bailey on Wednesday, August 29th.
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farmingtonnews@gmail.com or phone 896-6697.
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From "Doc Alders, Farmington's Lone Eagle": Michael Landon and the crew of the television series Little House on the Prairie filmed the pilot episode in 1976 on location at the Orvis Ranch outside of Farmington. Doc was called on to do some wheel work. The next year, he received ten of "Little Joe's wheels" to repair and was replacing the wood in the tongue of one of the show's wagons. As a memento, Doc has a photo of himself on the Michael Landon set at the Orvis Ranch during the filming.
The Orvis Ranch is six miles east of the Drais Rock Creek ranch in Stanislaus County. They were pioneer families. As with the Drais ranch, Orvis' father and grandfather had owned it before him. The kids went to the old Rosedale School at Eugene and then went to Oakdale High School. According to Doc, Bruce Orvis attended College of the Pacific in Stockton, where he played on the football team with quarterback Eddie LeBaron.
Even though Doc was still running his automotive service, he restored wagons wheels for stage coaches, carts, spring wagons, buggies and "mud wagons." He even reproduced replicas of the archaic vehicles in his shop adjoining the service station. He restored wagons for Peffer's farm. Peffer had created quite a spread on his Hewitt Road place with a fancy two story house viewable from the road with a nice entrance gate. A drive went back beyond the house to a horizontal spread of large stables and a barn. Peffer had a passion for Belgian draft horses.
He had fifty head at one time. When his horses were shown at the State Fair, Peffer usually wasn't on the driver's seat. It was a Scotsman named McGregor. He was their showman driver. Peffer, never drove anything but a car.
*****
Happy Birthday wishes to Conni Bailey on Wednesday, August 29th.
*****
farmingtonnews@gmail.com or phone 896-6697.
