Chapter co-founder George Ross (center), a Native American, grew up in Tecopa and learned of local trails—Indian, Old Spanish Trail, and wagon trails—from his elders. His knowledge has been indispensable to the chapter’s work. Photo by Jack Prichett

Tecopa Chapter 

Jack Prichett, President
310-895-4747

OSTA’s Tecopa chapter works on Mojave Desert segments of the OST east of Death Valley, on land between the California-Nevada state line and Salt Springs, a stop on the trail at the head of California’s Silurian Valley. The chapter has located and GPS-recorded some 40 miles of the OST (a trace left by Mexican mule caravans) and the later Mormon Road, a wagon road that was used after 1849 as a “southern route” from Utah to California. Nearly all the recorded sections lie on publicly owned land managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Between 2011 and 2013, the Tecopa chapter represented OSTA in hearings held by the California Energy Commission regarding a proposed solar generating plan in Inyo County that would have impacted extant sections of the Trail and the Mormon Road. Today the chapter is converting its data, collected between 2007 and 2017 into GIS (Geographical Information Systems) shape files, for use by government agencies. In this project we are engaged with the BLM and the National Park Service, the Federal co-administrators of the OST.

Fieldwork continues and the chapter is seeking members with expertise in mapping and GIS.

1897 San Salvador School. Many of the children are descendants of Agua Mansa pioneers.

Agua Mansa Chapter

Marisa Yeager, President
951-453-9686

 

One of many murals on Barstow California celebrating the area’s roots to the Old Spanish Trail.

Mojave River Chapter 

Nelson Miller, President
760-247-0984