Historic Newspaper Archives

Nov. 1, 1974 - The Capitol Journal featured image

On this golf course, par is in the hundreds

The Capital Journal
November 1, 1974

The "course" is 27 miles of sagebrush, Joshua trees, cactus, deep ravines and rocky ledges from Baldwin Lake (altitude 8,800 feet) in the San Bernardino mountains in California to Yucca Valley (3,300 feet) in the Mojave Desert.

May 3 and 4
Joshua Tree readies
Annual Turtle Days

San Bernardino County Sun
April 30, 1975

Schedule events include an 8 p.m. dance Friday night at Sportsmen's hall on Sunbursts Avenue; A parade starting at 10 a.m. Saturday morning in the downtown Joshua Tree; an arts and crafts display Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Elementary school multi-purpose room on Sunburst Avenue; and a gymkhana Sunday at 2 p.m. in Sportsman's Park. There will be rides, game booths, food booths and "tailgaters" with rocks and jewelry, crafts and souvenirs at Sportsmen's Hall and Park on both days. Russell and Mousey Hayden of Pioneertown will be the grand marshals of the parade.

Pioneer Pass Golf Challenge

San Bernardino County Sun
September 19, 1975

The common hazards on the 10-hole course includes: ravines, sagebrush, rocks, snakes and lost balls. Each golfer has a spotter to keep track of the ball. Some holes are a few hundred yards along, others more than a mile.

Rocks, Snakes in Golf Challenge

The Los Angeles Times
September 21, 1975

In the early days of the Pioneer Pass Challenge, players walked or rode horseback the entire 27 miles, but today there us transportation from hole to hole by truck. The "cup" on the 10 Pioneer Pass holes is a 20-foot circle, but to reach it players must shoot over and around sagebrush, Joshua trees, rocks and even a snake or two. Play runs past Rimrock, through Pioneertown and the Russ Hayden Western Museum en route to the final hole at the Blue Shies course.

Here’s welcome to Pioneertown

San Bernardino County Sun
April 17, 1977

"Yep, things are generally pretty lively around here," says Red Dog Saloon manager Bill Anderson. "But it wasn't always this way. In fact, back in the late 60's and early 70's the town almost died. You see, both the Red Dog and the Golden Stallion saloons burned down. It was ca-ta-strophic," he sighed, remembering that dull period in the town's history.

PIONEERTOWN
High Desert Riding in
Southern California

Touring Bikes
July 1, 1977

A magnificent plateau with cliffs of sand spills down to the floor of the wash to mix with tremendous boulders that form patterns between the cactus and yuccas.

Memorial Barbecue

San Bernardino County Sun
June 29, 1979

The Sandra Hayden Memorial Foundation Barbecue is scheduled for July 1 at the Hayden Ranch in Pioneertown.

Pioneertown Hearing set on water

San Bernardino County Sun
August 29, 1979

The county's Special District Department is recommending formation of an improvement zone for the small community north of Yucca Valley but is suggesting an advisory election prior to a proposed one-year $122 fee on the 300 properties in the area to finance design of a system.

Pioneertown water system survey OK’d

San Bernardino County Sun
October 2, 1979

After hearing a number of opposing views, Supervisor Robert Hammock joked, "why don't you just shoot it out?" Some protesting residents responded good-naturedly that Hammock's idea wasn't so bad.

Supervisors set hearing on Pioneertown system

San Bernardino County Sun
November 22, 1979

The Board of Supervisors Monday's scheduled a hearing for 2 p.m. Dec. 10, on whether to levy a $75-per-acre fee on Pioneertown property owners to finance design of a new water system for the small desert community north of Yucca Valley.