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New Book on Warner Hot Springs
October 2016
By Bobbie Bagel
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Surrounded by the vast lands of the Cleveland National Forest, Los Coyotes Indian Reservation, and Palomar Mountain, Warner Springs is a remarkable area in northeast San Diego County.
Kathryn Lee Fletcher's new book, Warner Hot Springs (Arcadia Publishing), was written in collaboration with the Warner Springs Historical Society. Filled with vintage photographs, the book provides a fascinating look at Warner Springs' past. Its rich and diverse history includes indigenous peoples, Spanish land grants, cowboys and ranchers, emigrant settlers, and Butterfield Stage passengers.
And then, of course, there were the movie stars, who flocked to the hot springs for both relaxation and publicity in the heyday of the last century. A new celebrity influx may be on the horizon. The once famous Warner Hot Springs ranch is currently under restoration and will reopen as an exclusive resort next year. Fletcher serves as an advisor for the historic renovation.
Warner Valley is one of the great remaining open spaces in Southern California. Blessed with a four-season climate, it sits at the base of Hot Springs Mountain. At 6500 feet, it is the tallest peak in San Diego County. So, Fletcher's book will be of great interest to nature lovers and history buffs alike.
Fletcher brings impressive credentials to her work. She is a fourth generation Californian and President of the Warner Springs Historical Society. Her grandparents sparked her initial interest in the area. In 1939, they purchased property and built a house in Warner Springs. Five generations of her family have enjoyed the home, and Fletcher currently lives there with her husband, Norman.
In addition to her fine work as an author, Fletcher should be recognized as an excellent advocate and activist. She played a major role in the restoration of the 1857 Warner-Carrillo Ranch House, one of SOHO's backcountry sites. It served as the Butterfield Stage Stop and was California's first regular overland stage connection with St. Louis. Warner Springs was an integral part of the Overland Emigrant Route traveled by over 250,000 people during the Gold Rush era. The adobe structure also held a prominent place in the ranching history of the area. Fletcher, a dedicated SOHO docent for the ranch house, has done a fine job in documenting and interpreting this important part of San Diego County.
Warner Hot Springs is available at all four SOHO Museum Shops
Paperback - 128 pages
$21.99
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