Greetings family and friends! Today's family chronicle recalls memories of our Uncle Bart (Mom's brother) who decided to raise his family "off the grid" in the redwood forests of Northern California in the 1940's. Photo #1 Gary and Kathleen with the "catch of the day", #2 Shirley and Bart Swinnock, #3 Bart in his "ole rocking chair", #4 Connie (mom), Glady, Florence, Bart, and Eldine in later years.
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UNCLE BART
“Uncle Bart” (Barton Kennedy Swinnock Jr.) was a real character adored by his sisters Gladys, Florence, Eldine and by our mom Connie, and he kept them in stitches, however the Swinnock family was probably not very pleased when Bart and his wife Shirley made the decision to escape the “overcrowded” 1940’s Bay Area and raise their three children, Kenneth, Gary and Kathleen in a self sustaining life style in the redwood forests of Northern California. Bart and Shirley selected a parcel of land for their “Swinnock Ranch” off old Highway 101 on Salmon Creek Road near a tributary of the South Fork of the Eel River and built a home primarily from materials salvaged from the local lumber mills. Our dad spent part of a summer vacation from Caterpillar building the Swinnock’s fireplace and chimney from rocks and sand collected from the nearby creek. Shirley created a beautiful natural garden of flowers and vegetables while Bart and the boys tended the livestock. Bart had a shop full of projects and the 3 Swinnock kids led an idyllic country life. Uncle Bart was a familiar sight in nearby Phillipsville, Miranda, Myers Flat, Weott and on the dusty back roads of Southern Humboldt County in the 1950’s. His Ford Ranchero was painted red, had a siren mounted on a front fender and the words “SQUAB CAR” emblazoned on the doors. Everyone knew when Bart was in town selling the delicate young pigeon meat that he raised at his ranch up on Salmon Creek Road. In order to offset the seasonality of working in the regions log mills, the Swinnock’s also sold frog’s legs harvested from a pond behind their home. Visiting Uncle Bart was always an adventure for Jimmy and I, not unlike the adventures of The City Mouse and the Country Mouse. Gary, Kathleen and Ken seemed to run freely, swim in the flowing creek, spear migrating salmon and ride their bikes on well worn forest trails. In later years Uncle Bart owned a hardware store in Myers Flat frequented by aloof hemp business customers operating in the surrounding hills and canyon’s. In addition to providing needed plumbing and gardening supplies, Bart charged a buck each to charge a revolving supply of auto batteries that provided electricity to his off- the-grid clientele. Following in the footsteps of his uncle James Adolph Peterson (Uncle Ade) who owned J.H. Peterson’s Iron Works in Oakland, Bart operated a decorative wrought iron business for awhile and, as you can guess, advertised his venture by driving around with a spiral staircase in the bed of his Ranchero. The Swinnock’s survived the raging floods of 1955 and again in 1964 that wiped out many of the small towns along the Eel River and were stranded for months until the Salmon Creek bridge could be re-built. Dad enjoyed watching and photographing the large yellow D-9 Caterpillar tractors rebuilding Highway 101 and creating the 31 mile long Avenue of the Giants bi-pass with it’s classic redwoods and roadside attractions. Uncle Bart loved his sisters but never did get used to the burgeoning Bay Area and it’s confusing freeways and would occasionally make one day down-and-back trips with unannounced 15 minute visits to each one. I remember mom crying after each brief visit, not knowing when she might see him again. I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to attend Bart and Shirley’s 50th wedding anniversary at the ranch in the beautiful garden and on the manicured lawn with members of the Swinnock family, and to recall the wondrous visits to “Uncle Bart’s”.
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