The Sandpile
a book by
Barbara A. Skinner
Step back to 1948 and experience homesteading on uncleared
land of sagebrush and sand dunes near Grandview, Washington.
In 1948, Carl and Barbara Skinner homesteaded in the Yakima
Valley in eastern Washington, on land which the government had made available
to WWII veterans. The land was covered with sagebrush and sand dunes. Only
hard work, and water, brought by canals from reservoirs in the Cascade
Mountains, could transform the desert into productive farm land. This is
the story of two of the west's last pioneers.
Introduction
My story is about the venture of this town girl from Dover, Delaware and her farm boy husband, Carl, from Orem, Utah, as we homesteaded undeveloped government land offered to veterans of WWII.
We had heard about Carl's grandfather who went by ship from New York around Cape Horn to California over 100 years ago and later became one of the first settlers of Beaver, Utah. We also learned that some of Carl's mother's pioneer ancestors ventured across the Great Plains with a handcart company, and some traveled by wagon train.
It seemed natural for Carl to seek new lands, so we packed our worldly possessions in a small house trailer pulled by a fully loaded old truck and headed for our homestead near Grandview, Washington. It was interesting to learn that part of the route to our new home was near the old Oregon Trail, and we felt a certain kinship to the early pioneers who had traveled it so many years ago.
On March 25th, 1948, we arrived on our sagebrush-covered homestead, later dubbed "The Sandpile", with good health, an 18-month-old daughter named Mary Kathleen, Thomas The Cat, and our prayers for a successful life ahead.
Living conditions were far removed from my comfortable
life with parents and friends in Delaware, and my detailed letters home,
which my mother had saved, later became invaluable references about our
homesteading experiences. The memorable venture challenged our spirits
to "stick with it" and strengthened our marriage as we worked together.
Diggings at "The Sandpile"
Brief reviews of a work like "The Sandpile" can no more explain the book than a few shovels of dirt can reveal the true contents of an archeological treasure trove. As you read through this precious memory, you will find sudden jewel-like surprises such as quaint expressions that reveal the author's East Coast origins plus passionate outbursts that reveal the depth of her love for her neighbors. Barbara Skinner's total identification (soil and soul) with the post World War II land settlement effort, the dream that she shared with her returning veteran husband, and the combined senses of adventure and destiny that she passed on to her daughter and son are comparable to our national experience. If you want to read something that makes you proud to be an American, read Barbara Skinner's "The Sandpile". Which chapter you read first is almost as immaterial as where to place the first shovel at the archeological dig, what is important is that you read them ALL . . . each shovelful!
With great affection, Maurice A. "Maury" Lange, proud
friend, November 16, 2002.
Veteran Bets That He Can Make Roza Acres Pay
Seattle Times, March 30,
1949
One year after their arrivial in the Yakima Valley, the
Seattle Times drops by to check on the progress of the "modern day
pioneers".
Hardy Veterans Took Chance On Land Lottery After WWII
Yakima Herald-Republic, May
27, 1997
After spending most of her life on the Skinner farm, which
she homesteaded nearly fifty years ago with her husband Carl, Barbara Skinner
remenisces of those early homesteading years.
Excerpts
More excerpts from The Sandpile
Contact and purchase information
Barbara A. Skinner
3291 Wilson Hwy
Grandview, WA 98930
509-882-1573
You may purchase "The Sandpile" for $15, plus $3 shipping.
