October 2025

There are more community events on the mountain. Look for the “Calendar of Community Events” flyer from the Communities of the Giant Sequoias Group.

The Harvest Trunk or Treat event will be on October 25, 4PM–7PM in the Meadow. Also, the annual Camp Nelson Woman’s Club Boutique is on November 28, 29 at the Camp Nelson Lodge. A Christmas Potluck and Santa in the Meadow will occur in December; date & time to be determined.

John Nelson applied for a homestead here in 1886 following the US Homestead Act of 1862. Stipulations of the Act called for improving the land. John planted apple trees shortly after he moved here. The apple orchards were on the hill above his cabin, across the trail (now Nelson Drive) to the north, and east of Nelson Creek near where the CN Chapel property is now. From about 1922 until the late 1930s, apples were harvested in October-November and put in wooden boxes and cloth sacks. Apples were loaded into a mule-drawn wagon and taken near the (now-days) forks where they were transferred into cars and taken to the valley communities for sale. There are still many apple trees scattered all around Camp Nelson that produce apples of several different varieties. This season’s crop is bountiful with a variety of red, green and yellow apples as well as a few hidden pear trees producing sweet pears; ripe around September/October.

The Meadow Trail begins at the gate by Nelson Drive and Smith Drive. Go inside the gate and follow the signs around the meadow for a half mile stroll. There is a bench at the high side of the trail for your comfort. If you bring your dogs to the meadow, please clean-up their mess and do not let dogs chase the deer. Thank you.

The JMNC Live Streaming Webcams with views of the meadow and conservancy yard can be accessed on the Conservancy website.
We invite you to check the current weather conditions in real time by using the Weather Underground app on your smart phone or go to www.wunderground.com on your computer. Our station’s designation is “KCACAMPN10”.

The Camp Nelson RV Park is open all autumn and generally until too much snow is present. If you have friends or relatives that enjoy RVing/camping, invite them to make their reservations for the upcoming months. Call 559.542.2471 for information.

Visit our website to volunteer, make a donation, read the monthly Conservancy Article, buy a memorial brick, or purchase a copy of “The Tule River Middle Fork and its People” written by Malcolm Sillars. Read about the Tule River communities on the middle fork and see for yourself the history of this wonderful mountain home for many people. Here is an excerpt from Chapter Nine of the book for your enjoyment:

Chapter Nine; Kramer’s Sheep Meadow, Quaking Aspen, and Pete’s Ponderosa.
“The combination of restrictions and drought seriously cut the possibility of the success of the huge herds of sheep that had inhabited the mountains. In 1918 Harry Quinn converted to cattle and many other sheep ranchers scaled back on sheep or converted to cattle or other crops. Alex Kramer’s sheep range was limited to the Upper Little Kern Basin south of Sequoia National Park. In 1925 he discontinued bringing sheep to the mountains and engaged in other kinds of farming. In 1932 the Kramers leased the meadow to Harvey Slade of Delano who used it for his trotting horses and young colts. He fenced the meadow area and built the first cabin in the area. When Slade died his wife gave the cabin to Henry Muller of Ducor who moved it onto Forest Service Property. Muller continued to pasture his horses in the meadow. On his death the cabin was moved back on Kramer property with the permission of the Kramers. The owner of the cabin then was Raymond Muller, Henry’s son, who was also a Tulare County Supervisor”. Page 125.

As members of the conservancy, our common interests include the Meadow, Conservancy Yard, buildings, and the RV Park. It takes the dedication of volunteers who serve willingly to insure that we preserve and maintain these areas for the enjoyment and use of the community and visitors.

Thank you to everyone that continuously serves. If you are interested in helping, contact any JMNC Board Member. Such purposes for why our corporation was organized are to acquire, preserve and maintain for public enjoyment those natural and historic features of the Upper Tule Region of the
Sierra Nevada Mountains.

We work closely with Communities of the Giant Sequoias, Volunteer Fire
Department, Camp Nelson Ambulance Association, Camp Nelson Women’s Club, Camp Nelson Chapel, and the local businesses to promote the communities. Please support your Conservancy and Museum. Donations from community members are one of our sources of funds.

The John M. Nelson Conservancy is a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation and your donations are tax deductible. We want to express our sincere thanks to all those who have donated to the Conservancy and thank you for your continued support. You may send your contribution to 801
Highway 190, Box 110, Springville, CA 93265 or log-on to the JMNC website. Thank you.

For more current information and events, you can follow us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/jmnconservancy.

We invite you to attend our monthly Board meetings on the second Saturday of each month at 8:00AM in the Conservancy building; 388 Smith Drive, Camp Nelson. The next meeting will be:
October 11, 2025.

Check-out the web page at;
www.johnmnelsonconservancy.org

Mailing Address is; 801 Hwy 190, Box 110, Springville, CA 93265

Respectfully Submitted, October 2025.
Dan McFadzean, Director; JMNC
Email; mcfadzeand@yahoo.com phone.661.978.4679