BACKROADS CALIFORNIA

Standish

It may not take much to realize the great truth in this sign.

But we are not lost, just a little off route and on our way to Death Valley via NE California and W Nevada. This 106 year old building (on the National Register) was once Neil's Mercantile Store. On the ground floor was a general store. Upstairs was where the cattlemen of the region had their meetings and social functions. 

As Neil's Mercantile looked in 1910. Later the peaked roof was added and the false front removed. That is the Reid Hotel at right, long since demolished. Image courtesy the Day's End RV park.

Though folks are living in this old building, its last commercial function was as a roller rink and dance hall. It was just down the street from the mercantile store. I could find out no more history on this well building log structure.

The colorful flare in the center of the sky is called a sun dog or mock sun or phantom sun. They are caused when the sun hits a collection of hexagonal ice crystals, called diamond dust. The resultant flare of light is scattered as when it passes through a prism.