Who are we?

The lands of Inyo and Mono Counties, encompassing the dramatic landscapes of the Eastern Sierra, White Mountains, and Owens Valley, have a history shaped by both Native peoples and intrepid settlers. The Nuumu (Paiute), Newe (Shoshone), Timbisha (Timbisha Shoshone), Mono, and Kawaiisu tribes have inhabited this region for thousands of years, relying on its resources through hunting, gathering, and trade. They developed intricate systems, including irrigation canals and seasonal villages (pueblos), to sustain their communities in this arid environment. These systems were documented by surveyor Alexander Von Schmidt in the 1850s during his surveys of the Eastern Sierra for the U.S. government. Von Schmidt noted these Native irrigation ditches and settlement sites, such as those along Bishop Creek, to record existing land use and water management practices, which were critical for understanding the region’s resources before settler development. His surveys, preserved in historical records, provide evidence of the sophisticated Native infrastructure that supported life in Payahuunadu and Panawe.

 

The arrival of settlers in the mid-19th century marked a transformative era, driven by the California Gold Rush and the promise of fertile land. In 1861, Samuel Addison Bishop, a pivotal figure in the region’s history, drove 650 head of cattle from Fort Tejon to the Owens Valley, establishing San Francis Ranch near a creek that now bears his name—Bishop Creek. On August 22, 1861, Bishop signed a peace treaty with Paiute chiefs at the ranch, facilitating early coexistence between settlers and Native peoples. His settlement laid the groundwork for the town of Bishop, which became a central hub of the valley. In August 1861, Allen Ebenezer Conrad Van Fleet and three others built the first permanent settler cabin at the big bend of the Owens River, marking the earliest white habitation in the valley. These pioneers were drawn by opportunities in ranching and agriculture, leveraging the valley’s fertile soils and water sources for cattle grazing and crop cultivation.

 

Mining was a major catalyst for settlement. In Inyo County, gold mining began in 1861 in the Russ district of the Inyo Range, with 496,000 ounces of gold produced from 1880 to 1959 across districts like Ballarat, Wild Rose, and Willshire-Bishop Creek. In Mono County, the discovery of gold and silver in the 1850s spurred the growth of boomtowns like Dogtown, Monoville, and Bodie, which peaked with 8,000 residents between 1879 and 1881. Leroy Vining, a key figure in Mono County’s history, founded the original settlement that became the town of Lee Vining. In 1852, Vining established a mining camp along Lee Vining Creek as part of a prospecting party following Lieutenant Tredwell Moore’s mineral discoveries. By 1857, he returned to build a sawmill and ranch, supplying lumber and vegetables to mining towns like Bodie and Aurora. His efforts laid the foundation for the community, though the town was formally subdivided in 1926 by Chris Mattly and named Lee Vining in 1953 in Vining’s honor. Other settlers, like the DeChambeau, Mattly, and McPherson families, ranched to feed miners, while the Bodie Railway & Lumber Company, built in 1881, transported Jeffrey pine from Mono Mills to Bodie, highlighting the region’s economic reliance on mining and resource extraction.

 

Farming and ranching flourished alongside mining. Settlers established ranches to supply food to mining communities, battling the region’s short growing season. In Mono County, agricultural families like the Conways and Thompsons grew crops and raised livestock, while in Inyo, settlers like Charles Putnam, who built the first cabin in what became Independence in 1861, supported early communities with trading posts and farms. Water was central to these efforts, and settlers adapted Native irrigation techniques, expanding ditches to support agriculture. However, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) began acquiring water rights in the early 20th century, diverting water from the Owens River (1913) and Mono Basin (1941). This drastically altered ecosystems, drying up creeks and meadows, and forced many Native and settler families, including the Van Fleets, to relocate as water scarcity impacted ranching.

 

The establishment of Inyo and Mono Counties formalized settler governance. Inyo County was formed on March 22, 1866, from the unorganized Coso County, with additional territory acquired from Mono and Kern Counties by 1872. Named for the Mono term meaning “dwelling place of the great spirit,” Inyo’s county seat became Independence. Mono County, established in 1861, saw its early seat in Aurora (later found to be in Nevada), with Bridgeport becoming the seat by 1864. Early supervisor elections in Inyo, starting in 1866, included figures like John A. Lush, who served as one of the first supervisors, overseeing infrastructure like the county’s first bridge across the Owens River at Bend City. In Mono, supervisors like J.P. Milburn managed the county’s growth during the Bodie boom. These elections were critical for organizing communities, funding roads, and addressing conflicts, such as those during the Owens Valley Indian War of 1862, which included the Bishop Creek Battleground skirmish.

 

The town of Bishop was formalized through the efforts of John B. Clarke, who, in 1863, recorded the first map to sell townsite lots, laying out the grid for what would become the city. Bishop incorporated as a city in 1903 to establish local governance, improve infrastructure like water systems, and manage growth driven by agriculture and trade. The first city election in 1903 saw local leaders like W.W. Watterson elected as a trustee, reflecting the community’s desire for stability and economic development. The Watterson family, including brothers Wilfred William (W.W.) and Mark Quayle (M.Q.) Watterson, played a significant role in Inyo County’s early history. Born to parents who brought them from the San Joaquin Valley to Bishop as boys, the Wattersons became prominent financiers and civic leaders by the early 20th century. By 1922, they owned the Inyo County Bank, with six branches across the region, holding mortgages on most of Inyo’s ranches and farms. Known for their leniency toward debtors, they were celebrated as defenders of the Owens Valley during the water wars, leading resistance efforts like the 1924 occupation of the Alabama Gates spillway to protest Los Angeles’s water diversions. However, in 1927, the Wattersons were convicted on 36 counts of embezzling approximately $450,000 (about $6 million today) from the Inyo County Bank, along with making false reports to the state banking department. The brothers had made generous loans with insufficient funds, investing in mining and tourism ventures they believed would save the valley’s economy. The bank’s collapse wiped out the savings of many residents, including proceeds from land sales to Los Angeles, and crippled the county’s economy for decades. Tried in Independence, the Wattersons were sentenced to ten years in San Quentin Prison, marking Inyo County’s greatest legal battle and undermining local resistance to LADWP’s land and water acquisitions.

 

Mammoth Lakes, the only incorporated town in Mono County, traces its origins to the mining boom of the 1870s. Initially a gold mining camp established in 1877 by the Lake Mining District, Mammoth Lakes grew around the Mammoth Mining Company’s operations, which produced gold until 1881. The town’s early economy relied on mining, with families like the McGees and Bodles settling to support the industry through ranching and commerce. After the mining bust, the area transitioned to tourism and recreation, driven by its proximity to the Sierra Nevada and lakes like Mammoth Lakes Basin. Mammoth Lakes incorporated as a town on July 2, 1984, to manage growth spurred by ski resort development, particularly Mammoth Mountain, and to establish local control over zoning, infrastructure, and tourism-driven services. With a population of 8,234 and an elevation of 7,880 feet, Mammoth Lakes remains Mono County’s economic and cultural hub, balancing its mining heritage with modern recreational appeal.

 

In 1939, Los Angeles and the U.S. government completed an Indian Exchange Agreement, in which lands occupied by Native Americans were exchanged for Los Angeles-owned lands near Bishop, Big Pine, and Lone Pine. This agreement created reservation lands for the Benton, Bishop, Big Pine, and Lone Pine tribes but did not include water rights. Instead, Los Angeles agreed to supply 5,556 acre-feet of water per year to these exchanged lands, with a tentative agreement later adding 4,350 acre-feet per year, ensuring a total water allocation for tribal use. This arrangement reflected the complex dynamics of water rights in the region, as LADWP retained control over the water while providing limited allocations to support Native communities.

 

Despite these challenges, Native tribes have maintained their cultural presence. The Mono Lake Kutzadika’a Paiute, for example, continue basket-making and environmental advocacy, while the Timbisha Shoshone preserve their traditions in Death Valley. Their resilience, alongside the enduring legacy of settlers, shapes the region’s identity. At InyoMonoHistory.com, we are passionately dedicated to bringing together all peoples—Native and settler descendants, locals and newcomers—to share the truthful history of Inyo and Mono Counties. Our mission is to ensure the facts of this land’s past, from the ingenuity of its pioneers to the stewardship of its first inhabitants, are never forgotten. We invite everyone to join us in preserving and celebrating these stories, uniting our community through a shared commitment to truth and heritage.

 

References

Inyo County, California: History and Information. www.inyocounty.us

Pioneers & Miners - Mono Lake. www.monolake.org

History — Mono Basin History Museum. www.monobasinhistory.org

Inyo County, California Mines. Western Mining History. westernmininghistory.com

Bishop - 1 - Owens Valley History. owensvalleyhistory.com

Inyo - CA State Parks. ohp.parks.ca.gov

The Story of Inyo – Notes. digital-desert.com

Inyo County, California: History and Information. www.ereferencedesk.com

Lee Vining History - Mono Lake Committee. www.monolake.org

A history of embezzlement - thesheetnews.com

Inyo and LADWP – Inyo County Tourism Information Center. inyocountyvisitor.com

Owens Valley Water History (Chronology) - www.inyowater.org

Mono County Overview – Film Mono County. filmmonocounty.com

Notes on Home: A Villain in a Hero - Visit Bishop. bishopvisitor.com

Wilfred William Watterson, charged with embezzlement, Independence, 1927 - calisphere.org

WATTERSON BROTHERS MUST SERVE TEN YEARS - California Digital Newspaper Collection - cdnc.ucr.edu