Palomar Mountain News

Elsie Hayes began her love of Palomar over 100 years ago. In 1904 as a teen she traveled from Long Beach up Palomar with her parents by horse and wagon.  She attended Pomona College and then chose to teach in the baby state of Arizona for 3 years. Her granddaughter Barbara Beishline Waite began going Palomar as an infant. Her grandchildren look forward to every visit at their family cabin, making 6 generations of lovers of Palomar.

After her marriage in 1916 Elsie and her new husband lived on Palomar and worked the apple ranch for Elsie’s father, Alonzo Hayes. It was WW I and all men that were declared unable to fight were supposed to be involved in ship building or agriculture. Jack Roberts thus began to work the apple ranch. Many people knew Katie Roberts Beishline who was very active on the Mountain.  Her first visit to Palomar was with her mother, Elsie when she was only 6 weeks old.

When Elsie died in 1987 Barbara began to read her grandmothers letters and journals written during her Arizona years. The letters were tied with a faded blue ribbon and revealed a side of her grandmother Barbara had never imagined.

Within the letters and Journal was a love story, and tragedy, woven with a history of life in early Arizona. Barbara has compiled a book taken from those letters and journal. “Elsie- Adventures of an Arizona Schoolteacher 1913-1916” was just published.

Barbara plans her next project to write of Elsie’s years on Palomar from 1904-1924.

Barbara’s website tells “tidbits” and has photos not included in the book. You are invited to visit www.barbaraannewaite.com where you can also order the book and get an autographed copy from Barb.

A wonderful quote from Elsie is found leading off our Community Website  You can also see some poems she wrote of Palomar on our Historical Page  and scroll to ‘Elsie’s Journal’.  Thanks Barb!