First a little about me. In 1927 I first went up to Camp 9 with my father, mother and 5 sisters. My father, George Parker, Sr., had just started as time keeper. We crossed on the old cable, had lunch in the cookhouse at Pino, and traveled on to camp 9, where my mother and we children stayed all summer then returned to Sacramento. The following year we children went up again, without my mother who had died that spring.
Four years later, after living in Palo Alto, we started summers in camp again. Camp 11 where Conn Lorraine was camp boss, followed by Joe Cola, and later Conn's brother, Alec Lorraine.
In 1935, having reached the age of 16, I worked the summer on the steel gang: next year on the section Gang (Gandy Dancer); then 2 years on the bridge crew; and 2 years on the landing loading logs onto cars.
My last year, 1941, I was an extra man, working with Bill Berry, the Forester, limbing, choker setting, brakeman on # 9 (Pete Boromini's train), and fireman on the #4 Climax. That was my last year there. The Marine Corps took me for the next 4 years.
I have visited with Steve Polkinghorn a couple of times, and contributed a couple of blown-up photos to the El Dorado Museum through Beth Cola. Those certainly were great days in my life. I don't have very many photos, but lots of memories, and would be glad to share them with you.
George Parker
www.georgewashingtonparker.com
