Guide to the Germaine Moon San Bernardino County Research Collection AR.2003.001

Chris S. Ervin

Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association

First Edition

Mojave Desert Archives

2016-06-01

37918 Lanfair Road # G15

Essex, California 92332-9786

archivist@mdhca.org

URL: http://mojavedesertarchives.blogspot.com/

Language of Material: English

Contributing Institution: Mojave Desert Archives

Title: Germaine Moon San Bernardino County Research Collection

creator: Moon, Germaine L. Ramounachou (Germaine Louise Ramounachou), 1933-2003

Identifier/Call Number: AR.2003.001

Physical Description: 36 Linear Feet

Date (inclusive): 1809-2002

Abstract: The materials of the Germaine Moon San Bernardino County Research Collection were selected and compiled during the course of Mrs. Moon's thirty years of service as a historian and reference researcher for the Mojave River Valley Museum in Barstow, California. Focused primarily on the Mojave Desert region, the materials include affidavits, articles of incorporation, biographies, birth certificates, brochures, burial records, business cards, census data, correspondence, court records, diaries, death certificates, deeds, directories, genealogies, indexes, leases, liquor licenses, manuscripts, maps, mining claims, minutes, newspaper clippings, photographs, promotional materials, and voting registers.

Content Description

The materials of the Germaine Moon San Bernardino County Research Collection include selected historical data focused primarily on the Mojave Desert region. The materials include affidavits, articles of incorporation, biographies, birth certificates, brochures, burial records, business cards, census data, correspondence, court records, diaries, death certificates, deeds, directories, genealogies, indexes, leases, liquor licenses, manuscripts, maps, mining claims, minutes, newspaper clippings, photographs, promotional materials, and voting registers.

Biographical / Historical

Germaine Moon was a local historian and author who provided valuable research for the Mojave River Valley Museum of Barstow, California, and many western universities and colleges. Germaine Louise Ramounachou Moon was born in Paris, France, on August 9, 1933 and lived in the Mojave Desert railroad town of Barstow for 39 years. For many researchers interested in San Bernardino County and Mojave Desert history, she was known as the authority for answers to local history questions.

Germaine Moon's data gathering system was to compile and organize related research materials into three-ring binders by subject. Author-historian Dennis Casebier describes her reference request process thus: "When researchers would come, she would get out the pertinent binders and take it from there. I have personally seen Germaine in action. I can see her now, seated in front of those 200 binders considering a question. Suddenly she'd turn and pull one or more binders off the shelf. She would process her understanding of a request and then turn to her sacred binders for the answers. It was very effective."

Germaine Moon authored the book Barstow Depots and Harvey Houses and collaborated in the writing of Once Upon A Desert. She died at age 69 at her Barstow home on June 16, 2003.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights reside with the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association. For permission to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Archivist at the Mojave Desert Archives.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research. For access, please contact the Archivist at the Mojave Desert Archives at archivist@mdhca.org.

Arrangement

The materials have been maintained in the original order compiled and used by Germaine Moon to answer reference questions. The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject(s) in 188 series. Each series is contained in a three-ring binder. Each series (binder) may contain one or many subseries (see Other Finding Aids note), each consisting of a set of related materials inside a plastic sleeve.

Preferred Citation

Germaine Moon San Bernardino County Research Collection. AR-2003-001. Mojave Desert Archives, Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association, Goffs, California. Date accessed.

Publication Rights

All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Archivist, Mojave Desert Archives, 37198 Lanfair Road # G-15, Essex, CA 92332. Consent is given on behalf of the Mojave Desert Archives as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gifted by Mickey Earl Moon to the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association, 18 June 2003.

Custodial History

Custody has remained with the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association following its receipt from Germaine Moon's husband, Mickey Earl Moon, to the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association on 18 June 2003.

Processing Information

Processed by Jacqueline Ridge and Chris Ervin

Other Finding Aids

Subseries details are listed in Finding Aid to the Historical Research Collection of Germaine Louise Ramounachou Moon by Jacqueline Ridge.

Related Materials

Related materials are found in the following collection:

Peter Wild Correspondence with Germaine Moon, 1996-2002. AR-2003-002. Mojave Desert Archives. http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c89k4gz1

Bibliography

Moon, Germaine L. Ramounachou. 1980. Barstow Depots and Harvey Houses. Barstow, Calif: Mojave River Valley Museum Association.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

San Bernardino County (Calif.)

Mojave Desert--History, Local.

Frontier and pioneer life

Pioneers

Mojave River (Calif.)

Barstow (Calif.)

Calico (Calif.)

Camp Cady (Calif.)

Daggett (Calif.)

Fort Irwin (Calif.)

Ludlow, CA

Minneola (San Bernardino County)

Needles, CA

Yermo (Calif.)

Affidavits

Articles of incorporation

Biographies

birth certificates

Brochures

Burial records

business cards

Census data

Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)

correspondence

Court records

Diaries

death certificates

Deeds

Directories

genealogies (histories)

Family histories

indexes (reference sources)

Leases

License system

Manuscripts

memorabilia

microfilms

Mining claims

Minutes (Records)

photographs

Railroad maps.

School photography

Voting registers

Mojave River Valley Museum

Casebier, Dennis G.

Haenszel, Arda M.

Hensher, Alan

Moon, Germaine L. Ramounachou (Germaine Louise Ramounachou), 1933-2003

Vredenburgh, Larry M.

Walker, Clifford

Wild, Peter T., 1940-2009

Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad Company

Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Company

Borate and Daggett Railroad

San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad Company

Southern Pacific Railroad Company

Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad

United States. Bureau of Land Management

Binder 1

Alf, Seymour; Hadley, Paul 1880-1978

Physical Description: 1 Binder(s)

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Daggett (Calif.)

Alf, Seymour

Hadley, Paul

Van Dyke, Dix, 1879-1952

Alf, Gertrude

Voorhees family

Brite family

Warner family

Binder 2

Bahten, Walter 1870-1994

Physical Description: 1 Binder(s)

Binder 3

Bahten; Rene - families undated

Physical Description: 1 Binder(s)

Binder 4

Barstow - historical data 1989-05-07

Physical Description: 1 Binder(s)

Related Materials

See also Sloan, Craig, McCuistion binder

Binder 5

Barstow - businesses, city, flood, people 1930s - 1940s

Physical Description: 1 Binder(s)

Related Materials