“In 1867, John’s great-grandfather, John William Lacey, traveled from Missouri to prospect for gold and built a homestead in what was then the lush valley near Lone Pine. Neighboring Fort Independence provided protection for the valleyís miners and farmers from marauding Indians. In 1915 John W. sold his property and divided the proceeds among his four children, but not before Los Angeles County, nearly 200 miles to the south, had bought up water rights in the entire region. Read More …
