An afternoon of grave hunting at Herndon Pioneer Cemetery in Lower Lake provided participants with a unique and interesting experience on Saturday, March 15. Novice dowsers were joined by those more experienced in the art of dowsing for a two-hour search for lost graves.
Kevin Engle, a Lower Lake resident who is taking it upon himself to re-plot and restore the old cemetery, guided participants representing the Lake County Historical and Genealogical societies through the burial area. Expert dowsers were on hand to explain their beliefs on how the art works and demonstrate the proper use of the dowsing rod instruments. McLaughlin Mine Geologist Dean Enderlin was also on hand lending his expertise to the event.
Dowsers use two L-shaped rods held loosely in each hand. It is believed that the rods act as conductors and can be used in locating the magnetic pull of water. Taking small steps, the dowser canvases an area and when the rods cross, it is the dowser”s belief that a grave has been discovered. It is also believed that stomping your feet can determine how deep the grave is and how the rods circle can determine the gender of the deceased.
Using a marked grave, Engle, with the help of Anita Crabtree, demonstrated the rods” reaction when an underground tomb is suspected. As Engle explained the technique, Crabtree inched her way across the grave. When she was directly in front of the headstone, the rods formed an X in her hands.
Engle provided dowsing rods for those who did not have their own equipment and about a dozen people took to the hunt. Dreary, damp weather seasoned the afternoon with a taste of mysterious presence as dowsers seemingly discovered one unmarked grave after another. Engle marked a few of the graves using stakes donated by Mendo Mill.
“We”ve got 30 known burials here but obviously there are 50 to 60 more,” Engle said. “The old timers say there”s about 100.”
Herndon Pioneer Cemetery is a three-acre knoll off of Stagecoach Lane in Lower Lake, overlooking the headwaters of Cache and Copsey creeks. The first burial was recorded in 1856 and the last in 1925. Engle has exhausted extensive time and effort in identifying those laid to rest there and restoring the historical sight for future generations.
Donations toward the Herndon Pioneer Cemetery Restoration Project may be sent to Lake County Historical Society, PO Box 1011, Kelseyville, CA 95451.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com. To comment on this story or others, visit www.record-bee.com/observer.
