photo courtesy of Eastern California Museum

On May 1^st, the Mono Basin Historical Society (MBHS) will be presenting a Chautauqua performance of William Mulholland titled, There It Is…Take It!  Author and historian David Woodruff will re-enact the infamous “Father of the Aqueduct,” as he recalls the difficult and onerous history of the Los Angeles Aqueduct and the people of the Eastern Sierra.

There is probably no person from Eastern Sierra history that has stirred up more opinions and sentiment than William Mulholland, the driving force behind the Los Angeles Aqueduct. When the topic of water in the Eastern Sierra arises, it’s nearly impossible to not associate this most precious of natural resource with “Bill” and his zealous and purposeful efforts to obtain sufficient water so the City of Angels could grow in to the great city he envisioned. Often inaccurately accused of having “stole” the water from Eastern Sierra, Mulholland went head-on with the citizens of the Owens Valley during the Water Wars of the 1920s and left a legacy of political will and resoluteness that has carried forth to this day.

The 55-minute presentation is part of the monthly meeting of the MBHS, is free and open to the public. Announcements and a potluck dinner start at 6PM, followed by the program at 6:30. The dinner and program will be at the Lee Vining Community Center, 296 Mattly Ave, Lee Vining. For more information call Dave at (760) 647-6461.