Lorraine Blair and her family first encountered
Randsburg over thirty years ago when their curiosity
led them to turn off Highway 395. One look and
they were hooked! Of all the ghost towns the family
had visited on their travels this ‘living ghost town’
was the most intriguing because folks actually lived
here in old cottages and shopped in the same old
stores. It was truly amazing!
Randsburg over thirty years ago when their curiosity
led them to turn off Highway 395. One look and
they were hooked! Of all the ghost towns the family
had visited on their travels this ‘living ghost town’
was the most intriguing because folks actually lived
here in old cottages and shopped in the same old
stores. It was truly amazing!
But the real story began with a chocolate
phosphate at Randsburg’s General Store. Shortly
before her 39th birthday, Lorraine’s schoolteacher
husband asked her what she wanted as a present.
“Why, a chocolate phosphate in Randsburg!” she
replied. Hubby Neil grumbled about how much
that would cost…not the phosphate…but the
gasoline to get there. Funnily enough, an advert in
the Randsburg newspaper, to which they had
recently begun a subscription, described a small
Randsburg cottage for sale with the words: House
for Sale, needs tender loving care. The Blairs
phoned the realtor and soon bought the little
house. The birthday phosphate turned into much,
much more!
phosphate at Randsburg’s General Store. Shortly
before her 39th birthday, Lorraine’s schoolteacher
husband asked her what she wanted as a present.
“Why, a chocolate phosphate in Randsburg!” she
replied. Hubby Neil grumbled about how much
that would cost…not the phosphate…but the
gasoline to get there. Funnily enough, an advert in
the Randsburg newspaper, to which they had
recently begun a subscription, described a small
Randsburg cottage for sale with the words: House
for Sale, needs tender loving care. The Blairs
phoned the realtor and soon bought the little
house. The birthday phosphate turned into much,
much more!
Sadly, Neil died five years later. Although they lived in Orange County his request was to be buried in
the Rand District Cemetery in Johannesburg. Their Randsburg dream, surprisingly, stayed alive!
Lorraine, who holds a PhD in Social History, has rehabbed over half a dozen buildings in Randsburg
some of which she opens to visitors. She also gives talks on the area and her four books on the Rand
have been accepted as part of the permanent collection of the State Historical Library in Sacramento.
And, after a quarter of a century, Lorraine STILL thinks living on the Rand is one historian’s idea of
Paradise!
the Rand District Cemetery in Johannesburg. Their Randsburg dream, surprisingly, stayed alive!
Lorraine, who holds a PhD in Social History, has rehabbed over half a dozen buildings in Randsburg
some of which she opens to visitors. She also gives talks on the area and her four books on the Rand
have been accepted as part of the permanent collection of the State Historical Library in Sacramento.
And, after a quarter of a century, Lorraine STILL thinks living on the Rand is one historian’s idea of
Paradise!
Editor’s Note: The books by Lorraine are:
●Dr. Rose, A Yellow Aster, and the blooming women of the California Rand
●Randsburg’s Missing Mission: Trinity Episcopal Church
●Romancing the Rand: a new look at love, adventure and excitement in Randsburg’s early years
●Little girl of yesteryear: sweet memories of early Randsburg
By: Teresa McCarthy Kane; edited by Lorraine Blair
For more information or to order books you may e-mail Lorraine directly at lorraineblair@hotmail.com
●Dr. Rose, A Yellow Aster, and the blooming women of the California Rand
●Randsburg’s Missing Mission: Trinity Episcopal Church
●Romancing the Rand: a new look at love, adventure and excitement in Randsburg’s early years
●Little girl of yesteryear: sweet memories of early Randsburg
By: Teresa McCarthy Kane; edited by Lorraine Blair
For more information or to order books you may e-mail Lorraine directly at lorraineblair@hotmail.com
Lorraine Blair