How Our Museum Began

Ever since November 1943, the work of Navy's major research, development, test, and evaluation facility at China Lake has been based on a spirit of military and civilian teamwork. Here at the Maturango Museum in Ridgecrest, we are proud that our museum is founded on that very spirit.

The museum came about after Rhea Blenman, wife of China Lake Commander Capt. Charles Blenman, began museum planning meetings in November 1961with a small group prominently including LaV McLean, whose husband Dr. William B. McLean, was Blenman’s civilian counterpart at China Lake. Mrs. McLean, who taught P.E. at the local junior high school, asked history teacher Clarence Willey to join the group, and he soon became the president of a board that included movers and shakers from both China Lake and Ridgecrest.

After much discussion about a name for the new museum, colorful range guard Pop Lofinck suggested "Maturango," the name of a lofty peak in the nearby Argus Range. As Sylvia Winslow painted backdrops for the original displays, others began recruiting members, raising funds, and collecting items for the new museum. In a remarkably short time, the new Maturango Museum was ready for visitors by December 1962.

The founders always considered the Quonset hut to be a temporary home, but the museum remained there for 24 years. But even as a small museum staff greeted visitors at the Quonset hut, a lot was happening to make the dream of a permanent facility a reality.

For example, Sue Byrd coordinated gourmet luncheons aided by a large group of volunteer cooks and waitresses, and Florence Green put her formidable grantwriting talents to work. The original Maturango Junction, held in front of the Quonset hut in 1976, is another prominent example of the many ways members raised funds.

Finally, after major donations of labor and supplies from local businesses, the Maturango Museum opened in its current location in October 1986 — and today we're still growing, thanks to the same spirit of volunteerism that brought our museum to life in the first place.

Museum supporters pose for a 1962 photograph outside the original Maturango Museum at China Lake. From left are Sewell “Pop Lofinck, range guard, avid conservationist and suggester of “Maturango” as the museum’s name; LaV McLean, boardmember and wife of the China Lake technical director; unidentified; Sylvia Winslow, desert artist and the museum’s first curator; Clarence Willey, first president of the board; Alice Hirsch, first vice president; Jean Vehorn; Dick Hartnett; Aaron Jones; Rhea Blenman, founder and first director of the museum; and Ken Miller, boardmember and second president. Among the dozens of others who made major contributions were Kenneth H. Robinson, who succeeded Mrs. Blenman as director; Burke West, who obtained the museum’s nonprofit status; the ever-energetic Billie Hise; Ridgecrest pioneer Joe Fox; and Inyokern pioneers Vernon and Anabel Carr.