BARSTOW - Walter Sylvester Alf, the last in a family of desert pioneers, died Dec. 17 at his home in Daggett, near the place he was born on August 26, 1888. He was 82 years old. After his family arrived from Iowa at the station of Fish Pond, and then moved to Daggett when it became a town, consisting of a railroad station, two years before he was born. They had purchased the old Stone Hotel, which is still standing in Daggett and then later purchased another lot where they built their home, blacksmith shop and corrals, most of which is also remaining. He rode and played with horses and wagons in the flourishing mining town of Daggett, the largest on the desert at the time, and when his father contracted the hauling of borax from Borate Canyon in the Calico Mountains, he made many exciting trips with the teamsters. After finishing grade school in Daggett, he went to Los Angeles and attended Woodbury's business college living with his sister & her husband, Dr. & Rosa McFarland, who in the early 1900's established a doctor's office in Daggett. Later he returned home to work with his father in the construction of the railroad, the fill and excavating for the Harvey House in Barstow and county roads in the area. From 1914-16, he camped each summer with teams and men building the desert roads into Big Bear Lake up Johnson grade and around Baldwin Lake into Big Bear Lake. He and his father were active in civic affairs, helping and donating for the building of the first Daggett school, and the two of them together spent 37 years on that school board. The last 40 years, Alf maintained the local water company, built the reservoir and helped in getting the new school built. He was also active in the local Chamber of Commerce and was a World War I veteran. Since his retirement, he spent much time showing tourist the relics of olden days. His father's famed blacksmith shop has over 100 original hand-made tools and all the equipment for building big wagons. The Alf museum is now closed due to an accident a year ago and the pioneer's failing health. He leaves his wife, Gertrude of the family home at 33652 First St, Daggett; three sons, Lawrence Alf, Daggett, Walter S. Alf, Jr, Banning; Hadley E. Alf, Australia; and two granddaughters. Visitation will be held from the hours of 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday at Meads Mortuary. Funeral services are set for the mortuary's Chapel, Tuesday afternoon at 1 p.m. Burial will follow at the Pioneer Cemetery in Daggett.

DESERT DISPATCH (Barstow, CA), Sat, Dec 19, 1970