As it aged it moved from our back yard to an old water trap slab on our property. There it sat or decades...deteriorating but retaining sentimental value for both of us.  We had rescued it from the COD Ranch around the time of Elna Huggett's passing.

   When the time finally came to move it off property, we wondered who in the world might want it. Our first thought was perhaps the Oracle Historical Society (OHS).  Having become expert in the restoration of significant pieces of historical value we figured our nearly century old swing set might merit their interest.  Sure enough the answer to the "do you want it question?" was "Yes".

  So the four horsemen of the American Flag Gang showed up to take it on.  Equipped with a flat  bed trailer behind a sturdy pickup they hauled it off.  
  As of now - talk about going full circle - it's resting place when the restoration is complete is the American Flag Ranch (lovingly restored by OHS) which in past times was owned by the very same Huggetts who wiled away so many hours over so many years on that very same swing set.

The fact is that Biosphere 2 itself has been well documented and made known worldwide - but largely ignored by many of us B2 neighbors is the enduring impact on Oracle as a community.  Which happens to be a part of the larger story that requires local telling. 

Maybe a place to start is with individuals who played important roles in the Great Experiment itself and continued to put down deep roots in our town. Several are still around infusing Oracle with their personal and collective selves.

I don't know how to properly characterize folks like this.  "Leaders", "pacesetters", "history makers".  None of the descriptives seem to capture who they are and how they have impacted Oracle.

  I was making my way to the Oracle Post Office this morning when I spotted a guy bent over a machine of some sort on the steps of the Acadia Ranch Museum.  My curiosity got the best of me so I swung around and parked across the street by the Little Free Library to assess what was going on.  I should have known who would  be there - one of the members of the locally famous American Flag Gang. One or another of AFG always seem to be doing something on the Oracle Historical Society property by way of improvements. In this case, it was Kevin Armbrust melting some of the remaing ice slicks that posed a hazard to visitors who might stop in.
  Like many Oracle/Tri-Community residents Kevin has a powerful personal story that extends back into his days growing up in San Manuel, working for Magma Copper Company, being injured and dismissed when a load of pipe fell on him breaking his back...for starters.  All this got me thinking about how much we don't know about our friends and neighbors who matter so much in our home place.

  A talented group of young musicians help out doing food prep at Rancho Robles.  We really enjoyed their company and high spirits. 
  Which brings to mind Oracle's penchant for partnerships that build and reinforce the values of our town.  The Chamber Music Festival is a big winner!