The popular Living History Day series continues at the Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum on Saturday, June 25. On the fourth Saturday of each month local historians come to the main house to visit with guests and answer questions regarding different aspects of Lake County history. As these visits are recorded, the stories of Lake County’s history are being preserved for future generations.

This month Dr. Harry Lyons, Yuba College Biology Professor, will join Ely guests for Living History Day.  Dr. Lyons will weave the stories of two nutrient-rich aquatic ecosystems, the Hudson River and Clear Lake, addressing the problems and promises of such rich biological communities. Although differing in their geological and hydrologic histories, the two systems face similar problems with over-enrichment and point-source contamination. Most feel the biological condition of the Hudson has improved; some feel the biological condition of Clear Lake has not. Dr. Lyons’s talk will address the questions – Can the political action taken on behalf of the Hudson River serve as a model for pushing improvement of water quality in Clear Lake? How is the chance of success through political action dependent on the type of pollution and its causes?

Dr. Lyons grew up swimming and fishing in the Hudson River. His life-long interest in water led him to pursue his PhD in oceanography from the Scripps Institution of the University of California after academic work at Rutgers and Stanford. He has lived by, sampled from, and swum in Clear Lake for over thirty-five years. His talks are always peppered with the spirit of relevant songs. His presentation will begin at noon.

The Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum welcomes more docents to greet visitors and share information on our history, our current displays, and our planned events.  Volunteers for maintenance and construction projects are also needed. Come join the Lake County Historical Society and become a volunteer at Ely or our sister museum, the Gibson Museum & Cultural Center in Middletown.  Applications will be available during the day.

The Lake County Historical Society’s Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum is located at 9921 State Hwy 281 (Soda Bay Road) in Kelseyville, near Clear Lake Riviera, just north of Hwy 29 – Kit’s Corner. Current hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday. Private tours can be arranged by appointment.

Visit www.elystagestop.org or www.lakecountyhistory.org on facebook at www.facebook.com/eleystagestop, or call the museum at 707-533-9990.

Dr. Harry Lyons by the Hudson River. Come hear his presentation “Lessons from Green Water” at noon on Saturday, 6/25, for the Ely Stage Stop’s Living History Day. Contributed photo.