Among the hidden gems found at the Maturango Museum is a coffee table book filled with old photographs of the Indian Wells Valley and surrounding area dating back to 1896. Nestled in the book case of the museum’s gift store you will find “High Desert Double Exposures – A Photographic Retrospective of Ridgecrest and Its Neighbors,” which was a collaborative effort of Liz Babcock and Mark Pahuta.

The book is filled with historical images, many of which have been recaptured by Pahuta using the desert’s landscape and mountain ranges.

Babcock and Pahuta will finally have the opportunity to celebrate the publication of the book which was printed in 2020 at the start of the Covid pandemic and was never really publicized.

That is, until Aug. 6 when the Maturango Museum will host a book signing event for the pair from 2 to 4 p.m.

The book is filled with 327 images. Many are represented in the format of “then” and “now” with Pahuta’s current photos placed side by side.

“He has this very wonderful style where he brings in the aura of the period into the caption,” Babcock said of her co-author.

Pahuta’s photography is complimented by Babcock’s written captions with other old captions sprinkled in which were originally written by Donald Moore who passed away in 2006.

Babcock first moved to Ridgecrest in 1960 and serves as one of the valley’s most knowledgeable historians.

Pahuta arrived in 1976, and recently retired from civil service in 2018.

“In the last five years or so of working on the base, I was heavily involved in doing historical videos because we had a technical director, Scott O’Neil, who was really interested in the history of this place so he helped fund my working,” Pahuta said.

The co-authors first introduced their book at an informal event hosted by the museum where they signed copies for the public during an outdoor event.

Said Babcock, “Lots of people came and bought the book. The great thing was they all had memories that they shared based on what they saw in the book. In fact, we had people lined up to talk to us.”

Pahuta credits the U.S. Navy for capturing early images of the area which are exceptional in quality.

Said Pahuta, “It’s because of the Navy and its photographs that we have an extensive collection of early photography of our area today.”

The earliest image featured in the book was taken by a stagecoach driver in the late 1890s, however this photo does not compare with the Navy’s images.

Both Babcock and Pahuta say the book was a labor of love that took several years to create as both had several frying pans in the fire at the same time.

Copies of the book can be found at the Maturango Museum, Red Rock Books and the Historical Society of the Upper Mojave Desert’s gift store. It retails for $29.99 which is money well spent since you will never tire of flipping through its pages.

Meet Babcock and Pahuta at the upcoming book signing event and pick up a signed copy, or bring in your copy of the book and they will sign it for you.

For more information, call the Maturango Museum at 375-6900 or visit maturango.org. 

The Maturango Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.