About the Author

Education and history have been the cornerstones of Dorothy C. Cragen's life since she moved to 
Inyo County in 1928.  Serving first as a school teacher and then Supervisor of Education for Inyo 
County, she was elected Superintendent of Schools for the county in 1939, a post she held for 16 
years.

After retiring in 1955, she went to work for the Eastern California Museum, eventually as its 
Director.  She has belonged to the Eastern California Museum Association, Inc. for 25 years and 
has served on it Board of Trustees.  She is now Membership Secretary and editor of its monthly 
Newsletter.

She is also a member of the Inyo County American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, the 
National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Council on Abandoned Military Posts, U. S. A.

Mrs. Cragen has written a column, "Round About the Museum," in the Inyo Independent and 
other Chalfant papers.

She has researched "The Boys in the Sky-Blue Pants" since coming to Inyo County, "finding the 
facts," she says, "far more interesting than any fiction that has been written about the country 
sometimes spoken of as 'back of beyond.'"

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Transcribed by Denise S. Flynn, July 12, 2005
Used with permission of Candy Ross, copyright holder.