Drawn to California by gold, Louis W. (L.W) De Chambeau's father moved from Ontario, Canada, to Bodie in 1878, and L.W. followed two years later at age 18 with other members of their French-Canadian family. L.W. purchased the ranch from Nicholas Donero, who sold it to fund exploration in Alaska. Because only a few people struck it rich in California's second gold rush and Bodie proved too much of a big city for the De Chambeau family, they settled in the Mono Basin, intermarried with other ranching families, and worked the property for two generations. The family was self-sufficient except for a few staples such as sugar and salt bought from the Hammond general store, now the Tioga Lodge on Hwy 395. Their beds were stuffed with feathers from Mono Lake ducks, they gargled with Mono Lake water for sore throats, and at Christmas they enjoyed homemade gifts and sometimes an orange in their stockings.