The Krohn family has left its mark

Mountain Moments

By Dwight Barnes

(Updated: Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 5:02 PM)

"There was a time when you couldn't shake a bush in Coarsegold without a Krohn falling out."

Such was the comment of Gertrude Krohn when she and her husband Karl -- better known as "Buzz" -- were named grand marshals of the 1988 Raymond Parade. True, the Krohn family had been a part of the history of Raymond and Coarsegold since 1873 when Buzz' grandparents, John and Louisa Krohn settled there to ranch and subsequently opened a store.

Buzz' grandparents were natives of Germany who sailed to America independently, not meeting until both had arrived in San Francisco via Cape Horn. One hundred and twenty five years ago they settled in Coarsegold, seeking their riches not in gold, but providing goods and services to miners, prospectors and travelers headed for Yosemite and other Sierra points.

The senior Krohns joined John Michaels in opening a store, a saloon, a rooming house that later became a hotel and a blacksmith shop in Coarsegold. John was the first postmaster of Coarsegold and when he died, Louisa became postmaster. Later their son, Will, was postmaster until the 1950s.

The couple raised 11 children, seven boys and four girls. Buzz, the son of young John Krohn, was born on the family ranch in 1907, living for three years in Coarsegold until his family moved to Raymond where Buzz' father opened a meat market.

Buzz attended high school in Madera and Raymond and attended Fresno State College for two years before moving to San Francisco to work in the theatrical business and later with the start of World War II in defense industries in which he stayed until his retirement in 1970 when he moved back to Raymond.

Gertrude, the daughter of a stone cutter, moved with her family to Raymond in 1925 where she attended high school. She and Buzz were married in 1930.

Growing up in Raymond, Krohn recalls that the main street was a dirt road with horse drawn stages cruising through town meeting the Southern Pacific trains which came to the community on a spur from Berenda. Buzz was there when President Theodore Roosevelt came to Raymond on his way to Yosemite.

On the occasion of being named grand marshals, Buzz and Gertrude recalled their younger days of riding on dates on his cut down old Ford which consisted of little more than a seat and gas tank above the chassis.

They loved "supper dances," which began around 8 in the evening, breaking for a midnight supper and then continuing on into the wee hours of the night. Dance halls ranged from Bass Lake to Mariposa, Coarsegold and other towns throughout the foothills.

Buzz recalled some of the family history, noting that his Uncle Gustave "Doc" Krohn donated land for the Coarsegold Community Center. Uncle Louis Krohn was county recorder, back when the courthouse now serving the Madera County Museum was built. Henry and Fritz Krohn each served as Madera County supervisors at different times. Fritz also was the manager of the Madera County Hospital.

The Krohn family certainly left its mark on Raymond, Coarsegold and Madera County.