Robert Lanphar

Cigar Store Indian Robert Lanphar

The community of Warner Springs grew up as a group of small ranches. Because of the desert environment the critical resource of water needed to be managed and over time a collection of aqueducts and manual controlled gates had been developed to allow an equitable sharing. The other key part of the scene was Dags Mercantile and Feed which was a gathering place for the ranchers to not only purchase supplies but also share in the local gossip and an occasional game of checkers. The Cigar Store Indian was a welcoming sight. This idyllic community would have continued except for the intrusion of Big Agri which consolidated the farms and began to hog all of the precious water resources. This came to a head when a new precious aquifer was discovered and was going to be used exclusively for the benefit of the remaining small farmers. This was heading towards a complete boil over as Big Agri was wielding their influence to obtain the rights to the new aquifer. The remaining small farmers banded together under the Cigar Store Indian and the community they had developed over the years.