Valuable trove of local artifacts destroyed in Clayton Fire

Valuable trove of local artifacts destroyed in Clayton Fire

[...] he evacuated his girlfriend and her dogs and piled a pickup truck full of his late musician father’s record collection, saxophone and valuables.

What he never imagined was that the flames would roar past his home and swiftly devastate downtown Lower Lake, consuming his warehouse, vehicle and tens of thousands of dollars worth of cars, artifacts and other valuables.

“I’m just trying to keep it together now,” said Giberson, 63, who was near tears as he stood in front of the pile of rubble and the remnants of his pickup, just off Main Street in Lower Lake.

The fire destroyed a huge collection of historic memorabilia that he was hoping to one day donate to the Lower Lake Schoolhouse Museum, for which he serves as a board members.

Even worse, though, was the saxophone, music collection and awards once owned by his late grandfather, Freddy Christian, a former big-band leader who once played for John Philip Sousa.