A Little Look at Murphys

My memory is so bad these days, I've probably posted photos of these parts of Murphys before. No matter. It is always fun to revisit a place to see it with different eyes.

In this alley just off of main street in Murphys is the Wall of Comparative Ovations. It a kind of parody of the popular homage to local heros and people of note in that the people recognized are just regular folks. It was erected by E Clampus Vitus. Wikipedia describes this organization thusly,

The Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus (ECV) is a fraternal organization dedicated to the preservation of the heritage of the American West, especially the history of the Mother Lode and gold mining regions of the area. There are chapters in California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Outposts in other western states. Members call themselves "Clampers." The organization's name is in Dog Latin, and has no known meaning; even the spelling is disputed, sometimes appearing as "Clampus," "Clampsus," or "Clampsis." The motto of the Order, Credo Quia Absurdum, is generally interpreted as meaning "I believe it because it is absurd;"^[1] the proper Latin quotation Credo quia absurdum est, is from the Christian apologist Tertullian (c. 160–220), who rejected rationalism and accepted a Gospel which addressed itself to the "non-rational levels of perception."

Interestingly, just across the street is the Odd Fellows building now converted to an antique store. Ain't life strange?