San Deigo Historic Site 411 THE CAMPO STORE

The Campo Store was built in 1885 by Silas E. Gaskill and Luman H. Gaskill, who came to the Milquatay Valley in 1868. They built a general store, hotel, flour mill, andblacksmith shop, all frame, and called the village Campo.On December 5, 1875, a gang of Mexican bandits brought wagons from Tecate to clean out the Gaskills. Silas and Luman, forewarned, concealed shotguns around Campo and went about their business. When the attack came, three bandits fired at Silas and three others attacked Luman. Both were shot before they were able to return fire. A French sheepman, who was riding into town at the time, courageously joined in to help the Gaskills. He received a mortal wound, but not before shooting the outlaw leader in the neck.

Silas Gaskill killed one robber and wounded one. Luman shot two, neither fatally. One escaped unhurt. Of the injured, one bandit was killed by hiscomrades because he couldn't keep up, two were captured and hanged on abig oak tree in Campo, and the leader took a year to die of his injury in hiding.

Word circulated among border outlaws that the Gaskills were devils who couldn't be killed with lead bullets. Silas and Luman, not caring to depend on their reputations for safety, built the stone store.

A real border fort, with its thick walls, heavy shutters, and loopholes,the new store was never attacked, although various bands came raiding,through the Campo area.

The store was used as a post office, bank, and stage station, and became the social, as well as the shopping, center of the mountains. Saturday night dances on the second floor were periodic high spots in the lives of people from miles around.