Nearly twenty years after the planned community of Honey Lake City had fallen, another real estate speculator arrived on the scene. In 1909, the place became the junction of the Nevada-California-Oregon (NCO) and Western Pacific (WP) railroads, and that enhanced the site. A location with access to two railroads had appeal for development. But this place had one drawback—water, or more specifically, the lack of it.
Enter Fred T. Cromwell promoter extraordinaire. In the spring of 1912, Cromwell, with his enthusiasm, promises, and dreams, charmed the locals. Cromwell stated he had the backing of a Seattle millionaire, Captain E.W. Johnson. With Johnson’s influence, they stated that they had a deal that would have the WP relocate their diversion point from Portola to Cromwell. Cromwell proposed to build a bridge across Honey Lake near Milford, to provide those folks with an easy access to the railroad. After those proposals, Cromwell recruited the assistance of the Lassen Development League to provide a name for this new city. Not surprisingly, the League, impressed by these propositions, gave it the name of Cromwell.
In July a 40-acre townsite was surveyed, and things were already starting to fizzle. A store and hotel was partially constructed, but Cromwell was busy using everyone’s money. It was only a matter when lenders wanted their money back. The remainder of the year was tied up in litigation, and once the proverbial dust had settled, the project was abandoned. Today, the site is known as Herlong.
As they say, there is one born every second. All I remember about Herlong is the munition storage area. I always enjoy your stories about Westwood. I wish my parents were still living so I could ask them about that Kangaroo Court thing. That happened a few years before I was born.