Sometimes what appears a simple research project, becomes a challenging one. Herlong Junction is a perfect example. Prior to the establishment of Herlong nothing existed on this segment of the highway. Yet, when the nearby Sierra Army Depot was established in 1942, it provided entreprenauers with possibilities.
The first to arrive on the scene was Ray and Connie Langley. On February 6, 1948, they purchased a small parcel from Zoa Clayburg. As the story goes, they had a restaurant at Milford and wanted to move the building to this location, however the highway officials would not give them a permit. It was one of those mysterious in the middle of night happenings, that somehow the building transported itself to the new location, and thus the establishment of The Mark.
Before you knew it, on the opposite side of the highway a new building appeared. This consisted of an outpost of Susanville’s Royal Grocery, along with a restaurant. While Royal Grocery no longer exists, its successor does, namely Idaho Grocery.
A lot of changes have occurred over the years, and while the businesses on the east side of the highway have shuttered, The Mark continues on.
In the meantime, I will work on researching this further, and will provide updates on my findings.
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Max Ortega was the last owner of the Junction ( royal grocery) , passed away a few years ago I believe.
I though Idaho grocery was in Susanville on main st. near Fairfield St.?
Just found this post. My parents Jerry and Ila Kesterson bought out Ray Langley in 1950, after Rays wife Connie died in an auto accident in late November 1949. I do not know what the business, consisting of a restaurant, liquor store, and separate Texaco gas station, was called when the Langley ‘s operated it, but the name was changed to The Mark when my parents opened for business on a windy day in August. The restaurant was replaced with a sporting goods store after a few years, and over time the business morphed into a general merchandise eatablishment. Liquor and sporting goods remain the main stay, but pretty much anything was available that locals, or travelers, wanted.
When I was a kid I used to often visit with Mrs Zoe Clayburg Tucker at her old homestead at what became Herlong Junction, she told me that during WWII she sold several lots to workers from the “army base”, and they build homes in the neighborhood. I remember there being about a half dozen family’s there when we arrived. The ones I can remember were the familys of Ted Kiso, Bill West, “Whitey” Klitz, the Hawns , and the Thomas Jones family. The Jones family leased the Texaco service station from us, and ran it for over 20 years. In 1971 my dad and I installed what I believe was the first self serve gas station in the county in place of the old station. Over the 35 years that my parents operated The Mark there were several more homes built in the little community now numbering 20+ homes, and The Mark is still in business there. The old building moved from Milford by the Langleys burned down about 20 years ago and was rebuilt by the current owner Tom Hammon.
Mrs. Tucker was a very colorful, as interesting person, I think she was born on the Clayburg homestead about 1890, She used to tell me all sorts of stories about the area around Herlong Junction, about her family, neighbors, and happenings. I sure wish that I had the ability to defrag and pull up those stories now. What I do recall is that she never learned to drive a car, and rode a horse everywhere she went. She seldom ventured more than a few miles from her home the 20 years I knew her.
The Royal grocery store at “the corner” closed when Bill’s Market just off post in Herlong opened. Lin Varley operated a grocery in the old Royal space for a few years in the late 50’s.
I remember The Mark. I lived in Herlong from the Summer of 1973 until the Fall of 1977. Is it possible that the Connie Langley car accident that is mentioned is the one involving the guardrail on the bridge coming up the access road from Herlong? I remember a visit that my mom made with an older woman who lived behind The Mark, and just next to her house was the car from the accident with the bridge. Rather tragic from what I remember, as the guard rail slipped up under the front wheel and pinned the driver to the back seat. I remember sitting in the car with the steering wheel up to the roof. I also remember the older woman had showed us how she rolled newspapers into some kind of ‘log’ that was coated in something to help it burn. I will never forget that car though, or the story about the woman who drove it off the road.
I remember that as well, and seeing the car. I believe I knew her daughter. I lived in Herlong around the same time.