By coincidence I am working on feature article of the Amedee and Madeline Hotels for the Northern California Traveller. As to the Brubeck family, I am able to provide some insight, as years ago I corresponded with Leslie Brubeck, who was born at Amedee in 1900. In addition, a subscriber is going to make a journey to Brubeck Spring, so I will ask for a photograph to include in a future post.
As to the natural history of the flora fauna conditions prior to the settlement, that can be done in several installments. In the 1990s, I conducted extensive research of the vegetation of eastern Lassen County prior to extensive grazing of cattle and sheep. An interesting source were the field notes of the Government Land Office surveyors who included descriptions of what they observed during the initial surveys of the 1870s. Another example was when in 1854 Lt. E.G. Beckwith explored the region for a possible transcontinental railroad route. Members of his expedition studied and documented the flora and fauna they found.
I look forward to the posts answering the reader questions. Looks like I asked the right guy! I’ve been curious about the changing flora and fauna since I was a little kid, when one of my teachers at McKinley School (I wish I could remember which one…) mentioned something about how the area would have looked different before white settlers arrived. I used top imagine the valley meadows with waist-high grass and grizzly bears (I was a weird kid).