Without archives, we would not have records about our past. Some readers might find this a bit mundane. Since we are approaching the end of year, some focus on tidying things in the record department.

In 1996, a colleague of mine and dear friend, Francis, better know as “Fritz” Riddell desired to assemble all collections of the Baxter  Creek  and Tule Irrigation Districts, i.e., Bly Tunnel and have them deposited with California State Archives. Riddell’s father, Harry, was hired as an engineer in the late 1920s to see if he could find a remedy to the problems of Bly Tunnel. He had all of his father’s records. In my possession were the district records by two of their attorneys, Hardin “Finn” Barry,  and J.A. “Gus” Pardee. There was a third piece, the County of Lassen, which the Planning Department had stored boxes of the irrigation districts records. The County was agreeable and mission accomplished.

During the early 1990s, I came into possession of the Sifford papers. This material primarily generated by Alex Sifford and his son, Roy. In 1900, Alex Sifford purchased what was known as Drakes Springs, and later transformed into Drakesbad resort located in Lassen Volcanic National Park, that was created sixteen years later. They, too, needed a permanent home. In May 2021, they are now part of the archives of Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Tim