Great Northern’s Tracklayer entering Big Valley. Courtesy of Orville Watkins
In 1893, The Great Northern Railroad reached Seattle, Washington, from its origins in Minnesota. Its founder, James J. Hill, known as the “Empire Builder” wanted more. He wanted to extend his line south to tap into the lucrative California market. During the early 1900s over a half dozen railroad surveys were made in the Lassen-Modoc region. Speculation was rampant. In 1909, it was rumored that the Great Northern would purchase the region’s NCO Railroad which would provide Hill a link into California. It never materialized, and Hill retired from the railroad in 1912, and passed away in 1917.
In the late 1920s, Hill’s dream would become a reality with the construction of the Inside Gateway, where a 200 mile railroad construction project would connect the Great Northern and Western Pacific Railroads. The Interstate Commerce Commission approved the project in 1929.The Great Northern would build an 88 mile rail line from Klamath Falls, Oregon to Bieber where it would connect with the Western Pacific, as they would extend a branch line from Keddie to Bieber.
Recently, a subscriber sent me a link to a You Tube video with various historic film clips of railroad logging. For those so inclined you can watch it here. However, it should be duly noted for the record, the clip of the cookhouse scene of Fruit Growers Supply Company is wrong. The film notes that it was Fruit Growers operation at Hilt, but in reality it was Fruit Growers Lassen Operation at Camp B, located north of McCoy Flat Reservoir. The cement foundation of the building was still intact the last time I was there, along with railroad service pits, etc. I do have a copy of the 1925 film of the entire operations on the Lassen that includes logging scenes, and the entire sawmill process. The opening scenes are of interest since it shows the current Susanville Ranch Park back in 1919, then goes to Eagle Lake during its high water era.
Horse logging with big wheels, at Fruit Growers Camp B, north of McCoy Flat Reservoir.
In the spring of 1925, Fruit Growers Supply Company announced a major change in their logging operations. In April, the company sold some seventy logging horses, thus a major phase out utilizing horses and Michigan Big Wheels. The company replaced the horses with six Catepillar tractors, after having two in operation the previous year. The tractors were more efficient, as they could go in terrain the horses could not. Horse logging also required additional workers known as “swampers.” Their job was to remove any debris or vegetation that could result in an injury to the horses legs.
1917 Advertisement for the first St. Patrick’s Dinner sponsored by the Sacred Heart Church
Over the last two decades numerous organizations in the area now hold St. Patrick’s dinners. However, none can compare to the one sponsored by Sacred Heart Church. It was first held in 1917 and is the longest continous event in Susanville. Not even the Native American’s annnul bear dance can beat that.
This year the event will be held on Saturday evening, March 16 beginning at 4 p.m. at Monsignor Moran Hall on North Weatherlow Street. The menu, of course, has evolved over the years. For decades the traditional corned beef and cabbage was never served. In 1974, Father William Storan was appointed the parish priest. In 1975, he requested that corned beef and cabbage be placed on the menu and that the church would slowly phase out spaghetti and roast beef.
The Standish Post Office was established on April 21, 1899 with Harriet F. Torrey as the first postmaster. It is one of a handful of Lassen County post offices established prior to 1900 that are still in existence.
The town was named after Myles Standish, of the Plymouth Colony fame. In the 1890s, the Associated Colonies of New York wanted to create utopian communities in the West, and Standish would be their second development. The Standish Colony was designed using the philosophical beliefs of Myles Standish and the economic structure promoted by LDS leader, Brigham Young. For it to succeed it needed a water supply to irrigate the surrounding land. In 1898, the Honey Lake Valley Colonial Irrigation Company was incorporated and purchased Edward Purser’s Susan River Irrigation System. However, it was plagued with litigation over water rights, that led to the demise of the Standish Colony and Associated Colonies in 1901.
On a final note, the first book I intended to write was the history of the Tule and Standish districts. Well, most know that did not happen. A few years back I did survey of over 1,000 people to see if there was still an interest. Only 40 people expressed one, so that is why I never finished the history of Standish.
Milford Street, Standish, 1908. Courtesy of Prentice Holmes
In the mid-1920s, Red River Lumber Company had two hydro-plants in operation to generate power for Westwood. This abundant power supply created an unusual man-made landmark. Red River was able to conserve its sawdust/wood waste pile, which took on a life of its own as it started looking like a small mountain. This created a nice reserve of free fuel that was readily available at any time should there by interruptions from the hydro-plants. To comprehend just how large it was, a Ripley’s “Believe it or Not” column once designated it as the world’s largest waste pile. In 1941 it lost its status to Portland General Electric Company who reported having a 130-foot high pile of sawdust. Continue reading Red River’s Saw Dust Pile→
After the failed first Spalding subdivision, it was brought back to life as Spaulding Tract, The story of the inserted “u” for another time. In 1924, this time around, the Spalding family with a new subdivision on the west shore of Eagle Lake, hired real estate developers to promote it. This gave birth to the Eagle Lake Cabin Site Company.
Promote they did. These folks were shrewd, and knew first hand the local residents were not their market, because they knew there was nothing there to get excited about or invest in. The Eagle Lake Cabin Site Company produced a brochure to entice folks primarily in Southern California of this hidden gem, more spectacular than Lake Tahoe. To lure people to buy lots, as an enticement was the proposed grand hotel to be built, similar to the famed El Tovar Inn at the Grand Canyon.
The lots initially sold for $50 each. When the company began selling lots in the spring of 1925, they were confident that the entire tract of 5,964 lots would be sold out in six months. While they did not reach that goal, they did sell over 3,000 lots.
In 1926 sales dramatically taped off. This was due in part of the new lot owners when came to inspect Spaulding Tract. First they encountered poor roads and when they finally arrived there were not any visible signs that gave the slightest hint the place was a resort community. So digusted many of the lot owners refused to pay property tax for a non-existant resort community. Thus, the Eagle Lake Cabin Site Company faded into oblivion.
There was time, that Ravendale on the Madeline Plains was more than a wide spot on Highway 395. Like so many locales, it had experienced some interesting times.
One of these accountss involved the Ravendale Elementary School during the 1938-39 school year. Frances O’Brien had a contract to teach school that year for $1,320. When the school opened in the fall, six students had enrolled. The enrollment then dropped to four, and then to two, and by January 1939, there were no students. The trustees questioned whether they were obligated to pay O’Brien’s contract since there were no students. The matter was referred to California Attorney General Earl Warren. Warren informed the trustees that they had to pay O’Brien’s contract whether she had any students or not. Warren did state that the trustees and O’Brien could negotiate a compromise. Whatever transpired is not known. The school re-opened in the fall of 1939, with thirteen students. However, Emma Metcalf replaced O’Brien as the teacher.
Seasoned California residents know that not only did Attorney General Earl Warren later became the Governor of California, but he went higher up on the ladder and became the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Lunch break of park and Western Pacific Railroad officials, 1930. Courtesy of the National Park Service
For the casual observer who decides to make a detour off Highway 44, near Poison Lake in western Lassen County, to travel the dirt road north to Pittville, one will see a variety of sights along the way. One of the first encounters is that of Halls Flat, a small non-descript sagebrush covered flat surrounded by pine trees. Nothing to get excited about, but like watching one of those late night infomercials, there is a lot more in store!
In the late 1910s, Tehama County rancher, Walter Davis Hall (1886-1960) used this area for summer grazing and on April 29, 1926, he was granted a 160-acre land patent—hence the name Halls Flat. Little did he know, that not to far in the distant future, this spot would be an amazing hub of activity.
It first began, in 1930, when the Interstate Commerce Commission approved what many refer to as the Highline or Inside Gateway that connected the Western Pacific Railroad from Keddie, California with the Great Northern Railroad at Klamath Falls, Oregon. This just happen to coincide with the development of Lassen Volcanic National Park and this future railroad line would come close to the park’s eastern boundary. Customary at the time, Lassen Park and Western Pacific had a courtship—the park seeking a concessionaire, while the railroad hopefully would see increased passenger service among other amenities.
This is where, Halls Flat could have played a pivotal role. Western Pacific would develop a resort at Manzanita Lake in the park. At Halls Flat, or maybe Poison Lake, where a railroad station would be built, there would a stop. At this point, passengers would disembark and be shuttled by bus through the northern section through the park to their destination at Manzanita Lake to spend days recreating. To build the lodge at Manzanita along with other amenities was estimated at $275,000. Due to outside legal issues, the Western Pacific had to suddenly withdraw from the proposal.
The stage was set, for different reasons, and Halls Flat became a major hub of activity during the 1930s and 1940s that we will explore in future installments.
My father, Leroy W. Purdy was born on March 7, 1927 at Susanville’s Riverside Hospital. Seasoned readers will recall that he was a colorful character back in the day.
Leroy spent most of his life in logging. His first hand introduction was logging at Red River Lumber Company’s Camp Harvey, with his best friend and future brother-in-law, Bob Rea. When his brother, James, returned to Susanville after World War II, they formed a partnership known as Purdy Brothers Logging. Times were really good for fifteen years, and then the Black Widow entered the picture. Their world came crushing down, and the partnership dissolved.
Leroy continued a solo logging career, later forming L&M Logging. Those days I remember well, spending many summers working out in the woods growing up. My father noticed my enthusiasm which eventually, I received a stern lecture from him, “No son of mine is going to be a logger.” With that career option gone, who knew later I would be writing the history of the logging industry among other topics.
