Situated on the southern edge of the Smoke Creek Desert is Sand Pass. Personally, I like stop there, because of the view of Smoke Creek. At the summit there is a very large gravel pit. The purpose was to provide ballast for the Western Pacific Railroad.

Tim

While many are familiar with McCoy Flat Reservoir along Highway 44, there is another McCoy Flat in Lassen County, This too, was named for another Tehama rancher,  Leo Lewis McCoy (1850-1936) who used this area for summer pasture from 1874 to 1913. When he retired in 1913, he sold his ranch of 27,000 acres to Alden Anderson for $150,000.

For the record, this McCoy Flat is located along Pine Creek, just east of Eagle Lake.  In 1952, it was the scene of the last of the railroad logging operations of the Fruit Growers Supply Company.

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P.S. – Still in search of a  home.

In the 1960s, the newly organized Lassen County Historical Society published historical bulletins. In 1964, the Society released Petroglyphs of North Eastern California and Nevada by Tom Eilers. What Eilers ascertained like others, these petroglyph sites have one item in common-they were above the Lake Lahontan shoreline.

It is interesting that sixty years later when Eilers wrote his observations we still do not know a lot about them. Years later, Tom shared with me photographs he took of glyphs back then. Hopefully, after I am relocated and settled in, I scan share and post them.

Tim

P.S. – Still in search of a  home.

This was a  Pleistocene lake that covered a large portion of Northwestern Nevada and extended into parts of Northeastern California.  Approximately 10,000 years ago, the lake began to recede, leaving behind remnants such as Pyramid and Honey Lakes. Lake Lahontan’s greatest depth was estimated at 920 feet at Pyramid Lake.  To give a better perspective, locally, Susanville’s Elk’s Lodge, if it existed at the height of Lake Lahontan, would have been a beach front house. Around the Wendel region, but not excluding other locations one can see shore line terraces when the lake receded.

This map is illustrative about tomorrow’s topic: petroglyphs.

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P.S. – Still in search of a  home.

In the late 1940s, soap box derby races held in Susanville.  In normal circumstances I would venture to the library to examine the Lassen Advocate newspaper on microfilm.  I know this sound like broken record, but until my housing situation is resolved, it really limits my research ability. Who knows, there might be a reader could enlighten us.  Anyhow, I thought there would be some that would enjoy this photograph.

Tim

P.S. – Still in search of a  home.

This is a prominent feature of the old Bonham Ranch of southwestern Smoke Creek Desert. Early day travelers referred to it was Rotten Egg Spring, due to its sulfuric smell.  Early day folklore stated that the spring was bottomless. Jack Bonham stated the spring had a depth of thirty feet.

Tim