Category Archives: History

Hackstaff – Lassen County

October 12, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Known today as Herlong, and was the one-time junction of Nevada-California-Oregon (NCO) and Western Pacific (WP) railroads. In 1915, Stanley G. Rayl arrived on the scene. When Rayl petitioned to establish a post office, he proposed the name Rayl—the NCO opposed it. Charles Moran, President of the NCO, wanted the post office named Hackstaff—in honor of his mother-in-law, Clara Hackstaff Adams. After five months, the Postmaster General decided upon the name of Rayl, instead of Hackstaff. This delighted Robert M. Cook, editor and publisher of the Lassen Weekly Mail, Cook wrote: “ The NCO wanted a monument to an uncle of the wife of Moran, the New York capitalist behind the NCO. Hackstaff was never in Lassen County and no one here knows anything about him.” When Rayl left in 1921, he assigned the postmaster duties to Cyrus Helman. Those two men had a disagreement and fought that battle in court. In the end, the Rayl post office closed. On March 18, 1922, the Hackstaff Post Office was established with Helman as postmaster. It did not last long and the post office closed on December 30, 1922. In 1927, Hackstaff’s meager population was wiped out when the WP moved its section crew to Doyle. The location continued to be known as Hackstaff until the Sierra Army Ordinance Depot was established in 1942.

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History

Dixon’s Eagle Lake Scheme

October 11, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Lower portion of Willow Creek Valley, parts would have been flooded by the dam project, 1926. Courtesy of Lola L. Tanner — Lower portion of Willow Creek Valley (1926) , a portion would have been flooded by Dixon’s dam project.. The government said no, stating it was impractical, since the water supply was not adequate to fill the reservoir. Courtesy of Lola L. Tanner

A.F. “Frank” Dixon was the tenth person to tackle the tapping of Eagle Lake for irrigation in the Honey Lake Valley. Like those before and after him there were numerous obstacles to overcome. For every new enterprise, they had to become more creative, since the previous ones in many cases still had valid claims. Even so, it was not a deterrent.

One asset that Dixon possessed was during the 1890s he served as Register of the Government Land Office in Susanville. Thus, he knew the procedures for obtaining rights-of-way across government land. However, what caught Dixon off guard is when he filed for his tunnel right-of-way across government land, the government did something they had never requested any one prior–an environmental analysis. The government was concerned what damages would occur if the lake should be tapped.

Partial map of Lassen-Willow Water Company's proposed project. Courtesy of Betty Barry Deal — Partial map of Lassen-Willow Water Company’s proposed project. Courtesy of Betty Barry Deal

The other situation, was Dixon was not alone in his conquest. It should be noted that Dixon filed for his right-of-way in December 1904. In the summer of 1905, the newly formed Lassen-Willow Creek Water Company, filed for a tunnel right-of-way, that was identical to Dixon’s. Litigation ensued. In 1906, a gold discovery on the eastern edge of the Black Rock Desert lured Dixon away. Dixon would never learn of the outcome, he died in 1908. While Lassen-Willow Creek won in court, their enthusiasm fizzled and in 1910 sold their project to E.N. Prouty for $900.

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History

Susanville – Pine Street

October 10, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

B.R. Zimmerman residence, 45 South Pine Street, circa 1890. Courtesy of B.R. Zimmerman Collection

One of Susanville’s original streets, when the town was surveyed in 1863 it was the most western street. So named for the pine trees that are on the western edge of town. An odd thing about Pine Street, it initially went from Main south to the Susanville Cemetery. What is known as North Pine Street did not come into existence for a number years, and even then it only extended to North Street. For years it was known as Prattville Road, and this was route out of town, and the next town then in existence was Prattville, which the original town no longer exists as it demolished to make way for Lake Almanor in 1914.

North Pine Street, January 1916. Courtesy of Dolores Gasperoni

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History

Pat O’Dea – The Kangaroo Kicker

October 9, 2016 Tim Purdy 2 Comments

Pat O'Dea, Courtesy of the University of Wisconsin — Pat O’Dea, Courtesy of the University of Wisconsin

In 1919, Charles J. Mitchell arrived in Westwood like so many before and after him seeking employment. The Red River Lumber Company had high turnover in its workforce and always had openings. Little did Red River know their new hire was a famous football player. Then again, Mitchell used an alias. After all this was in an era, where few people carried any type of identification, and Social Security numbers were non-existent. Continue reading Pat O’Dea – The Kangaroo Kicker →

History

Susanville’s Banking Crisis

October 7, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Bank of America, Main & Gay Streets, Susanville

While T.B. Walker and his Red River Lumber Company had a profound impact on Lassen County, Leon Bly and his Eagle Lake irrigation plan ranks right up there with Walker.

The Lassen Industrial Bank was established in the spring of 1912. It met with such success that in 1914 they opened a branch at Bieber and in 1917 another branch at Fall River Mills.

With tremendous growth caused by the lumber industry, the bank built a $100,000 two-story building at the corner of Main and Gay Streets. But the good times did not last long. The bank had nearly over extended itself with loans to the farmers of Bly’s irrigation project, that had failed shortly after the tunnel was completed in 1923. This caused, the bank to start foreclosures on those farmers, and many of those properties were worthless without water. By the summer of 1928, the rumor on the streets of Susanville was in full blast, that either the bank was going to be sold, and worse yet go into bankruptcy. In early August 1928, A.P. Giannini of the Bank of America came to the aid with a $100,000 cash bail out, in which on December 1, 1928, officially took over the Lassen Industrial Bank.

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History

Ox Teams

October 6, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Ox teams at Amedee, 1907. Courtesy of Lola L. Tanner

Oxen, it should be duly noted, played a major role in the westward expansion of the United States. Many may have heard or read accounts of people crossing the plains and using ox teams. While oxen are not known for their speed, they can haul heavy loads of freight in difficult terrain. Locally, during the late 1800s oxen were primarily used in logging.

The last major use of ox teams in the Honey Lake Valley occurred in 1907, when the Lassen Mill & Lumber Company had major contracts for lumber for Nevada mines. Ox teams were used to haul the lumber from the sawmills near Janesville to the boat dock on Honey Lake near Buntingville. They were also used at Amedee from the boat dock to the NCO railroad station and shipped to Nevada. Thede French, Bill Wilson and Charles Randrup handled the ox teams. The oxen were needed because the ground near the boat docks was too soft for horses.

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History

The Scottini Family

October 5, 2016 Tim Purdy 1 Comment

The Scottini Ranch house after their departure, circa 1901. The Robert Blair family leased it from 1895 to 1907. Left to right: Grace Wilson, Sadie Blair, Frank Blair, Bob Blair, Brina Blair Marr, George Marr, Charlie Blair, Willie Blair, Grandma Blair, Grandad Blair and the two Marr children. The house was torn down in the mid-1980s. Courtesy of Florence Stampfli

The Scottini’s were part of the earliest wave of Swiss Italians to arrive in Lassen County. In 1882, Innocenti Scottini purchased a 300 acre ranch on Gold Run from Otis Johnson for $4,000. Scottini, along with his brother, John, operated a dairy and a few mining ventures, the latter scheduled for a future post, in about a week’s time or so.

Things were not so content for Innocenti. On December 21, 1886, he filed for divorce from his wife, Nora on the grounds of adultery. He accused her of having an affair with his brother, John. Innocenti was given custody to his daughter, Mamie, and Nora of their one year old son, John. Shortly after this episode, John Scottini along with Nora and infant John left Gold Run and relocated to Butte, Montana.

In April 1889, the Scottini ranch house burned down. By May he started work on a two-story house, that remained on the property for nearly 100 years. On April 6, 1894, Scottini borrowed $6,000 from John Maxwell who secured the loan by a mortgage on the property. Shortly thereafter Scottini disappeared and in 1895 Maxwell foreclosed on the property. Many residents will know this property as the Satica Ranch.

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History

Deer Hunting

October 2, 2016 Tim Purdy 1 Comment

Margaret Purdy with her trophy buck 211 pounds dressed, September 24, 1947.

Once upon a time, a person was not confined to deer hunting in a particular zone. By the 1940s with significant improvements to highways and automobiles opened a lot of territory to hunters, once the domain of locals.

The Fruit Growers Supply Company operated lumber mills in Hilt, Susanville and Westwood. While researching its history, I always came across some interesting material. Fruit Growers’ Annual Reports are a wealth of information. Before you think I am losing my sanity writing first about deer hunting and then lumber mills, there is a common thread.

The following is a most interesting excerpt from Fruit Growers’ 1946 Annual Report:

“Much of the country in which Company timber is located is considered to have good deer hunting, and the deer season opens at a time when the woods are in the driest conditions and when the fire hazard is the greatest. The handling of the large influx of people into the general Northern California area during the deer hunting season constitutes a very serious problems to all owners and agencies interested in timberlands. In 1946, hunters and their parties were registered as they entered Lassen County area, and during one week’s time, close to 5,000 automobiles and 13,000 individuals registered as potential deer hunters. Thus more hunters were checked into Lassen County than its normal population. Despite this, the Company was fortunate in its 1946 experience with forest fires.”

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History

Lonkey Ranch

September 29, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Some ranches retain their original name, after the owner is long gone. A perfect is the Bare Ranch in Surprise Valley. In 1864, Thomas Bare established the ranch, sold it in 1880, and it is still known over a century later as the Bare Ranch.

The Lonkey Ranch is not one of those ranches. It was originally known as the San Francisco Ranch, the owners from that city. Lonkey was in the middle, followed by Five Dot. For those not familiar, this ranch is located approximately twelve miles north of Susanville in the Willow Creek Valley. Continue reading Lonkey Ranch →

History

Introducing Paul Bunyan

September 28, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

During Red River Lumber Company’s expansion to California, they had number of hurdles to overcome. Since they would be using a different species of pine, than what they had previously used in Minnesota, they had to monumental task to educate their customers. Part of the duty fell to Archie Walker in Minneapolis, and he contacted his cousin, W.B. “Bill” Laughead, who was doing some free-lance advertising work to assist him. At this time, Paul Bunyan was a little known folklore, associated with loggers. The two came up with the idea of Paul Bunyan, and prior to this no one had rendered a drawing of the mythical logger. Continue reading Introducing Paul Bunyan →