Category Archives: History

High Rock Ranch

January 8, 2016 Tim Purdy 1 Comment

The High Rock Ranch in eastern Honey Lake adjoining the Nevada state line, owes a lot of its existence to the springs. Water in the desert makes a big difference.

Interesting enough, on February 7, 1862, U. Johnson Tutt laid claim to this remote outpost. Tutt made no improvements and abandoned his claim. In the late 1860s and 1870s, High Rock was a scene of rodeos, not quite the same as our modern day version. During this era, very few ranches had fences. It was customary, especially in the winter months to let their cattle and horses roam in search of feed. Each spring several localities were chosen for sites for round-ups and rodeos, and High Rock was one. Once the stray livestock were herded to a specific location, they were separated and branded. Continue reading High Rock Ranch →

History

Main Street Fire, 2005

January 6, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

It is hard to believe how time quickly marches on. It was on this date, eleven years ago, that an iconic uptown Susanville landmark was destroyed by fire. Fortunately, for me, I had moved out of the second floor of the building only seven months before the fire.

The building was the home to the Spalding Drug Store for many years, from the time it was built in 1907, until it closed in 1967. Looks can be deceiving for it is actually two buildings. How everything came to be was accidental in nature, which we explore its origins in the near future.

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History

Pogonip

January 5, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

fog — A pogonip as seen from Antelope Grade

In 1859 residents of the Honey Lake Valley experienced one of the most dreaded winter weather conditions, a pogonip—the Indians term for an ice fog. The term loosely translates into “white death,” for many Indians caught pneumonia and died. This fog settles in the mountain valleys. One can ascend a few hundred feet above the valley floor, bask in sunny temperatures and overlook a sea of clouds. Pogonips vary in severity. A mild one will consist of persistent endless fog with sub-freezing temperatures. The worst variety is when it turns into a literal ice fog, coating everything. The first day can be spectacular with ice crystal formations on everything. After several successive days of those bone chilling temperatures, it quickly loses its appeal. The pogonip of 1859 was one of severest on record. The heavy cold fog lasted six weeks. So much frost accumulated on the grasses that cattle could not eat it. In addition, since the first settlers had been accustomed to mild winters, very little hay was put up, and a great many cattle starved to death that winter.

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History

Westwood’s Deportation – Continued

January 4, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

The county wanted to oblige, but it had no funds. They deferred to take any action and turned the matter over to the federal immigration officials. J.C. Borden of the Immigration Bureau was brought in to investigate the situation. What he found on his arrival was that of the forty-five applicants only a handful were eligible to receive aid to pay for their return to Mexico. Yet, the issue was also moot, as Borden noted, because all the Mexicans had gone back to work. He informed the Board, should the issue arise again, that under a federal ruling any alien who had been in the United States for three years and becomes indigent can be returned to his native land with the cost borne by the federal government. Continue reading Westwood’s Deportation – Continued →

History

Westwood’s Deportation of Immigrants

January 3, 2016 Tim Purdy 1 Comment

Westwood's Old Town, home of many of its immigrant workforce. Courtesy of Hank Martinez — Westwood’s Old Town, home of many of its immigrant workforce. Courtesy of Hank Martinez

One of the more unusual annals in Red River’s history was deportation. Red River hired a large percentage of foreigners whether it be Scandinavians, Italians or Mexicans. With the downturn in the lumber market, the company was forced to layoff some of its workers. If they thought that the layoff was temporary, they allowed the affected worker to remain. By 1930, however, Red River sought alternatives, as they could no longer bear the financial burden. Continue reading Westwood’s Deportation of Immigrants →

History

Sacred Heart Parish Established

January 2, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Parish Register front page with writings by Father P.J. O'Rielly — Parish Register front page with writings by Father P.J. O’Reilly

In the fall of 1911 the Sacramento Diocese created a new parish from the Truckee Parish to be known as Sacred Heart. It would encompass two counties—Lassen and Modoc—a region comprising some 8,500 square miles (equivalent to size of the State of Maryland).

Father Philip J. O’Reilly was the first priest assigned arriving from Marysville. Father O’Reilly first established residence at Alturas, were a parish briefly existed in the 1880s. On December 17, 1911, Father O’Reilly held his first Mass in Susanville, and brought welcomed news that Mass would be held in Susanville on the last Sunday of each month. It should be noted that prior to this, Mass was held maybe once or twice a year, with Father Thomas Horgan riding circuit over a five county area making a 600 mile round trip.

On January 2, 1912, Father O’Reilly chose the date to open the Parish of Sacred Heart. He marked the event when he inscribed it by writing in front of the Baptismal, Marriage and Death Registers. He would later write in each one, that on December 2, 1915, Modoc County became a separate parish, except for Likely, which was added to Modoc exactly a year later.

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History

January Preview

January 1, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment


Sacred Heart Parish Established	1/2/16
Westwood’s Deportation – Part I	1/3/16
Westwood’s Deportation – Part II	1/4/16
Pogonip	1/5/16
Main Street Fire, 2005	1/6/16
What is Lahontan?	1/7/16
High Rock Ranch	1/8/16
Honey Lake Currency	1/9/16
Winter Log Decks	1/10/16
Sylvester Daniels	1/11/16
The Winter of 1861-62	1/12/16
Williams/Spalding Building	1/13/16
The Bacon-Roberts Affair	1/14/16
The Big Snow of 1911	1/15/16
Your Topic	1/16/16
Standish Water Company	1/17/16
Hayden Hill School	1/18/16
J.B. Spalding Residence	1/19/16
Hartson Slough	1/20/16
Janesville Cemetery	1/21/16
Abraham Farris, Richmond Road Merchant	1/22/16
Madeline Plains	1/23/16
A Honey Lake Drowning	1/24/16
Pioneer Brands	1/25/16
Papoose Meadows Conflict	1/26/16
Westwood’s Frozen Millpond	1/27/16
Westwood’s Rumor Mill	1/28/16
Carl R. Caudle, Engineer	1/29/16
The Grand Cafe & The Sargents	1/30/16
February Preview	1/31/16

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History

Mable Gallagher

December 31, 2015 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Hayden Hill Cemetery, 1909. Courtesy of Dallas & Joyce Snider

In the annals of Lassen County history, not much happens on this particular date. It was on December 31, 1903, that Hayden Hill resident Mable Gallagher passed away from pneumonia at the age of 30. She is one of the few known internments in the Hayden Hill Cemetery. We don’t know much about Mable. Yet, she holds a unique distinction in Lassen County. She is the only person to have their occupation listed as “the sporting life” on her death certificate.

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History

Caloreta (Wendel) School

December 30, 2015 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Caloreta School, Wendel, 1916. Courtesy of D.M. Durst Collection

On November 28, 1913, the residents of Wendel petitioned for a school district, they named Caloreta, and the County Board of Supervisors approved it. On August 8, 1914, a bond election for $1,060 was held and approved by its fifteen registered voters. The school building itself is unique as it was constructed from native stone, whereas other rural schools were wooden framed structures. By 1919 the school was defunct. In 1922, the school re-opened, but not as Caloreta. When the Caloreta School District went defunct it was annexed to the Amedee School District. In 1922, the school operations at Amedee were moved to Wendel and occupied the Caloreta schoolhouse. Thus, the Caloreta School was now the Amedee School.

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History

Honey Lake Depths

December 29, 2015 Tim Purdy 2 Comments

One of the perennial questions concerning Honey Lake, when it has water, is its depth. It is a relatively shallow lake, known to go dry for extended periods. There are a number of variables about the depth, due to the fluctuation of the level of the lake. The east side of the lake is the shallowest. Carl Caudle a civil engineer who resided near the lake’s eastern shore from 1909 to 1942 monitored the lake level there. On an average he recorded a depth of two feet. However, in the spring of 1914 and 1938, both years of record breaking precipitation, the east shore had a depth of six feet. The west side of the lake has the deepest points up to twenty-five feet during years of heavy precipitation.

In late December, 1940 Asa Brown and Jack Sawyer, state fish and game employees conducted a sounding of the lake. They started at the northwest corner, using a measuring pole took measurements every 300 to 400 yards. They recorded a maximum depth of 10.8 feet, and the shallowest at two feet. The lake on the average varied between four and ten feet. In the spring of 1987, Mark Totten and several others participated in an informal sailboat regatta on the lake. Using a depth finder, the areas traversed on the lake averaged seven feet.