Category Archives: History

History

Susan River’s Colony Dam

Leave a comment
The Colony Dam, Susan River, November 1897. Courtesy of Betty Barry Deal

When proposed and built this dam on the lower Susan River just below where Willow Creek feeds into it was controversial. Nothing truly unusual about since water has and will be a heated issue.

When the Associated Colonies of New York proposed their puritan community of Standish in the Honey Lake Valley, they created the Colonial Irrigation Company to handle the complex water right issues of Susan  River, the main water source for Standish.  The community had a European design, wherein the residents resided in a clustered village, but tended to their farms/livestock  that surrounded the village.

Whatever the case may be,  in November 1897, the Colonial Irrigation Company began work on the controversial Colony Dam on the Susan River.. The construction of the dam outraged their neighbors downstream in the Tule District, who claimed it obstructed their water flow and riparian rights. The Tule folks took the matter to court and not only asked for an injunction, but demanded the $12,000 dam be removed as a nuisance.

The old Smith homestead, also known as the Brubeck field. November 19, 2015

Lewis Brubeck, who owned the Smith place in the Tules (now a part of the Fleming Unit of Fish & Game), also filed a separate lawsuit against the Company in 1898, as the waters of the river had been diverted, never reaching his property. The Brubeck verdict was important to the Tule people, for while Brubeck only received a damage award of $750, the court placed a restraining order against the Company, preventing them from irrigating any other lands until Brubeck’s lands were thoroughly irrigated. It was a major court ruling, that with future lawsuits would bring about the landmark adjudication of Fleming v Bennett filed in 1934.

Subscribe

History

The Country Store—Milne Grocery

Leave a comment
Milne Store
Milne Store

In small communities, the lone country store was its social hub. They varied in size and offerings depending on the location. Many housed the local post office, and in some cases the back portion included the living quarters for the proprietors.

Flanigan, was a former railroad town in eastern Honey Lake Valley. Its country store—Milne Grocery—was a prime example. In 1915, the store was established as the Flanigan Mercantile Company.

In 1930, the one-room school at Flanigan, known as Bonham, was in need of a teacher. Gertrude Milne, who at the time was living in Yerington, applied and got the job. Her husband, William then packed up and moved to Flanigan. In 1934, Orlando and Victoria Gasperoni, owners of the Flanigan Mercantile Company, sold the store, the old hotel and some rental cabins to William and Gertrude Milner for $1,000. The Milne’s changed the name to Milne Grocery. William who not only took the operation of the store. but succeeded Victoria, to become the town’s postmaster.

In 1945. William Milne passed away. This left Gertrude to juggle her duties as school teacher, store operator and postmistress. Flanigan continued with its quiet existence until the late 1950s. In 1958, Gertrude retired from Bonham School, though when needed served as a substitute. In 1959, the Southern Pacific eliminated its section crew at Flanigan. Thus, with even less traffic, Gertrude decided to no longer stock the store. The store remained open to sell non-perishable food items, and equally important it was the town’s social hub since it also served as the post office.

Flanigan, 1976
Flanigan, 1976, courtesy of Christopher Moody

In 1960, a reporter from the Reno Evening Gazette paid a visit to Flanigan. It was duly noted the town’s population consisted of one—Gertrude Milne. On March 31, 1961 activity at Milne Grocery more or less ceased to exist with the closure of the Flanigan Post Office. While many would have moved on Gertrude stayed. On January 2, 1969, Gertrude while on a social visit to Fish Springs Ranch, her beloved store and home burned down.  Gertrude was bound and determined to stay in Flanigan. and moved into one of her own cabins.  In June 1969, another tragedy for Gertrude, was the closure of Bonham School, where she spent four decades teaching. In 1971, the school was sold and moved to Standish.

Yet, Gertrude stubbornly clinged on and would not move. Finally, she conceded to  her family’s urging, in 1973, and moved to nearby Sutcliffe where she passed away later that year at the age of eighty-four.

Subscribe

History

Bronson & Doyle aka Honey Lake Feed

1 Comment
Lassen Grain & Milling
Lassen Grain & Milling Company, circa 1918. Courtesy of Dick & Helen Harrison

One of the inquiries received from the Ask Tim segment was for photographs of the old Honey Lake Feed Store on Richmond Road that was located across the Susanville Southern Pacific Depot.

Honey Lake Feed, 21 October 1978

It was built in 1917. At that time there was only one flour mill in operation, that was located at Janesville. It should be duly noted it was only in operation during harvest time. When Lassen Grain & Milling opened the Janesville Flour mill closed down permanently.

Honey Lake Feed building as seen from Inspiration Point, circa 1980–David Bricker

I do not have my notes handy, but if, and that is a big if, if memory serves me correctly Lassen Grain was acquired by Bronson &Doyle in 1929. In the 1940s, the flour mill portion ceased operation. The building was destroyed by fire in the early 1980s.

Tim

History

Piute Logging Railroad – Part II

Leave a comment
Flood waters from breached earthen fill trestle, April 1938. Courtesy of Betty B. Deal

Construction of the line was stalled during the early 1930s, while Red River went through its financial reorganization. Finally, in July 1933, construction began at the west end near Hog Flat. A station was established where the Piute line connected with the Southern Pacific, and named Blair, after Kenneth Walker’s wife. At Hog Flat, Red River established logging camp #2. That summer Red River logged eight million board feet of timber and sold it to Fruit Growers. The following year the line was extended further east to Big Springs, and Camp #8 was established.

The year 1935 was a pivotal one for the Piute. Early in the year it was announced Red River would complete the line to Susanville—a distance of twelve miles from its terminus at Worley Ranch to the Fruit Growers plant. Continue reading Piute Logging Railroad – Part II →

History

The Piute Logging Railroad

Leave a comment
Map of the line, showing spurs.

The completion of the Western Pacific’s highline in 1931 was not the only railroad development to make news. In the 1930s, Red River’s most unusual railroad logging line, the Piute, came to fruition—so named as it followed Piute Creek in its approach to Susanville.

Red River owned a large swath of timber west and north of Susanville. While they had already logged over its easily accessible timber in Mountain Meadows and Lake Almanor, the Piute line was not intended to service Westwood. The Piute was built to generate much needed revenue to sell timber to other parties, such as Fruit Growers and Lassen Lumber & Box. However, they had a back-up plan; should Red River’s timber sales fall flat, they could mill the timber at Westwood. Continue reading The Piute Logging Railroad →

History

Horse Lake Is Worth How Much?

Leave a comment
Horse Lake, 1916, photograph taken by William Wales

For those not that familiar with the region, Horse Lake is somewhat north and east of Eagle Lake depending on one’s  perspective which part of that body of water they have in mind. This is an intermittent lake, like, Honey, during wet precipitation years remains full, and in drought years, goes dry.

In my research one can come across the so-called  devil in the details. While a lot of research one views a lots of dry material. Every now then, there is that hidden gem. Case in point, while researching Pete’s Creek, I came across one such gem.

Horse Lake, June 21, 2019

In 1916, the newly formed Honey Lake Valley Irrigation District hired William Wales, a civil engineer, to do a thorough investigation of all water supplies of the region that the district might be able to tap into. Wales was very thorough and their was not a drop water he did not examine—even Butte Lake in far western Lassen County that he believed could be diverted all the way to eastern Honey Lake Valley.

Wales proposed a Petes Valley Reservoir. It was his opinion to drain Horse Lake for additional source of water. It should be noted that in 1893, William Harrison had dug a ditch to divert overflow water into Petes Creek, as he owned a ranch at Petes Valley. Wales noted Harrison’s previous work, but a more substantial and deeper channel would need to be done. Wales duly noted the water at Horse Lake was more or less wasted due  to evaporation. He estimated the water rights to Horse Lake was worth $4,000.

Subscribe

History

Ask Tim

1 Comment
Bank of America demolition, Susanville, 1972

On a quarterly basis, I ask you the reader, if there is something you would like to learn more about or maybe its something you heard, but question its validity. So here is an opportunity to participate. I will do my best to answer any questions. It should be noted, it may take awhile for the answer to appear as a post. The primary reason, many of the daily posts are done nearly a month in advance. So by the time you read this I am already working on posts for the middle of May, or at least I should be. Whatever the case may be, I look forward to hearing from you. Of course, it should be noted that paid subscribers requests receive priority. In addition, you can always send a request at any time.

Tim

History

A Historic Day for Susanville

Leave a comment
Fruit Growers Susanville plant under construction, 1920–Ed Standard

Saturday, April 16, 1921 was the dedication of Fruit Growers Supply Company’s new mill facility at Susanville. Of course, there was usual amount dignitaries on hand to celebrate the moment and give speeches. Thomas B. Dozier, a Fruit Growers’ attorney served as master of ceremonies. Dozier’s opening statement was simple, “We will supply the boxes from the Snowkist woods for shipment of Sunkist—all from California.”  Dozier informed those assembled that the California Fruit Growers Exchange (renamed Sunkist in 1951) represented 10,500 growers, who produced three-quarters of the citrus in the United States.

Continue reading A Historic Day for Susanville →

History

Hallelujah Junction of Yesteryear

3 Comments
H Junction
Hallelujah Junction, 1940s

For those not familiar with the place, it is located at the junction of Highways 70 and 395. Long before the highways existed, it was known Junction and later a stage-stop known as Junction House. It should be duly noted those “junctions” were located near Long Valley Creek, adjacent to the NCO railroad and the roads leading to and forth from Reno.

Since the 1850s, the region has always been referred to as a junction to Beckwourth Pass and the Sierra Valley. It has been told that emigrants in the 1850s, when they arrived at this spot, shouted “Hallelujah” whey they saw Beckwourth Pass—at 5228’ its the lowest pass over the Sierra.

The junction as it appeared in the 1950s.

In 1932, Orville Stoy took up an 80-acre homestead there. Stoy built a gas station and it became a popular stop, known as Hallelujah Junction. In time, a bar, restaurant and motel were constructed. There was even the “Hallelujah International Airport” that consisted of a couple of airplane hangers and a runway that was an abandoned stretch of Highway 70. In 1973, the State of California purchased Hallelujah Junction. It was obliterated for the construction of the four-lane freeway from there to the Nevada State line. In 1991, a gas station and convenience store was built at the junction of Highway 395 and 70.

Subscribe

History

Lassen County Sheep Camps

Leave a comment
McCoy headquarters at Bridge Creek, circa 1906. Courtesy of the Worley/Crum family.

Beginning in the 1870s, sheep ranchers, mainly from Butte &Tehama counties would  bring their sheep to higher elevations for summer grazing to this region.  Western Lassen County was ideal for such.

Of course, tenders to these flocks needed some type of housing. Since the accommodations were seasonal, many were log cabins.

Griffin Logan’s cabin was a typical sheep camp cabin. Logan  Mountain was named for him. Courtesy of National Park Service

The 1920s and1930s were turbulent times for the sheep industry. Wool prices plummeted. Many outfits went bankrupt. The annual tradition of moving sheep from winter to summer ranges would be abandoned. Those summer headquarters suffered the same fate.

Tim