So much for hindsight, I should have scheduled this the day after last week’s post about Ward Lake Reservoir, since the topics are related. Once Susan River flows past Standish, it starts breaking into various sloughs before it reaches Honey Lake. Some of these sloughs are natural, and some man made.

The Hartson Slough is man made, named after Charles Hartson.  In 1881, Hartson filed on 160 acres of sagebrush land near Honey Lake, in the Tule District. However, Hartson needed more water to not only reclaim this parcel but to expand.  In 1889, Hartson worked as the construction superintendent of the Ward Lakes Reservoir. Hartson made a deal with the Balls Canyon Reservoir Company, the company behind the project,  that, for a portion of his services, they would give him a share of water rights. This gave Hartson the water he sought to reclaim his land. He built the slough to convey the water to his ranch. By 1901, Hartson owned 1,500 acres of land, half of which was planted in alfalfa. In that same year, Hartson & Sons ranch was one of the first in Lassen County to incorporate. In 1910, Charles Hartson retired and moved to Susanville. He turned the ranch over to his son, Frank Hartson.

It should be noted that a portion of the Hartson Ranch, is a part of the Dakin Unit, of the Honey Lake Wildlife Refuge. Hartson’s daughter, Elsie was married to Pete Dakin.

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In 1923, Bank of Lassen County in one their weekly newspaper advertisements contained this. “National Parks as Money Makers. According to the Department of Interior, National Parks are good money makers for the states they are in. Crater Lake Park brought $7,000,000 revenue to Oregon; Yosemite, $5,000,000 to California and Mt. Rainer $1,500,000 to Washington.

”What about Lassen Volcanic Park? If we awake to the possibilities which lie in the park—if we appreciate that such a park in time must bring in considerable revenue, we can more intelligently boost for sufficient appropriations to develop the park.”

When Lassen Park was established in 1916, Congress only approved an annual budget of $5,000. In addition, the park was administered by Yosemite. It was not until 1922, Lassen Park hired its first ranger. It was estimated that it would cost a million dollars to build a highway through the park. What made that problematic were private lands inside the park such as Drakesbad. Any park improvements would increase the value private lands inside the park, making it more difficult for the park to purchase said lands. In 1925, Congress approved $340,000 for initial highway construction. Not enough, but a start.

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In the July 2023 issue of this Feather River Publishing publication contains an article about the Susanville Cemetery. There is, of course, a photograph of yours truly conducting the 2017 Lassen County Courthouse Centennial Cemetery Tour. Some of the information in article came directly from my website, which they noted and alas did not publish the correct link. The one erroneous error that gets perpetuated a lot, is that Thomas Tucker, a Maidu, was the first casualty from Lassen County in World War I. Alas, it was Westwood resident Clyde McKea who was the first. It should be noted, I was never consulted about this article. As a matter of fact, I would probably never known about it, but a Sacramento resident while traveling through the region picked up a copy of the magazine. This person after seeing the article, sought me out for some Lassen County cemetery information.

Tim

After several posts concerning the Secret Valley CCC camp, a reader wanted to know why Secret was so named. The name was applied to region by the late 1860s.

In 1927, when Frank Heath traveled through the region he wrote: “Wild hay along southwest side of Secret Valley—which so named by a poetical cowboy on account of its many secret springs.”   On September 20,  1864, Melissa Turner recorded the first land claim in Secret Valley. On December 6, 1888, the Lassen Advocate published this descriptive account: “Secret Valley lies about twenty-five miles northeast of Susanville and is surrounded on all sides by mountains, covered sparsely by timber, although there is sufficient juniper in the
immediate vicinity to provide fuel for a long time.  Lumber is hauled
from this valley. The land, in this valley, is great part sagebrush soil bearing the large, thick brush, by which we of Northern California have learned to distinguish as fertile soil.  There is, however, considerable meadow land, largely comprised in the ranches of J. B. McKissick, J.J. Tipton and James Sellick, water altogether with springs, which are quite warm, although the water does not by any means approach the boiling point.  Within the enclosure of T. Ashby are seventy-five springs. Mr. Ashby has raised this year about sixty thousand pounds of fine potatoes which grow in Secret to a large size and of a very fine quality.”

On a final note there is a small family cemetery in Secret Valley, and interred there is John Best “Buster” the proclaimed World’s First Champion Cowboy. in 1876.

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The “Roaring Twenties” of a century ago began with a thud. After World War I the nation dived into an economic recession. By 1922/23 things slowly improved.  In the meantime,  so much had changed with the automobile and highway improvements folks were ready to go out and explore.

In California, local auto clubs held group functions. One of these became known as a ‘socialbility run.” It was a multi-purpose event, to explore, promote and enjoy California’s wonders. Lassen Volcanic National Park dubbed as California’s newest playground, back in the day, drew lots of attention, because it was so unknown.

The Sacramento Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Sacramento Motor Dealers Association proposed two socialbility runs to Lasssen Park. The first run on July 4th to Drakesbad and for Labor Day an excursion to Manzanita Lake.

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