Way before the infamous stock market crash of 1929 that sent the nation into the Great Depression, there were a lot of indicators before hand that the economy was in peril. The Lassen Mail’s editorial of February 8, 1928 provides and interesting glimpse of conditions and how Susanville and Lassen County were in better shape than a lot of other areas.

”Despite the optimism of the booster people, business conditions in the United States are very bad at the present time. The unhealthy commercial condition is not confined to one portion of the country. North, south, east and west are all undergoing a period of depression.

”The depression is not experienced in any single line of industry—all classes are suffering from it. Manufacturing firms complain of lack of orders and say that the orders they do receive are mainly of the credit variety.

”The situation is reflected in the stock and. bond markets. The New York Stock Exchange bottom is dropping out of the market in many lines. General Motors has gone to a new low level and steel has fallen to lowest point in years. Railroads and manufacturing companies are showing lesser profits than in former years. Oil companies, with large surplus production, are showing lesser earnings and in some cases a loss. The entire country is encountering a wave of depression.

“In sharp contrast to the situation most of the rest of the country is the business outlook of Susanville and Lassen County. While conditions are not as prosperous as in the good time of the year there is commercial slump here. Where business firms in other parts of the country are going bankrupt, the merchants of Lassen County are still going on and there is no great fear that any of them will not have a prosperous year in 1928.

”While Lassen County does not enjoy the reputation of being the most populous county in California, nor has it the greatest amount of wealth, it is far better off at all times than many of the so-called wealthy counties. Prosperity in Lassen County is unbroken and while we have no great “booms” we have no “panics” and are carrying on in the same way when the “boom” counties are wondering if they will survive the cold, cold winter.”

Subscribe

One of the many photographs that C.H. Bennett took during his stay at the Secret Valley CCC camp from 1936-1938, was a Veteran’s Day Service at the McKissick family cemetery located a few miles from the camp. Earlier that year, John Daniel McKissick had passed away and was buried there. His father, John Best McKissick was known as the World’s First Champion, is also buried there.. John Daniel, it should be noted was a military veteran. The photographs are rather interesting.

On an additional note, Bennett’s daughter did include copies of clippings from. the CCC newspaper Happy Days, which provides an interesting glimpse of life there. For a time, Susanville’s Lassen Mail newspaper ran news items from the camp, so between the two sources, along with the photographs, provide some interesting aspects, not to mention a balladeer melody.

Tim

While some may consider it an out-of-way destination, it has not prevented two educational facilities to locate there.

Tim

Back in December/January I was for the most part a shut-in due to snow and ice. While at times in nearly drove me “batty” I did use the time to sift through more archival boxes in storage. Thus, one of the finds was this photograph taken in 1992 of the restored Applegate Lassen Trail marker at Fandango Pass in the Warner Mountains of Modoc County.

First lets begin with the Applegate Trail established in 1846  by Levi Scott and the Applegate brothers. A portion of their route ventured from the Block Rock Desert going in a northwest direction to Surprise Valley and crossing over the Warner Mountains. At Goose Lake the trail proceeded to Oregon. In 1848, Peter Lassen used a portion of the same route, but at Goose Lake his route went south to the Sacramento Valley. For a number of years the pass was also known as Lassen’s Pass, but eventually became known as Fandango.

There are several variations as to the origin of the name of Fandango—which was the name of a lively Spanish dance. A common theme of various stories has to deal with cold temperatures. Most historians agree that a group of emigrants burned some of their wagons for warmth and reportedly one observer stated it was so cold that “the men had to dance to keep warm” and they named their camp Fandango Valley., that was located near the pass.

Today, one can participate in Fandango Days held in Alturas during the Fourth of July.

Support by subscribing.

In February, 1928, Susanville’s Lassen Mail newspaper reported that the population of Secret Valley consisted of fifteen people. An angry resident of the valley wrote the newspaper for a retraction. This person asserted there were thirty people living there, and this was not including the section crew residing at Karlo working for the Southern Pacific Railroad.

Tim

P.S.. When the Secret Valley CCC camp was established in 1935, the population soared with an additional 176 residents.