When I first started research into the local history, at a very young age I might add, it was an interesting learning experience. At that time a local dentist, Bob Amesbury, was in a sense anointed “the” local historian. He, along with others, would inform me the county did not have any old records, since the courthouse burned down many years ago. When I paid my first research trip to the Lassen County Courthouse, I quickly learned that was not the case. At that time, Gil Morrill was the Lassen County Auditor/Recorder. Gil was gracious to show me around to all the various records in his office dating. back to 1864, when the county was created. For some, I found later, who stated the courthouse had burned, was just an excuse to make up their own story versus doing the tedious work to research what exactly happened.

The courthouse burned down story was not confined to Lassen. When visiting other counties to conduct research, certain county officials did not want to be bothered to retrieve old documents, and would give me that song and dance routine that the courthouse burned down, even though it never did.

Tim

By happenstance recently, I was going by the Lassen County Courthouse that is still under renovation. It was rather striking seeing the windows being removed.

This will be third set of windows for the building. In September 1978 prison inmate Robert Clawson who was in the courtroom on pending kidnapping charge broke free from the bailiff and fled. He exited the courthouse by jumping out of the window on the second floor landing in the flower bed, From there he ran away, but was later apprehended. From this episode the original windows were replaced with smaller openings to prevent future escapes.

Tim

This is a follow up about yesterday’s post. The person who alerted me about the article in High Country Life was interested in a small county cemetery in Dry Valley, which is sandwiched between the Madeline Plains to the east and Grasshopper Valley to the west. It was an interesting conversation.

In the fall of 2020, my companions made a trek into that region, the goal Bailey Creek Reservoir. Alas, for over a century, the road was now graced with a locked a gate. Onward ho, we go. Next destination Dry Valley and and the south end of Grasshopper Valley. While in the neighborhood, we thought a quick visit to the Dry Valley Cemetery was warranted. Lo, and behold the access road, which the public had traversed for over a century, was graced with a locked gate.

Which brings up to this recent article and the inquiry I received. This individual purchased the property surrounding the Dry Valley Cemetery and closed off the road leading to the cemetery.  I did inform this person that it is public cemetery and the public has right to access. I provided this person with some history. Near the road  intersection to venture to the cemetery was the Dry Valley School. For a brief time the school children would march up the hill the to decorate the graves for Memorial Day. Needless to say, none of this mattered to the owner and the public cemetery is no longer accessible. Just for the record in 1918 P.E. Bowles donated the cemetery to Lassen County.

Tim

Quite honestly, I have never been a fan of the county fair when it was moved to the third week in July.  When the annual county fair was established in 1922, it was held in late September. By the 1930s, the date was moved up closer to Labor Day Weekend. After World War II, changes were on the horizon. Neighboring counties worked in a concerted effort on scheduling. Thus, Plumas County would hold their fair the second week in August, the third week would be Lassen and the fourth week would be Modoc. Plumas and Modoc still hold onto their traditional dates. Alas, due to non-agricultural influences, Lassen moved to the third week in July to appease those folks. While I am civic minded and support many events by attending, the annual fair has lost its appeal for me.  And that is my two cents worth.

Tim