Category Archives: News

Johnstonville School, 1895

Back Row, Left to Right: Ross Bangham, Fannie Leavitt, Tom Sugro, Cora Longnecker, Maggie Sugro, May Hart, Jess Hall, Lizzie Brockman, Laura Elledge.
Sitting: Pearl Cooper, Neva Cahlan, Edna Brockman, Teacher Will Spoon, Kate DeForest, Rose Bantley, Gilberta DeForest, Lena Cahlan, Grace Elledge
Front Row: John Cooper and Charles DeForest

Today is a special day. It happens to be Arthur Cahlan Mathews 101st Birthday, who was born in Susanville on June 5, 1922. This explains today’s photograph of the students and teacher of Johnstonville School, 1895. Art’s mother Lena Cahlan, and his aunt, Neva attended Johnstonville School and are featured in this photograph, notice the matching dresses. They grew up on Cahlan ranch which was located about halfway between Susanville and Johnstonville. Lena, was a member of the first graduating class of  Lassen County High School in 1907. Art’s grandmother, Charlotte Cahlan, by the way, was a moving force behind the establishment of the Lassen County Free Library in 1915.

Happy Birthday Art. I will have the traditional ”Susanville pour” in your honor.

Tim

Camp Ronald McDonald’s Pancake Breakfast

Gallatin House. Courtesy of Wyn Wachhorst

For those headed out to Eagle Lake for Memorial Day Wekend, don’t forget about Camp Ronald McDonald’s  Annual Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast. From 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday May 27, and Sunday May 28, the public can enjoy an all you can eat breakfast; including pancakes, sausages and hot and cold beverages! The price is $5 per person. The camp located at the south shore and adjacent to the Gallatin House.

Tim

Sagebrush Relections—40 Years Later

Sagebrush Relections

It was in May 1983, my first book Sagebrush Reflections: The History of Amedee and Honey Lake was released. Being a neophyte author this was an interesting learning adventure. A financial success it was not. Yet, it did not deter me to carry on, though a somewhat saner person would have explored other avenues. By a fluke it still happens to be a print, though probably not much longer. The only reason why it is still in print, is I found two boxes while cleaning out my mother’s house after she passed away a few years ago. To order go to Books

.Tim

Summer in Lassen County, 1970

A portion of a brochure cover of the Lassen County Chamber of Commerce

Normally, at this time of year, I publish my annual Go Exploring post. This time, I deviate and provide a different angle—though the emphasis remains the same. On the front cover of this Lassen County Chamber of Commerce states:

”May is the Annual Cattlemen’s Jr. Rodeo. July 4th is Westwood’s Old Timers—Newcomers Picnic. With August comes  full  five days of Lassen County Fair typical of the old county fairs with rodeo, log rolling and all the usual western events. Each year an annual Three day Trail Ride of fun packed time of barbecue and campfires under star filled skies.”

Times have changed. The Junior Rodeo is no more. The Lassen County Fair is now in July and has almost no resemblance of the prior August venue. The trail rides was a brief annual event.

Anyhow, there is always something interesting to see or do, so enjoy.

Tim

 

 

Tuesday Tidbit – Quiet for awhile

Pardee
Jim Pardee’s  campaign headquarters for Lassen County Superior Court Judge at Main & Ash Streets, Susanville, October 1978

Tuesdays, as many are aware, is usually a day I do not post, unless I have a short tidbit to share. It may be some time before I provide some Tuesday Tidbits, while I concentrate on an upgrade to resume scanning photographs, which I have a back log, but I can guarantee there are a lot of interesting old photographs coming your way in the near future!

Tim

Ask Tim

Board of Equalization Assessment Map of Amedee

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

It Flows Again!

Pine Creek Fish Trap, March 2017

I want to thank Larry Doss of Spaulding Tract to alert me that as of yesterday evening, Pine Creek has finally thawed out and is now flowing. For those not familiar, Pine Creek is the main tributary to Eagle Lake, California’s second largest natural lake. While Lake Tahoe is larger than Clear and Eagle, it spreads across the California and Nevada border. The spring thaw has finally begun.

Tim

An Exciting Photograph Collection

One of three photograph albums of Charles Bennett

On March 22, 2023, I received an email from Kathy Seitrich of Missouri concerning her father’s, Charles H. Bennett’s photographs. Bennett as she relayed to me was stationed at the Secret Valley CCC camp from January 1936 to January 1938. Of course, I was very interested, especially since one does not come across old photographs of  Secret Valley. Some ten days later I received a package containing three photograph albums.

Secret Valley CCC Camp, 1938—Courtesy Special Collections, UC Davis

The photographs are a treasure trove, not only of the scenes of the CCC camp, but Bennett’s various outings around the area. One such outing was to Litchfield, Wendel and Amedee. There are photographs of the repair work of the Eagle Lake siphon, as well as some scenes of Eagle Lake, which it should be noted the Lassen County Board of Supervisors lobbied for a CCC camp there, but was denied. Also what makes this collection special, is Bennett did a great job of labeling and dating the photographs. Now, I just need to overcome the technical difficulties with the computer/scanner issue,  but progress is in the making.  Stay tuned.

Tim

P..S. There are some photographs of the Oakland Bay Bridge under construction, which I could include in a Tuesday Tidbit, if any one is interested.

An Experiment

Long Valley Mercantile Company, Constantia, 1905. Courtesy of Marie H. Gould

Among other technical issues, is the photograph sizing. I may or my not have found a solution. So from time to time, I may sending out some experimental post to correct the issue. Thank you for your understanding.

Tim

Lassen County Courthouse Renovation Update

September 4, 2017

In the summer of 2019, the offices inside the courthouse were relocated. Initial work began with Phase I and later II. At the Lassen County Board of Supervisors’ meeting of March 28, 2023 a contract was awarded for the final phase. It has been relayed to me, that if all goes well the project should be completed by the end of the year, with the offices moved back in the building.

Tim