This is to inform any one interested if you want to obtain a copy of my epic book on Susanville, I would not suggested you procrastinate. My inventory is very at about twenty-five copies, and once its gone, its gone. To learn more about the book and to order see books.
Tim
Any one who has travelled between Susanville and Westwood on Highway 36 since the fall of 2019 are well aware of the Good Fred project. The project consists of a realignment over Fredonyer. A second realignment is at Goodrich Creek. Further upstream from the existing bridge will be a new replacement bridge. Now for your history lesson for the day. This is not the first time, the highway changed the location of the crossing of Goodrich Creek. The first came in 1929, when the highway was being constructed, and the highway department did not care for the original wagon road crossing, and relocated to the current site.
Now, you have a little historical trivia to impress your friends.
Yesterday, marked the 2,000th historical post on this site. There are now 122 pages that make up Tim’s Blog that go back to February 2015. Remember if you go to the front page, there is a magnifying glass symbol in the upper right hand corner, which you search just by typing in a key word or two. Personally, it comes in handy for me when researching a topic to assist others. Enjoy.
Tim
Now, that we have survived the Hog Fire, west of Susanville, its time to reflect and appreciate our surroundings. This, goes for subscribers out of the area, to take stock around them. The above locale, I will be writing about in a future post later this month, but the Hog Fire ravaged through there.
It is truly imperative to get out and about when it is safe to do so. Another example of a disappearing landmark earlier this year was most of the town of Constantia was intentionally burned down this spring.
And so it goes . . .
Tim
Seldom seen places, from forgotten settlements in
northern Klamath and Lake counties to “Ghosts” of Crater Lake National Park and the Tri-Corners area where the states of Oregon, California and Nevada come together are featured in the newly released 2020 Journal of the Shaw Historical Library.
“Far Corners: Seldom Seen Places in the Land of the Lakes,”
features stories by a variety of authors about settlements and
communities that were or, in some cases, exist with small populations.
“We tried to include important historical sites, such as railroad
stops, stagecoach stops, boat landings, military camps and ranches that played a noteworthy role in the development of the area,” Lawrence Powers writes in the introduction, which also includes a listing of 195 communities in the 11 counties in four states that are part of the Shaw’s “Land of the Lakes.”
Far Northern California is represented in stories about Picard, Clear Lake, Tionesta and Long Bell Camp and the Madeline Plains communities of Madeline, Termo and Ravendale by a variety of authors, including Powers, Ryan Bartholomew, Sylvia Copeland and Ron Hathaway.
The far Northern Klamath County communities of Mowich, Crescent Lake and Shevlin are featured in a trio of articles by John Driscoll while Stephen Mark, the historian for Crater Lake National Park, tells about “ghosts” at the park and writes about historic places in Malheur County.
Marie Lee, a Lakeview author of several historical non-fiction books who also is the Lake County Museum director, provides information about such little-known North Lake County settlements as Cliff, Arrow, Buffalo, Connley, Fleetwood, Viewpoint, Loma Vista and more. A separate story
features Valley Falls.
A comprehensive history of commercial uranium mines that were located near Lakeview is provided by Michelle Durant, an archeologist for the Fremont-Winema National Forest.
Adding a unique perspective about Wagontire is Larry Wagner. His mother, Vera Addington Wagner, was born and lived at the community located between Lakeview and Burns.
Providing insight about Camp Warner, an Army post that originated at what is now the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, is Dan Goheen while author John Griffin provides little-known details about the gunfight at the Shirk Ranch. Steve Kandra writes about the Civilian Conservation Corp’s Camp Klamath.
Stories by Lee Juillerat tell about Pla-ik-ni, the ancestral home of the late Edison Chiloquin, along with Hardin City and Lowell Jones’ memories of the Long-Bell logging camp and community of Tennant.
A goal of the Journal is to provide information on places people may or may not have heard about or visited. As Powers writes, “many small unincorporated communities thrive. A few have become famous as gateways to tourist attractions and events … some have persisted as stable communities without the benefit of an economic magnet, and other flourished for a brief time and disappeared.”
Copies of “Far Corners” are available at the Klamath County Museum and Basin Book Trader in Klamath Falls, Modoc County Museum in Alturas, Country Hearth in Cedarville, Howard’s Drugs in Lakeview, Margie’s Book Nook in Susanville or by contacting the Shaw Historical Library by email at shawlib@oit.edu or by calling 541-85-1686.
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 August, 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
In 2018, Lassen County received a $8.4 million in grant funding from the State of California for a rehabilitation of the courthouse built in 1917. Earlier this year, all the offices inside the building had been relocated. The project has now entered Phase II that involves seismic and infrastructure improvements, the work being done by Lionakis, a engineering firm. This will include the design plan for an elevator to the second floor. The elevator’s installation will be in Phase 3 of the project. All things considered with Covid-19, the project is still on time.
Note: Yes, I am well aware that the photographer mislabeled the photograph.
It is nice to be able to get out and about again, not just from the shelter-in-place guidelines, but also with the broken leg recovery. I am a still bit wobbly on uneven ground, but progress is made, slow but sure.
This lake has been severely impacted by this dry winter. Last year, the lake was full and even prompted California Department of Fish & Game to stock it with fish. However, with the current conditions, the lake will be long gone shortly.
Today’s special Tuesday post is brought to you courtesy of the Lassen County Planning Commission. If you crave some entertainment and want to see some excitement, today’s Planning Commission meeting is your ticket. The show begins at 1:20 p.m. at the Veteran’s Memorial Building in Susanville. The hot topic is a proposed Dollar General store for the town of Doyle. Of course, I have a reserved seat, since I am Chairman of the Commission.
Tim
Locally, the $64,000 question has been what is going on with the excavation of the old Fruit Growers/Sierra Pacific millpond site adjacent to Riverside Drive. Some readers may recall that in the Spring of 2018 I wrote about the property being placed on the market by Smith Properties. The property falls under county jurisdiction. As it has been relayed the property is being prepared as a parcel split—a joint venture of Hat Creek Construction and Nobles Construction. However, certain procedures have not been followed. I will bring this matter up at Tuesday’s June 2, Lassen County Planning Commission meeting, since certain officials have not responded to my request.
