That is a well worn slogan realtors use. As some readers have noted, at times I have been amiss to provide a better location on certain topics. I apologize for that blunder. Since I have spent most of my life exploring so many nooks and crannies throughout the region, I become absent minded, and neglect to provide better locations on topics, that I take for granted.
The above map is interesting in so many aspects. Many of the communities depicted no longer exist. Some of the landmarks, are known today by another name. Lake Bidwell, is now Butte Lake, “Valcano” is Crater Lake and Halls is Papoose Meadows. In the future, I will do my best to correct my errant ways. If there is anything else, you think needs improvement, don’t hesitate to let me know.
Mike Somerville correctly identified it as the water tank of the High Rock Ranch on the Nevada border. More about High Rock Ranch and Spring is in the works for December and January.
Just for some fun, let’s test your knowledge of Lassen County landmarks, as there are many obscure ones as shown above. The first person to answer correctly receives a 2016 Lassen High Alumni Calendar.
Yesterday, may have given some a prelude that my birthday was approaching with the post about Riverside Hospital, where I was born, on this date a few decades ago. Yesterday was also an important milestone, having paid a visit to Reno Orthopeadic Center. All went well with my follow up from my hip surgery three months ago.
To celebrate, I am offering a one day only 50% off of my two latest titles Untold Stories and Lassen County at 150.What a bargain, that is like buying two books for the price of one. The only fine print, is this is available to stock on hand.
Become a supporter for just $5 a month to ensure quality history continues. Click here.
Viewland, 1974. Photograph by and courtesy of D.B. Martin
The Smoke Creek country is one of my favorite haunts, introduced to me at an early age by my grandmother Margaret Purdy, a rockhound, among other things. When I worked out in the woods logging with my father, the desert was a nice escape from the trees. It is magical to me, since the lighting changes the character of the countryside, so in many ways, it always has a new feel to it. While it is fairly desolate these days, that was not the case a 100 years ago. I have several posts in the works about some unique historical aspects, since its history is largely ignored.
Finally, it has been ten weeks since the hip surgery and six weeks of weight bearing on my right leg, I am getting around, without a walker! However, with help from friends over the last few weeks, has allowed me to get out and about and take some photographs of historic sites to share in the near future.
Depending on weather, the long delayed Inspiration Tour may become a reality shortly.
It is never too late, subscribe today and enjoy tomorrow with daily notifications. You can also surprise someone with a gift subscription
If you do not have any plans, you may want to attend the fundraiser for the Coppervale Ski Hill tomorrow, Friday, November 6 from 4-8 pm. It will be held at the Lassen Community College Cafeteria /Student Union, featuring a teriyaki chicken and rice dinner with a salad, roll and a drink as well as live music, door prizes, a raffle and a silent auction. The auction will have prizes that range from boat rentals to wakeboarding, skiing lessons and a homemade bench made of old skis.
All proceeds will help keep Coppervale open. Tickets are available at the LCC Student Union or at Margie’s Book Nook. The cost for this event is $12 for adults and $8 for children $8. For more information, please call Norm Wilson at (530) 258-7635.
P.S. If you want to know the history behind Coppervale it can be found in Volume 4 of the Red River Series, which includes the history of the roadhouses between Susanville and Westwood.
Not sure what to give that special someone, but want to keep the budget balanced too? Why not a gift membership to tipurdy.org. At five dollars a month it is a bargain. You can decided whether for a month, quarter or even splurge for a year.
The recipient not only receives a daily email notification of the latest topic, but is entitled to hard to find papers on the Eagle Lake Ice Caves, too. On top of that they can partake in members only tours varying from a summer solstice observance at an ancient solar observatory to a light hearted Halloween Tour. Even if that person on your list is not local, they still receive materials associated with the tours.
Information on subscriptions is found right here. Have a question drop me a line at tim@tipurdy.org.
This was a scary time during the strike of 1938 at Westwood.
Yesterday, I attempted a semi-dry run for the upcoming Halloween Tour. However, I encountered two problems. One site, I am unable to navigate due to the grave copings and uneven ground. It is not a risk I am willing to take while still recovering from my broken hip. The other issue, which is disturbing is the marker for Vlaad Eifilnar is missing.
Due to those circumstances, unfortunately I will have to cancel, but there is always next year.
It is never too late, subscribe today and enjoy tomorrow with daily notifications. You can also surprise someone with a gift subscription.
A 1920s advertisement for the Pioneer. It had to change its ways during prohibition.
How I select topics is done entirely at random, many are accidental in nature. I might come across a photograph that I find of interest and write something about it. Then again, while researching one topic, I will stumble across something of interest to share.
With that in mind, I thought I would ask you the reader, is there something you would like to learn more 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. For instance, this item was composed on July 13. So by the time you read this, I am already working on posts in the middle of November. 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, I do have two requests pending: R.J. Scott and Susanville’s “seedier” side. I had hope to had them posted by now, but circumstances beyond my control prevented that from happening.
Tim Purdy
Subscribe and support this site for little as $5.00 a month.
When traveling the back country around these parts. Google maps and GPS not the best move. Use some common sense. Though it should be noted that AAA maps indicated Shinn Ranch Road was maintained. May be it was back in the 1870s when the Shinns lived there.
If the above photograph seems familiar, it is. It was part of the September 1 post, that I had composed mentally, but never made it for the reader, since hip matter had me out of commission.
That particular date ushered in a small milestone that marked six months of daily posts. We have covered a lot of territory in that short time span, with so much more to come. These posts, it should be noted are picked up by various search engines, and certainly makes the material widely available to anyone with access to the internet. Results from Google searches indicates that someone from the Czech Republic researched the 1-0-1 Nite Club; in Japan it was Spoonville; Brazil the Bank of Lassen County; United Kingdom the Milford Flour Mill and in Jordan the Susanville Methodist Church. Yet, the two most popular posts were That Old Barn and Eagle Lake Ice Caves.
When I launched this site, I had no idea how it would be received. Over 5,000 people visit it each month, though some may think it is a low number, personally I think it is a good start. On the other hand, there are just less than 50 people who make a nominal financial contribution by subscribing, that help with the costs. However, it should be noted that the paid subscribers are also well taken care of with historic tours and hard to find papers. After all, you do not want to miss the upcoming Halloween Tour, and once I am able do the Inspiration Point walking tour.
Yesterday, I attended the Eagle Lake Interagency Board meeting at Spaulding Tract. (It was my first public appearance since being home recovering from my broken hip, though I had to explain why I was using a walker.) Of course, one of the topics on agenda was the lake level, which is now at its all time record low of 5090.6 feet, just barely breaking its 1935 record. Whether or not the lake will recede even lower in the month of October is anyone’s best guess. While cooler temperatures will assist in the reduction of evaporation, the big factor will be whether any substantial precipitation will occur this month.
There were, of course, some lively discussions throughout the meeting. The eradication of brook trout from upper Pine Creek was news to me. I was later informed it has been issue for several years in certain circles. There was an item that was overlooked on the agenda, and I would have brought it up to the chairman, but I just did not have in me, due to the discomfort I experienced sitting, and needed to make a departure. The agenda item 2c – Update on new Stones lake level benchmark. However, I have a Lassen County Planning Commission on Wednesday, October 7, so I will ask then.
Hope with bringing you this information, it might just give you a tiny incentive to part with five dollars a month, to keep things afloat.
