This sagebrush flat located west of Spalding Tract was an active place back in day for summer grazing of livestock, mainly from Tehama County. In 1873, the Champlin Brothers: George (1827-1903) and Lester (1848-1907), Tehama County stockmen, incorporated this area for summer range for sheep. George Champlin, a ‘49er, was associated with Leland Stanford, aka Stanford University etc. Stanford’s attorney, Ariel Lathrop, who happened to be Stanford’s brother-in-law and partner, with a Vina, Tehama County ranch. In May-June 1899, Champlin and his partner, John Boggs, sold their Lassen County property to Jane Lathrop Stanford for $8,000, who immediately transferred the property to the Stanford University.
In July 1924 the university sold the summer range to J.J. Fleming of the Honey Lake Valley and for whom the state wildlife unit at Honey Lake is named for.