Located approximately eight miles north of Bieber, in the northwest portion of Big Valley, Lookout is best known for the Leventon Blacksmith Shop and the Lookout Lynchings. However, unbeknownst, to the community back in 1916-1917, there were some major plans to transform it into a major lumber manufacturing center.

It all began back in 1912 when the Red River Lumber Company and the Southern Pacific Railroad entered into an agreement to the build the Fernley & Lassen Railroad. At Westwood Junction, the Southern Pacific built a spur line south to Red River’s newly constructed company town of Westwood.

It was Southern Pacific’s intent to extend the line north to Klamath Falls, Oregon. In 1916, Southern Pacific was eager to begin construction of the line to the north. Southern Pacific prodded Red River about its future plans to establish a second mill north to log its Whitehorse Tract in Siskiyou County. Red River somewhat obliged and in the summer of 1917 company officials traveled north to inspect future mill sites.

They found Lookout to be favorable. They were pleased with the cheap land prices, but also more important the weather. Lookout was much drier than Westwood. However, with the world conflicts Red River was not prepared to make any commitment to build a second mill. At the conclusion of World War I the economy was not conducive to proceed with such an endeavor and the plans for Lookout were tabled.

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