Once upon a time, to leave Fall River Mills to head west to the Sacramento Valley, one travelled over Winters Toll Road through the Pit River Canyon. The toll road was built in the 1870s by Frederick Knoch and his brother-in-law, Deidrick Murcken for $3,000. In 1930, the route was abandoned when Highway 299 was constructed. I understand now that this is popular with whitewater kayakers. I never been to Pit River Falls, though it is part of my family’s heritage, since Knoch, was my great-great-grandfather.

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