With Memorial Day weekend approaching, Eagle Lake opening day of fishing season will be here in a few days. There will be, without a doubt, plenty of boating activity on the lake.

In the summer of 1913, Malvena Gallatin built a summer home on the southeast corner of Eagle Lake. For about the next nine years the extended Gallatin clan spent a lot of time recreating at the lake.

While there is not much written record about the Gallatin’s recreational activities at the lake, they did leave behind a photographic one. I am very thankful to Wyn Wachhorst, Melvana’s great grandson for sharing them.

The person rowing the boat depicted above is Gallatin Powers. He would go on to establish a well known restaurant in Monterey named Gallatin’s.

Enjoy the long holiday weekend and be careful out there. I will probably being staying close to home doing my usual cemetery routines.

Tim

It may sound quaint in this day and age, but when mountain road  summit opened in the spring time it was big news. After all snow plows for road maintenance were non-existent. Regions like this were shut off from the rest of the world.

On Sunday, May 21, 1916 Lassen County Supervisor, L.R. Cady reported he had made the trek over the Eagle Lake Summit. Cady reported there were no serious difficulty encountered. This, of course, was good news for “Burt” Christie, owner and operator of the Eagle Lake Resort on the southwest corner of Eagle Lake. During the winter months, Christie would take his boat and go up to the northeast corner of the lake, and dock at the Fritter Ranch, where he kept his automobile. Christie would then make the journey to Susanville to obtain necessary supplies and take care of business affairs and return back in the same manner.

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In 1876, William S. Davis purchased the Hazzard Webster place at the north end of Eagle Lake—known to many as the old Stone Ranch. Davis made numerous improvements to the property, including the construction of a two-story house, as the place served as stage stop for travelers along this route.

In 1878, his thirteen-year-old nephew, Frank Davis spent the summer at Eagle Lake. In his memoirs he wrote:  “I like to remember my first look at Eagle Lake when I went by stage to visit Uncle Will. As we came up out of the valley, the stage coach crossed a little ridge and started downgrade to the lake. There is suddenly was, all spread out before us! The lake was covered with whitecaps because it was in the afternoon, and there was a great white cloud covering the hillside from the top and drifting down to the edge of the lake. ‘See the goats are coming in for the night,’ said Uncle Will with a sweeping gesture.

“I looked again and discovered the great white cloud that blended the scene from the clouds in the sky above to the margin of the lake and seemed to blend with the white-capped surface of the water was actually about 2700 head of white Angora goats. Uncle was raising them for their silky hair, which was in much demand for the fine fur felt used in quality hats, and woven fabrics.”

”The ranch house had originally been a log cabin when Uncle Will first bought it. He made it a complete two-story building, adding more rooms, plastering the interior rooms and covering the outside with bevelled siding. Made quite a pretty place by the time he finished it.”

After Davis sold he moved to Susanville. A for a time he was in charge of the bar and office of the Steward House. He remained in Susanville and died in 1908.

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