Long before Gallatins appeared on the scene the south shore of Eagle Lake was a popular gathering place during the summer. A perfect example appeared in the columns of the Lassen Advocate newspaper of July 11, 1874: “Quite a number of our citizens spent their fourth at Eagle Lake, where they had fine times, fishing, hunting, sailing, etc.”

On August 1, 1886, Sacramento businessman, Albert Gallatin purchased 165 acres on Eagle Lake’s south shore from George Nelson for $400. In the next two years Gallatin would purchase 4,962 acres in the Eagle Lake basin, owning not quite all the shoreline property what we refer to today as Eagle’s Nest to Bucks Point. The property was used for summer livestock grazing in-conjunction with a ranch he owned in Tehama County.

Fast forward to 1913, Gallatin’s widow, Malvena built the first summer home at Eagle Lake, which is now part of Camp Ronald McDonald. Malvena had entertained from time to time either lease camp sites or other developments at the south shore, but never followed through. In July 1924 Malevna wrote to Lassen County officials to protest a proposed timber tax: “The public has been allowed access to these lands for camping, bathing, boating, and fishing at all times. The Gallatin Beach and a large part of the shoreline property has been used for years by the public. It might be called a public playground.”

Tomorrow the Gallatin House Effect

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This was a unique piece of legislation, that in certain ways attempted to correct the problem of the Timber & Stone Act of 1878. It was designed specifically for the U.S. Forest Service to consolidate holdings due to the fact that many of the forest service lands were intermingled with private holdings, most of which were held by lumber companies. Once the timber was harvested by the lumber companies, those lands in their opinion, along with the county tax assessor were deemed worthless. To provide a way for the forest service to obtain them, they could offer timber land, and in many cases, rights to timber for a purportedly equal value. This process created the Lassen National Forest we know today. In the future, we will examine some interesting exchanges, one of which is why the south shore of Eagle Lake is public, not private land.

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It is that time of year, and the south shore of Eagle Lake is quite popular these days since the only campgrounds open on the Lassen National Forest are located there.

In June 1916, Robert M. Cook of the Lassen Weekly Mail thought something should be done for the safety of bathers there. Cook wrote: “If the present warm weather continues it will only be a short time until the bathing season commences at Eagle Lake and we wish to call attention to certain conditions there that should be improved. Life lines, light rafts and bare bottom boats should be provided so that assistance can go quickly to the aid of the bather who gets into difficulty. The lack of those things means the loss of life sooner or later. While bathing at Eagle Lake is safer than at the average beach there is always danger that swimmers will be seized by cramps and a very few minutes while onlookers are confused and seeking means of assistance no loss of life.” While it was a admirable gesture no one heeded Cook’s advice.

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Dodge’s Bay or Tunnel Bay was located on the east side of Eagle Lake about a mile north of Bly Tunnel. This was to be the initial inlet to Capt. Merrill’s 1875 tunnel and work on it was focused on the Willow Creek side. In 1892, the Eagle Lake Land & Irrigation Company embarked on ambition plan to tap Eagle Lake. The began working on Merrill’s tunnel from both sides, as one can see the inlet in the above photograph. E.R. Dodge was one of the principal figures behind the company hence the name Dodge’s Bay.

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This is an interesting metaphor considering what and how we moved about and lived a year ago. This is a bit of diversion. Pine Creek, Eagle Lake’s main tributary, can be raging torrent or almost non-existent. The comparison of 2019 and 2020 run-off is a perfect example.

Long before the Spalding or Stones Subdivisions, the lake’s population center was on the northeast side, though no one resides there today. In the 1880s saw an influx of Butte County residents making this their new home—Cartwright, Eddy, Fritter, Sorensen and last but not least the Troxels. The Troxels, of course, purchased the W.S. Davis ranch, which place had become a well established stage stop, the property many know today as the former Stone Ranch. Jim Fritter, the family patriarch left an indelible footprint in the area’s history as a Lassen County Supervisor. It is interesting to note the Troxel name lives on two jettison points on the lake, a member of the Fritter family still retains ownership of the original family homestead.

The so-called Butte Colony was short-lived. Within a ten year span it had dwindled down to Fritter and Troxel. Cartwright’s whose homestead located between Fritter and Troxel became a contentious issue with Udell’s proposed scheme to tap Eagle Lake, but that is a whole different story.

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