Tag Archives: Lassen Lumber & Box Company Co. Logging

History

Wendel’s Milepost Inn

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In a certain way, this was the region’s best, yet least known, eateries. Located in the railroad community of Wendel the establishment served two purposes. One side of the building provided sleeping accommodations for railroad employees during their down time. The other was the restaurant to feed the railroad workers, since the trains came through all hours of the day.  The Milepost Inn was a twenty-four operation.

The Milepost Inn did welcome locals to stop by and dine. While it had a no frills ambience, the food was first rate and cheap—subsidized by the railroad. Personally, I liked their buttermilk pancakes. There is more to the story, on a personal note. One day, in late January 1997, Ginger Martinez and I escorted Linda Kennedy to the Milepost Inn for her birthday brunch. Little did we know, it was the Milepost Inn’s last day. This was due to the fact the railroad had abandoned the line from Wendel to Likely in December. I asked if I could have a menu, and they kindly obliged. The next time I visited Wendel the building had been demolished.

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History

Lassen Lumber & Box No. 25

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Lassen Lumber & Box Company No. 25—-Tom Armstrong

Something a bit different, but over the course of time we will explore the various locomotives in the railroad logging operations of the region. Lassen Lumber & Box was a relatively small operation when compared to it neighbors Fruit Growers and Red River. In addition, its railroad logging operation only lasted a decade starting in the 1919 season.

In 1923, Lassen Lumber purchased a brand new Baldwin locomotive they numbered the 25. It seemed only fitting to have this go with their new logging camp Lasco on the north side of Peg Leg Mountain. But the good times did not last long and by 1929 the company would abandon logging due to a dwindling timber supply compounded by glut of lumber on the market. They sold the No. 25 to the Red River.Lumber Company. In 1938, Red River in turn sold the No. 25 to  Modesto & Empire Traction Company. What became of it after that, I do not know.

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