Butte Lake, circa 1920. Roy Sifford, of Drakesbad fame wrote: “The sign of the Manitou which means the sign of God. The shadows in the water made a long arrows which the Indians thought that was a sign of the Great Spirit (Manitou) or God gave them. Courtesy of the Sifford Collection.
When Lassen Volcanic National Park was created in 1916, its boundaries were much smaller than they are today. In the mid-1920s when the park wanted to extend its boundaries, taking in adjoining national forest land, the Lassen National Forest objected. It was their opinion, they could do a superior job of handling the natural resources that could be best utilized in the public’s interest, than the park.
Snag Lake, 1911. B.R. Zimmerman Collection
One proposal in 1913 could have had a significant impact to Butte and Snag Lakes.. Jonathan Stark of the forest service viewed the two lakes as reservoir possibilities. It was his belief, though some scientific work would need to substantiate it, that Butte and Snag Lakes were connected by an underground stream. It was his idea to place a ten-foot dam at the outlet of Butte Lake. The ten-foot rise of the levels of Butte and Snag Lakes could impound a million gallons of water that could be utilized for irrigation downstream.
The 1926 Antelope Fire as seen from Willow Creek Valley. Courtesy of Lola L. Tanner
The 1928 fire season was different than most. In July witnessed the largest fire on the Lassen National Forest at Mill Creek near Mineral. It consumed nearly 11,000 acres, most of which was cut over lands of the old Sierra Lumber Company. Most of the other fires on the Lassen were two to ten acres in size. Other areas in California did not fare so well.
This was, however, when the area experienced its first large range fire. A fire broke out near Horse Lake and then extended all the way to Secret Valley consuming some 128,000 acres. While no structures were lost, considerable damage to fences was an issue. The area was used for sheep range by R.T. Jenkins and the Jauregui Brothers.
The Lincoln School Remodel—Lassen Advocate, November 21, 1975
At the end of the 1966-67 school year, Lincoln School was closed, being replaced by the newly constructed Diamond View School. For a brief time Lassen College used the facility while its new campus was under construction.
In July 1975, Victor Bullard of Placerville purchased the shuttered Lincoln School. Bullard had the building remodeled. An addition was made to the front of the building, replacing the old exterior staircase. On December 1, 1975 the Eagle Lake District of the Lassen National Forest became the new occupants of the building. Previous to this, the District’s office was located in the former Paul Bunyan Lumber Company office.
Once upon a time, during deer hunting season the population of Lassen County more than doubled. This was especially true during the 1940s and 1950s.
In September 1946, the Lassen National Forest expected over 20,000 deer hunters. Deer season opened on September 21, 1946 and by September 30, some 14,994 deer hunters had checked in at various points throughout Lassen County.
With that many people, problems occurred. There were four fatalities—two by gun shot and two by heart attack. The gun shot victims were Orin Gerig of Bieber and Columbo Fortino of Oakland, who was shot in the leg at Mill Creek, taken to the Westwood Hospital where he succumbed of his injuries. James Maloney of San Francisco died of heart attack while hunting near Termo, and the same fate happened to Clel Tally of Sacramento near Pine Creek Valley.
Officials were concerned about the fire danger. There were seventeen fires caused by careless deer hunters. Fortunately, none of these fires caused any major damage. No information was released as to how many deer were killed, but all the cold storage meat lockers in Susanville and Westwood were at capacity.
In conclusion, the deer season was even included in Fruit Growers Supply Company’s 1946 Annual Report:
“Much of the country in which Company timber is located is considered to have good deer hunting, and the deer season opens at a time when the woods are in the driest conditions and when the fire hazard is the greatest. The handling of the large influx of people into the general Northern California area during the deer hunting season constitutes a very serious problems to all owners and agencies interested in timberlands. In 1946, hunters and their parties were registered as they entered Lassen County area, and during one week’s time, close to 5,000 automobiles and 13,000 individuals registered as potential deer hunters. Thus more hunters were checked into Lassen County than its normal population. Despite this, the Company was fortunate in its 1946 experience with forest fires.”
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Last Tuesday, I featured photographs of Echo Lake in a before and after of 2021’s devastating Dixie Fire. The next lake we visited on that trip was Shotoverin about six miles north of Echo. A portion of the timber along the shoreline was burnt, but for the most part, intact. The fish were jumping and someone camped out there.
The loggers of Lasco, the logging camp of the Lassen Lumber & Box Company were an energetic bunch during what limited off time they had. Many worked twelve or more hours a day, six days a week*
However, whenever an opportunity arose for that hardy bunch to recreate, they did so with gusto. Their annual Logger’s Ball in July was legendary. These men, also, enjoyed in partaking in a part of America’s pastime—baseball. They named their team the “Lasco Lumberjacks.” These guys just enjoyed playing ball and they hosted a lot of ball games. One that caught my interest was an interesting and an unusual adversary—Lassen Union High School. It did not matter who won or lost, the bottom line was everyone who played or was a spectator just a had a good time.
*In 1918, Lassen Lumber & Box Company established its sawmill/box factory in Susanville. It differed from its two competitors—Fruit Growers Supply Company and Red River Lumber Company—as its initial sole supply of timber came from the Lassen National Forest.
Last week we made an expedition to the Echo Lake region in northern Plumas and western Lassen Counties. We did the same a year prior on July 15, two days after the Dixie Fire started. Who knew that fire would devastate so much territory. I had heard reports that the area surrounding Echo Lake had burnt. Thus, we wanted to see first hand. I know some folks will be interested to see what a difference a year makes.
On July 2, 1928, the Lassen National Forest Service leased seven acres from Lassen County on Richmond Road for a tree nursery at $80 per year. It was named the Susanville Nursery. It was done under the direction William G. Durbin, the Lassen National Forest Supervisor. C.W. Corson, a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota was hired to be in charge of it and was so for many years. The initial goal was to raise 750,000 of pine seedlings over a five year period. In addition, experiments were done with cedar, fir and sequoia.
Courtesy of Kevin Corson
The first planting from trees from the nursery was done in 1929 to assist the reforestation of the burn on Antelope Mountain west of Eagle Lake. In addition, the nursery provided seedlings to the various national forests throughout California. It was unique that it was only large Forest Service nursery in California. In 1936, after the establishment of Lassen College’s Forestry program many of those students worked at the nursery.
Durbin Nursery. Courtesy of Dick & Helen Harrison
In 1938, after the passing of William Durbin, the nursery was renamed to Durbin in his honor. Durbin served as the Supervisor of the Lassen National Forest from 1922-32.
Unfortunately, I do not at this time, have a date when the nursery ceased operation, but it appears sometime in the early 1950s. The property is best known today as Diamond View School.
The.aftermath of the fire at Camp D, 1924 —-FGS Co.
In 1924, Fruit Growers Supply Company’s logging operations was on the west side of Antelope Mountain near Eagle Lake. On July 28, a fire broke out there caused by a steam donkey operating between Camps D and F. It would in the end consume some 7,000 acres.
Three years later, the Lassen National Forest sent Fruit Growers a bill $156,000 in damages for 2,000 acres of forest service land that had burned in the fire. During ensuing negotiations it appeared the Forest Service wanted really was not the money, but reforestation.
Courtesy of Kevin Corson
A settlement was reached. Fruit Growers agreed to replant the burned over Forest Service land, plus an additional 20,000 acres and to contribute $1,500 over the next ten years for reforestation. Fruit Growers even established a small tree nursery at their Susanville mill.
A century ago, usually during the second or third week of April, the President of the United States would proclaim American Forestry Week. It was a venue to bring public awareness for the preservation of forest growth and the prevention of forest fires on public domain. Today, in the month of July is National Forest Week which promotes public awareness of national forest issues.
For instance, in 1924 California experienced a very severe drought and along with its worst forest fire season to date. It was noted that over a million and one-quarter acres were burned over by fires, most of which was caused by careless campers.
Locally, as the timber industry played such an important role in the region’s economy it was observed. It was a topic found at many civic organizations, as well as in the schools.
