Pland-Evans was certainly not a household name to many, unless you happen to reside in Westwood during the 1930s and early 1940s. This San Francisco company were “operators of industrial subsistence facilities.” When the Red River Lumber Company during the 1930s went through its re-organization phase they leased their commercial facilities such as the Big Store and the Westwood Club to Pland-Evans. Pland-Evans operated these facilities in Westwood, as well as the Walker Mine in Plumas County until 1942. At that time they were succeeded by H.S. Anderson Company.

Never miss a story, click here to subscribe.

During 1938 and 1939 the Red River Lumber Company experienced a lot of labor strife. Due to a strike in February 1939, Red River closed the mill. A unique thing happened at that time, Westwood would soon have a baseball park.

One of the effects with the mill closure was that residents were now without their regular wood supply for heating, for those who did not have steam heat. The idle strikers volunteered to cut trees on forest service land for firewood. They established a wood lot on the lower end of Birch Street, adjacent to the current VFW Hall.

Jim Travers came up with the idea they could use some recreational outlet to dispense with their extra energy. On the property they were using as the wood lot was a partially destroyed house caused by a fire some time ago. Travers and Earl Yaber came up with the idea to transform the property into a baseball park, and the other strikers were supportive of the project. The AFL union asked Red River if they could lease the property for that, and the company consented. In no time at all, the volunteers quickly cleared the property, removing the old building and hauled in 200 loads of decomposed granite from Fredonyer Summit to spread over the baseball field. In short order the property was transformed into a ballpark that could accommodate 600 people, along with parking, drinking fountains, rest rooms, an enclosed press box and seventeen flood lights. Nearly 500 men and women contributed to the cause.

On Sunday, June 12, the first softball games were held. First up was the Westwood AFL, who lost to Susanville’s Model Laundry by a score of 7 to 8. The next match was between the H.S. Anderson Club and Fruit Growers’ Story Club, which Anderson prevailed in the tight match that went into four extra innings with a score of 14 to 13. 

Never miss a story, click here to subscribe.

During the reorganization of Red River in the early 1930s, it was only a matter of time that bank issue once again would be scrutinized. On June 6, 1934, Clinton questioned how the bank operated: “As to the Westwood National Bank, I feel that this should be run as a bank and not as a subsidiary financial department of Red River. I think that the Bank board of directors should direct the policy and business of the bank and that the finance committee of the bank should pass on loans and these be on the merits of the loan and not from the standpoints of its convenience of Red River.”            

Clinton’s concerns were confirmed when investigations were conducted on the bank’s affairs. It was disclosed that certain family members used the bank to obtain dubious loans, which would not have been approved by a regular bank. For instance, a loan was made to finance a portion of the construction of the Walker-Hovey railroad in Modoc County, which was being bailed out by the same time by the government’s Reconstruction Finance Corporation.           

These events allowed Clinton to move forward on his case to dissolve the Westwood National Bank. Clinton cited it was an ill conceived venture as no one in the Walker family had any banking expertise. While it was agreed to dispose of the bank, that was easier said than done. After all bank failures were a common occurrence across the nation, so it was not the best time to put a bank on the market. It was even suggested they could sale it to the residents of Westwood. One of the obstacles to sale the bank was Willis, who also served as the bank’s president. After two years of stalling by Willis, it was decided to put Wellington Henderson (Clinton’s son-in-law) in charge. Wellington, it should be noted had banking experienced as he had worked for Bank of America. On September 18, 1936 Willis made the announcement that the Westwood National Bank reached an agreement with the Bank of America for the sale of the bank. Willis stated “This sale brings an affiliation for our local bank that will enable us to render an even greater service to the local community. Our bank will become a branch of the state-wide institution in the near future. The local officers and staff will remain.”            While the bank building has long since been demolished, the concrete vault still remains, a testament to better times.

Never miss a story, click here to subscribe.

This was no ordinary bank, but then the Red River Lumber Company was not an ordinary operation either. Red River wanted to capture as much of its employee payroll at Westwood, as possible. This was no small sum, with an average monthly payroll of $350,000. Red River was able to retain a majority of the payroll being returned in the form of rent payments, the costs of necessities of life such groceries and other amenities purchased from its company stores.           

 The Big Store, noted for have everything under one roof, served as a de-facto bank. It was one of few places were employees could cash their payroll checks. In one instance this seemed like a good business maneuver, with an employee having plenty of cash in his pocket might splurge on something in the Big Store after cashing his check. With 2,000 employees cashing their checks, the Big Store was insufficient to handle the volume. A number of employees found that method disagreeable and began doing their banking by mail. It was the latter that concerned Red River watching their money going into someone else hands.            

 Fletcher Walker, the resident manager, came up with a solution.  Why not go into the banking business, after all except for the mortuary, they controlled every aspect of Westwood.  Of course, this met with opposition from T.B. and Gilbert Walker, as it was nothing related to the lumber business.

In the spring of 1920, Red River moved forward with its announcement that it was going into the banking business. This was foreign territory with a lot to learn. Much to their chagrin was the amount of compliance of government regulations they had to contend with. While Red River had to deal government inspections, mainly for health and safety issues, for the most part they could do as they saw fit, but operating a financial institution was on entirely different level, since the government placed a series of requirements on the latter.           

 On October 1, 1920, with little fanfare the Westwood National Bank opened its doors for business. The bank was located in the Red River’s office building across the street from the Big Store and the mill entrance. To greet the new customers, the first manager and cashier was A.G. Graham. The Board of Directors consisted of Willis Walker, president; Fletcher Walker, vice-president, R.F. Pray, C.E. Hunter and Fred L. Cleaves.[

After a year in operation the bank reported having  $265,905 in deposits on hand. In comparison, Lassen County’s oldest financial institution the Bank of Lassen County reported $1,208,810.59 in deposits. In time the Westwood National Bank began to flourish and in 1925 saw its deposits soar to $914,384.

The Westwood National Bank was a unique institution. Banks in this era, were very progressive to provide loans for building businesses and homes in an effort the communities they serve would prosper. However, this was not the case with Westwood, as Red River owned all the businesses, and all the houses. The bank did provide loans of a personal nature for its customers to purchase big ticket items such as automobiles. However, in one instant, the bank did assist in financing the ill-conceived Red Rock Irrigation District in northeastern Lassen County.

Tomorrow the demise of the bank.

Never miss a story, click here to subscribe.

The following is some promotional 1923 literature courtesy of the Lassen County Chamber of Commerce: Westwood is the big lumber town of the Red River Lumber Company and probably the most unique town in the United States. It is a modern town in every respect and entirely managed by the company. The company owns all the houses and operates all the business enterprises at a small margin of profit. But this system enables the company to furnish its employees with good houses, heat, light, food, education facilities and entertainment at low cost and keeps them satisfied.

The town is located in the midst of the timber area on a level plateau. It is laid out in wide streets lined with pretty homes with here and there a tall pine as a symbol of the industry which supports the town. The big company department store is the largest in Northern California and there is a cafeteria that feeds over a thousand men an hour, and a great club house where the men can spend their leisure hours.

The schools of Westwood are modern and maintain a high scholarship. There is a union church where all sects can worship, and a Catholic church; and there are libraries, clubs and fraternities. In no aspect is Westwood a lumber camp—it is a city built around one industry and it is a permanent city.

Never miss a story, click here to subscribe.

In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt signed into law the Wagner Act. This was a gigantic leap forward for the labor movement. Of course, any type of sweeping reform like this gets challenged in court. In 1937, the Wagner Act was upheld and was a catalyst for union organizing. Of course, the sawmill workers of Lassen County embraced, it but there would be struggles.

By the late 1930s, a majority of the local workforce, outside the agricultural community organized their respective union, whether barbers or bartenders. The latter, however, would be included in the Culinary Workers Union. It Westwood the Local Union No. 654 from time to time would flex its muscle. Their protagnist was not the Red River Lumber Company, but H.S. Anderson Company who operated Red River’s commercial enterprises in Westwood. In 1940, H.S. Anderson had taken over the Westwood Club. They fired fry cook, Bill Knighton. In retaliation the four waitresses walked off the job and formed a picket a line. The Westwood Club would be forced to shut down for eight weeks until the issued was resolved.

Subscribe

In 1861, Carlton Goodrich settled at Mountain Meadows and would become one of the largest property owners there, as his ranch totaled over 7,000 acres. He located his ranch house just west where the highway crosses Goodrich Creek, approximately across from where the old chimney stands. It became known as Mountain House and was a popular stop for weary travelers. In April 1875, Sylvester Daniels paid Goodrich a visit while touring the region and wrote, “I love these mountain folks. No aristocracy among them.” When Goodrich died in 1886, due to estate issues and the subsequent sale to John Crouch, the popular establishment closed. When the Red River Lumber Company established its Westwood operation, in 1912, they transformed the old Goodrich ranch into a dairy.

Never miss a story, click here to subscribe.

It just a few short years after Red River Lumber Company established Westwood in 1912, it became for awhile Lassen County’s largest town. This title would be short lived when Fruit Growers and Lassen Lumber established mills in Susanville, the greater Susanville region rivaled Westwood.

It was not until the summer of 1916 when an accurate head count was done to ascertain Westwood’s population. The Lassen County Board of Supervisors ordered a special census be conducted for Westwood to fulfill a requirement by California Political Code Section 4055. Westwood resident, Leo H. Donnelly, was commissioned by the Board take the census. On September 5, 1916, Donnelly reported to the Board that Westwood had a population of 2,319. Red River officials had estimated there were only 1,600 residents. The town continued to grow. 

The 1920 United States Census indicated there were 3,300 inhabitants in the Westwood Township. This included a small group of people residing on ranches in Mountain Meadows who were not associated with Red River. In 1921, Frank Graham, who held a variety of positions with Red River over the years, prepared a list of interesting statistics concerning Westwood. Graham stated it was not sawmill camp or sawmill town, but “ a little city that that has sprung up in the woods during the last few years.”

Graham duly noted the town’s population at 3,638 that another 800 inhabitants lived in logging camps making for a grand total of 4,438. Among other items, Graham observed there were 700 dwelling houses, 350 telephones and 400 cars. In summation, Graham remarked, “Not bad for a lumber jack town.”            

Westwood still had more growing pains. In July 1924 in order to have a better understanding how many people were in the community, Fletcher employed the services of Mrs. Sherwood (Winnie) Zinn to conduct a special census. In her findings she reported a population of 4,647. This included those who resided at the Goodrich Dairy, company ranches and Town Camp. In relaying this information to Willis, Fletcher wrote: “This count, along with absent and unfound citizens would justify a reckoning that we have over 5,000 people here.”            Over the years, folklore of imaginations run amuck held that in Westwood’s heyday it boasted a population of 10,000.  However, the Zinn census portrays an accurate record. The 1930 U.S. Census indicated a population of 4,602 and a similar number in 1940 before the population began a slow decline. In the meantime, while the population stabilized, production from the plant continued to increase. Innovations with machinery made the operations more efficient, thus no need to increase the workforce. In 1956, with the pending mill closure the population plummented to 600.

Never miss a story, click here to subscribe.