This was an exciting era for the residents of Westwood. While the United States had not entered into the global conflicts, the nations economy was in high production to meet the nation’s allies. Lumber was a high priority commodity, and Red River Lumber Company’s operation at Westwood was put into high gear.

Red River not only went into a full production mode, the first time since World War I, it went on a major modernization campaign. Not only where there substantial upgrades in all the mill equipment, but its logging department saw major changes as well—among other things its own fleet of logging trucks.

While the casual observer or Westwood resident thought all these improvements was just a sign of prosperity from the recovery of the nation’s Great Depression of the 1930s. Behind the scenes, Red River was busy putting its Westwood operation on the market, to sell, nothing different what a current homeowner does prior to listing their house on the market.

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Every pine buyer wants to know , “What do I get for my money?” And “What does Red River-California offer that I can get nowhere else?” We submit herewith a few facts concerning Red River-California Sugar Pine and White Pine and the plant at Westwood, California, that produces it and delivers it to all parts of America. This service, more than any other gives you:

1. QUALITY: “Old-fashioned White Pine, “scientifically manufactured.
2. UNIFORMITY: Full specified thickness and width, thoroughly seasoned.
3. ECONOMY: Reduces your working-up cost. Gives you a superior product.
4. SECURITY FROM SUBSTITUTION: As manufacturers, we ship nothing but genuine Red River-California. Unlimited forest resources assure this uniform supply of many years to come.
5. RELIABLE DELIVERY: Plant runs the year ‘round. Westwood lies east of the Sierra Nevada snowsheds, on a direct line to eastern points and near a great transcontinental empty-car center.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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