Some readers may recall awhile back when I wrote about the 1913 Suppression/Control Burns at Clear Creek. Forest officials who attended documented that event, whether those records exist is not known,  discussion about that a little bit later.

The other day, while reviewing the Lassen Mail, one of two Susanville newspapers, in the Westwood section contained a very short piece concerning news reels doing an educational piece about forest fires, one in particular filmed at Westwood. For those of a younger generation or two, newsreels, which were short educational/documentary pieces previewed in movie theaters and schools. They would eventually go by the wayside with the advent of television.  

Anyhow, the Lassen Mail reported on April 30, 1926 12;3 – Fire Pictures for News Reels—One of the news reel companies have a company in Westwood this week making pictures of methods of fire fighting used in the timber industry. A fire was set in order on Wednesday and the fire train rushed to the scene, pictures of various operations being secured.

Do the films exist, is an interesting question. I am aware of numerous movies filmed in the region during the 1920s and 30s, but each of those film’s existence has been problematic to locate. Then again, I am aware those who filmed the Westwood Strikes of the 1930s, and offered to share them, but that never panned out. Another instance, Leslie “Les” Mastolier, for seasoned residents founder of Susanville’s Leslie’s Jewelry, was an avid photographer, but also cinematographer. Les filmed everything from skiing down Diamond Mountain in the 1930s, to numerous wildlife studies and interesting community events for decades. His son, Gary, a Alaska resident, contacted me that he had his father’s collection of films and offered the films. That never materialized, so who knows the fate of those films. The bottom line is you just never when and where some interesting archives will surface.

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In 1912, witnessed the Red River Lumber Company’s westward expansion from Minnesota to California. The founder, T.B. Walker, turned the enterprise over to his four sons. The site selected at Mountain Meadows, Lassen County initially had no name. Rather peculiar in my thinking that a company is going to spend $3 million to build a mill and company town, and it does not even have name.

Fletcher Walker was in charge of the new town and would be its resident manager. On October 3, 1912 he wrote to the Red River board, i.e., his brother’s soliciting a name.  In his letter he wrote:

“I have thought over the name TRRLCO, first letter each word and the abbreviation of company, and talked it over with Clinton and Della [Walker]. They are not very enthusiastic over the name but said it seems like a good business name and sounded pretty good. I have written you on several occasions mentioning the name, but up to present time have not had a very enthusiastic adopting of the name. It seems that unless someone else can come through with a better name that we should officially adopt it.”

There was a sense of urgency as they needed a name to submit an application to the postal authorities. Several names were bounced around including Fletcher’s favorite, “City of Trees.” That, too, was rejected, and the name of Westwood was decided, though it is not known who coined it.

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Some times I find it strange to write about the lumber industry that is non-existent in area, with the exception of Collins Pine at Chester. The above photograph are real premium peeler logs. These logs were literally peeled into sheets of plywood. Unlike regular logs that went through the sawmill, these logs were cut into eight foot lengths, unlike the standard thirty-two foot log. In 1924, Red River Lumber Company invested a half-million dollars to add a veneer plant at its Westwood facility. Red River used the trademark Paul Bunyan’s Pine Plywood for its final product. Red River, like so many other lumber companies, did not allow anything to go to waste. The peeler cores were made into railroad ties.

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One of the daunting task when Red River Lumber Company built its company town of Westwood, during 1912-14, was they would need to provide recreational outlets for their employees.  One of Red River’s first entertainment venues for its employees was dubbed the Opera House. It was a multi-purpose facility, though it never showcased an opera. The Opera House had a seating capacity of 600 and was the initial hub of social gatherings. It was regularly used as a movie theater and the scene of special events such as boxing matches. It was also the home for church services for several years until the People’s Church was built. In time, the Opera House was just too small as the town’s population continued to increase. In 1925, a new theater was constructed with a seating capacity of 1,100. The Opera House was converted into a store and made part of the adjoining facility known as the Westwood Club.

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