In the past, I have written snippets about the Standish Creamery, so now a complete version. In 1898, Standish was founded as a utopian community based on the belief of Myles Standish. In beginning all worked well. By 1901, the Associated Colonies of New York, backers of Standish filed for bankruptcy. With that entity removed it allowed the community to grow without the former’s restrictions.

In 1901, Buntingville merchant Mike Phillips relocated from the west side of the Honey Lake Valley to Standish. One of his many enterprises at Standish was the establishment of a creamery. In 1904, Phillips for unknown reasons sold his various businesses there and moved to Reno. Susanville businessman, Charlie Emerson bought the creamery

In 1916, Emerson boasted that his creamery had the only pasteurized milk in Lassen County. It should be duly noted that California State Law required all milk to be pasteurized.

In 1929, the creamery was destroyed by fire and not rebuilt.

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One of the first buildings constructed at Standish was known as Pringle Hall when it was built in 1898 by James Pringle. Upon the completion of the hall Pringle joked that it was his Opera House.

In 1905 Pringle began a complete renovation of the hall. He converted it into a hotel and enlarged the structure by quite a bit. The renovated building had a frontage of 86 feet and a depth of 60 feet versus the original dimensions of a 60 foot frontage and a depth of 30 feet. The first floor contained a store, restaurant and a branch office of the Bank of Lassen County. In 1908, Pringle sold the hotel to Frank Wrede for $2,772.05, the amount he owed on the mortgage. Wrede continued with the hotel for the remainder of his life, though by the 1930s, the hotel rooms received little use.

In the summer of 1937, Virgil McClure (Wrede’s son-in-law) announced his intentions to tear down the Wrede Hotel and replace it with a restaurant and bar.  For whatever reason, he procrastinated and did not do the demolition until the fall of 1942. McClure, however, never carried out his original intention and it remained a vacant lot for many years.

Tim

It being the second to the last day of the year, I little “housekeeping” is in order. While earlier in the year I wrote about the Standish townsite dedication held on February 5, 1898.  It was my intent to use the above photograph. Nancy Johnston Chappuis was able to identify nearly everyone of the ceremonial cutting of sagebrush at Standish. So for historical posterity here is that information.

Cutting the sagebrush is William E. Smythe. Standing behind left to right Ben Leavitt, Hi  McClellan, Gertrude McClellan, unknown, Jim Elledge, Homer McClellan, A.E. Torrey, Harriet Torrey, unknown, unknown, Mrs. Dunn, H.R.T. Coffin, and Robert Barham.

Tim

If Standish were to have a sister city, it would be New Plymouth, Idaho located in the Payette Valley of southwestern Idaho. Both communities had the same founder, William E. Smythe of the Associated Colonies of New York.

Established in 1895, Smythe noted the Plymouth Colony of Idaho will be the model of communities to be established hereafter. Its plan was made by the President of the Associated Colonies, with the co-operation of men of the largest practical experience in western life. Two years after its founding, the official head of Plymouth Colony writes, “We have not a single colonist who is discontented, or one who regrets that he located here.”

New Plymouth’s was a fairly successful venture. While its counterpart Standish was not. The Associated Colonies expended large sums at Standish and was forced into bankruptcy in 1901, thus ending the colony system.

Tim

Since it is Thanksgiving,  how appropriate to note one of the best known pilgrims of yore-Myles Standish—for whom Standish, California is named for. The founders of Standish did not quite follow all the Puritan beliefs. They took a little here, a little there. The main goal was for everyone in the Standish community to be self sufficient. They noted in the above publication, what a standard diet consisted of from examining a bill of fare published in San Francisco. Every item on the menu for breakfast, supper (i.e. lunch) and dinner could be raised in the Honey Lake Valley, with the exception of coffee and tea.

Since this is holiday where food is an integral here is the menu for a typical supper (.i.e dinner) meal. Mushrooms and Sweatbreads in Chafing Dish; Cucumber sandwiches; Compote of Pears; Layer Cake; Cheese and Tea.

Tim

The nation’s  colony movement of the 1890s gained great momentum with experimental communities—Greeley, Colorado is a prime example. The target audience to attract settlers were people who lived in the urban centers east of the Mississippi and the enticement of living in a healthier environment.

Associated Colonies of New York planned for Standish to be centered around what they referred to as the Farm Village. It was the concept of agricultural European communities, where everyone resided in a village and during the day ventured out to work their farm property. This is what the Associated Colonies referred to as the Blessing of Neighbors. Instead of living on an isolated homestead, far from a another soul, they believed in the immense benefit of the social interaction that a farm village would provide. In turn, with the village, this would create a school, library, social activities and so forth. Unfortunately, there were difficulties at Standish from its earliest years, which forced Associated Colonies to abandon this endeavor.

Tim