Russian Thistle

Litchfield Depot of the Fernley & Lassen Railroad, 1947. Courtesy of Camilla Moody
Litchfield Depot of the Fernley & Lassen Railroad, 1947. Courtesy of Camilla Moody

The Russian Thistle, (Salsola tragus), is best known too many as the iconic “tumbling tumbleweed.” Ironically, it became a symbol of the American West, yet it is a non-native plant. As its common name indicates it origins are from eastern Russia. Some sources indicate it was accidentally introduced in 1873 by Russian emigrates to South Dakota. The seeds from the plant are initially disbursed by wind. It is believed that many a railroad stockcar were imbedded with seeds, that allowed for them to be scattered throughout the west.

The plant did not make its appearance in Lassen County until 1914. While the Fernley & Lassen Railroad bought prosperity to the region, it also introduced this noxious invasive weed. The first plants were spotted along the railroad right-of-way. For the next two years, major efforts were undertaken to eradicate it, but it was a lost cause.

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Exploring Susanville’s Roop Street

North Roop Street, Susanville, 1931. Courtesy of B.R. Zimmerman Collection

Awhile back I had an inquiry about 100 North Roop Street. While I am tardy to answer that, but as a bonus I will have a few more observations to add. The older houses on the street, are actually located in the 200 block and beyond. At the moment, I am still overwhelmed of the first round of boxes of the move containing  a vast assortment of research material. However, there is still a pickup load of boxes still to arrive. I am understand that event may be Sunday, to avoid another month of storage fees. Please be patient during this transition process.

Tim

 

 

 

 

 

another month in storage fees.

Tim

Susanville’s Edsel Dealership

80 N. Roop St.
80 N. Roop Street, Susanville, May 3, 2015

Car dealerships and car styles are constantly evolving. For a brief time, Susanville had its own Edsel Dealership though it did not last long. In 1957 it was housed in a brand new building at 80 North Roop Street.  Of course, Ford’s Edsel automobile was a failure and the model soon abandoned. Many seasoned residents will recall this building housed the California Department of Motor Vehicles for many years. It is now the home to Lasco and Rooptown Bicycles.

Tim

A Brief Update

Brockman Slough, May 26, 2016

It has been a week now, since the move. Slowly, but surely I am getting settled in, but it is going to be a slow process. I am bit overwhelmed of the vast amount of records that I had hidden, kind of like out of sight, out of mind.

At the same time, I have  backlog of messages and requests, so please be patient as I am inundated from so many fronts.

Tim

 

Susanville’s Sacred Heart Church

Sacred Heart Church
Sacred Heart Church, 1905. Courtesy of Sacred Heart Church

On August 1, 1869 the first Mass to be held in Lassen County was at the home of Ned Mulroney near Susanville, with the 27-year-old Father Charles Lynch officiating. Since a circuit priest had to cover a large territory in Northeastern California and Nevada, Mass in many instances was only held once a year when the priest made his rounds.

In the 1880s with a larger Catholic population, and the Diocese territory smaller, Mass was held in the Lassen County area twice a  year. There was also a movement to have their own house of worship instead of the courtroom in the Lassen County Courthouse or the hall in the Steward House Hotel.

In the spring of 1892, when William Cain, a non-Catholic, donated a parcel land across the Susan River on Richmond Road, the current site of Poulsen’s Welding. In May construction began, the labor from church volunteers. As Father Thomas Horgan later recalled the driving force for the church came from three families—Bantley, Neuhaus, and Mulroney.

The new church had a seating capacity of 120, quite ample for their being about 100 parishioners. On June 26, 1898 Bishop Thomas Grace dedicated the Susanville church as the Church of the Sacred Heart.

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Check Out Dodge Reservoir

Dodge
A 1950s aerial of Dodge Reservoir.

This is a little known reservoir east of the Madeline Plains. When the  fishing is good, it is worth the trip

In 1889, Albert L. Shinn formed the Union Land & Stock Company. Shinn proposed that the water from Red Rock Creek could provide irrigation for the entire eastern Madeline Plains. The reservoir was originally named Lake Lockett, for the Company’s Civil Engineer, H.M. Lockett. In the early 1890s, the Union Land & Stock Company started the irrigation project but eventually construction ceased because of lack of funds and other problems. On December 9, 1907, Henry C. Dodge acquired an option to buy the Union Land & Stock Company’s failed Red Rock irrigation system. In 1909, Dodge formed the Madeline Valley Land & Irrigation Company to undertake this enterprise. In the fall of 1909, the Company contracted with August and Alfred Anderson to build the system. In December 1909, Dodge Reservoir was completed. In 1912, Henry C. Dodge died during an altercation in Reno, Nevada. Dodge’s two sons, Carl and Dana, continued with the family enterprise on the eastern Madeline Plains. On January 14, 1949, Bernys M. Dodge, the agent for the Dodge Brothers, sold the Dodge Ranch and Reservoir to George and Jean Smith.

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Explore Smoke Creek Desert

Smoke Creek Desert
Smoke Creek Desert looking towards Sheepshead, fall, 1977

One of my favorite places to spend the day is the Smoke Creek Desert just across the state line in Nevada.

It received its name back in 1844 when John C. Fremont explored the region. His party noted the dust storms created on the playa there cast a smokey hue.

Smoke Creek Desert, 1996

When I conducted the BLM tours in the 1990s,Smoke Creek was a popular one. We did a mixture of prehistoric and historic sites. There are a lot nooks and crannies in Smoke Creek to see.

Apache Tears Mine, Smoke Creek Desert

It is an ever changing environment. That is evident as the desert slowly reclaims the abandoned homestead, when those hardy souls tried to eke out a living.

Tim

Go Exploring

Goggle sign
When traveling the back country around these parts. Google maps and GPS not the best move. Use some common sense. Though it should be noted that AAA maps indicated Shinn Ranch Road was maintained. May be it was back in the 1870s when the Shinns lived there.

There are a handful posts that I repeat each year, and for good reason. With summer weather upon us, it is an ideal time to check out the many wonders that surround the residents of the Lassen Region.

Shinn Ranch, 1987

In 1929, the Lassen Advocate published an editorial “Know Your Country.”  The gist of it, encouraged residents to get out and see all the various and interesting natural surroundings we have. I am always ready to get out and about to explore. I never know where that might be, but I do have a few obscure historical sites that I want to check out.

Tim

Westwood’s Fire Train

Westwood's Fire Train courtesy of Doug Luff
Westwood’s Fire Train courtesy of Doug Luff

he winter of 1923-24,  was one of the driest on record in California. That summer another record would be broken–forest fires. It was June, 1924, when the Red River Lumber Company having been in operation for over a decade experienced its first major forest fire. The fire broke out at Chester Flats between Camps 34 and 38 and burned a narrow strip of land, eight miles in length. Red River’s loss was minimal as the fire burned recently logged over land and the only significant damage was 500 cords of wood burned along 1,000 feet of railroad track. Red River considered its biggest loss was to the men fighting the fire which cost the company a $1,000 a day in wages, and it took a week to contain the fire. Continue reading Westwood’s Fire Train

Painter’s Creek Request

Painters Flat, 1914

One of the articles that I am working on, the Painter’s Creek Irrigation District of 1916. Does any one have a photograph of Painters Crék or Painters Flat  east of the Madeline Plains?

Some little history about the naming  of Painters Flat. After the murder of Peter Lassen in the spring of 1859, tensions between the settlers and the Indians became intense. Within a year the region experienced the Pyramid Lake War. On June 17, 1860, Horace Adams was murdered by the Indians at his ranch near Lathrop’s Station in the Honey Lake Valley. Two days laters, Col. Frederick W. Lander and Captain William Weatherlow gathered a group of men together to locate the Indians responsible for Adams’ death. They followed the Indians’ tracks north to the Madeline Plains. From there, they headed east through a canyon. Just before entering a valley there, they were ambushed by the Indians, Alexander A. Painter was mortally wounded. Painter’s body was moved a mile northeast from where he died. He was buried there beneath a cedar tree.

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Exploring Lassen County's Past