One of the many photographs that C.H. Bennett took during his stay at the Secret Valley CCC camp from 1936-1938, was a Veteran’s Day Service at the McKissick family cemetery located a few miles from the camp. Earlier that year, John Daniel McKissick had passed away and was buried there. His father, John Best McKissick was known as the World’s First Champion, is also buried there.. John Daniel, it should be noted was a military veteran. The photographs are rather interesting.

On an additional note, Bennett’s daughter did include copies of clippings from. the CCC newspaper Happy Days, which provides an interesting glimpse of life there. For a time, Susanville’s Lassen Mail newspaper ran news items from the camp, so between the two sources, along with the photographs, provide some interesting aspects, not to mention a balladeer melody.

Tim

While some may consider it an out-of-way destination, it has not prevented two educational facilities to locate there.

Tim

Back in December/January I was for the most part a shut-in due to snow and ice. While at times in nearly drove me “batty” I did use the time to sift through more archival boxes in storage. Thus, one of the finds was this photograph taken in 1992 of the restored Applegate Lassen Trail marker at Fandango Pass in the Warner Mountains of Modoc County.

First lets begin with the Applegate Trail established in 1846  by Levi Scott and the Applegate brothers. A portion of their route ventured from the Block Rock Desert going in a northwest direction to Surprise Valley and crossing over the Warner Mountains. At Goose Lake the trail proceeded to Oregon. In 1848, Peter Lassen used a portion of the same route, but at Goose Lake his route went south to the Sacramento Valley. For a number of years the pass was also known as Lassen’s Pass, but eventually became known as Fandango.

There are several variations as to the origin of the name of Fandango—which was the name of a lively Spanish dance. A common theme of various stories has to deal with cold temperatures. Most historians agree that a group of emigrants burned some of their wagons for warmth and reportedly one observer stated it was so cold that “the men had to dance to keep warm” and they named their camp Fandango Valley., that was located near the pass.

Today, one can participate in Fandango Days held in Alturas during the Fourth of July.

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In February, 1928, Susanville’s Lassen Mail newspaper reported that the population of Secret Valley consisted of fifteen people. An angry resident of the valley wrote the newspaper for a retraction. This person asserted there were thirty people living there, and this was not including the section crew residing at Karlo working for the Southern Pacific Railroad.

Tim

P.S.. When the Secret Valley CCC camp was established in 1935, the population soared with an additional 176 residents.