If you have plans to visit Drakesbad at Lassen Volcanic National Park this summer, you will need to have an alternative plan. Drakesbad is closed for the 2022 season due to damage sustained from last year’s Dixie Fire. On the other hand, the park highway is now open, as last winter’s snow fall was lighter than normal.
Tim
It is “Pomp and Circumstance” season across the country. Locally, it began with the commencement ceremony at Lassen College on May 27. It was then followed by the various elementary school districts and culminating with the high schools—Big Valley, Herlong, Lassen and Westwood. Congratulations to all those graduates, especially since they experienced some challenging times that few had ever to deal with—Covid 19. Do I have any wisdom to share? Well maybe and it might not be the best, since it was a long time ago when I graduated from Lassen High, I think the wisest decision is just not to say anything.
Tim
Today, is Arthur Cahlan Mathews 100th birthday! Art was born in Susanville on June 5, 1922, the only son of Arthur and Lena Cahlan Mathews. Upon his debut, he had an older sister, Ellen, and later on a younger sister Marcella. Art has many fond memories growing up in Susanville, and after he graduated from Lassen Union High School in 1940, he ventured out of Lassen Land.
His grandfather, John Cahlan came to the Honey Lake Valley in 1873, where he went into a partnership with W. Wallace Scholl in a buying a ranch near Johnstonville. It was not long after that, he married Lottie Farley. The marriage would be brief, she died unexpectedly in 1876.
In 1877, an interesting opportunity came Cahlan’s way with the formation of the Farmer’s Co-Operative Association in Reno which he became manager. 1882 was a pivotal year, for Cahlan remarried to Reno school teacher, Charlotte Warren. Not much later a fire destroyed the co-op store, and the newlyweds returned to Cahlan’s former ranch, in which he bought out his partner Scholl. The couple would have two daughters—Lena who married Arthur J. Mathews and Neva who married R.H. “Hi” Browne. In 1908, Cahlan who was now 68 years old, decided to retire from ranching life and sold out to Frank and S.F. “Duck” Bangham.
Cahlan moved into Susanville and purchased the old Moody place on the northwest corner of Main and Roop Streets (now the location of Uptown Cinemas). In 1911, Cahlan had a Dutch Colonial style home built there. This would be the home that his three grandchildren grew up in. In 1955, the house was moved to 1415 North Street, to be replaced with a brick building to be the new home of J.C. Penney.
In 1892, when Lassen County’s first financial institution was formed, the Bank of Lassen County, Cahlan was quite involved. He served for many years as Vice President. After the passing of his close friend Fred Hines, who served as the bank’s president, Cahlan was appointed as Hines’ replacement. Unfortunately, he would not remain at the helm very long, for he suffered a heart attack in the office at the bank on September 24, 1912.
Art, I hope this finds you well. Wish I could be there for your birthday dinner bash this evening, however, I will have a “Susanville pour” in your honor.
Tim
Today, I am just not a perky Purdy. Forgive me that there is not the usual post. However, please use the search feature, enter a topic and one can get “lost” in the results. Personally, I use it from time to time to seek some peripheral data for a future post—I amazed the wealth of material that I have posted in the last seven years.
Tim
The original town of Prattville was quite the place prior to being displaced by Lake Almanor. Prior to Lake Almanor, it was known as Big Meadows, and a popular summer hang out, especially those from the Sacramento Valley, escaping the heat, after all this is pre-air conditioning days.
In 1898, Frank Sorsoli purchased Baccala’s Prattville Saloon. Business was good. There being a lack of hotel accommodations, Sorsoli decided to build one. In May 1908, construction began on Sorsoli’s $10,000 twenty-eight guest room hotel. But the operation was short-lived. A fire of suspicious origin on July 3, 1909 wiped out most of the town of Prattville, the Sorsoli Hotel was a casualty.
Lassen Mail, April 30, 1926 – Newly-Weds Elececikicked. Andrew H. Stahl, a saw filer at the Fruit Growers plant and Miss Daisy Fitzgerald of Sonora were married in Reno last Saturday morning and at once came to Susanville where they will make their home. Their “friends” had skillfully wired the furniture in their apartment in such a way that when they sat down they immediately arose again. A big Klaxon horn announced the fact that they had retired to their apartment and it was not until they had bribed the gang that the wires cut and the disturbance ceased.
Tim
One of things I do enjoy about doing tours, which I have been lapsed in doing, is the interesting interaction among attendees. During the St. Patrick’s Cemetery Tour something was relayed to me that I was unaware of and never had given any thought. In many instances, the graves face to the east. That is certainly the case in most Lassen County cemeteries. Traditionally, the husband is usually buried to the left. In addition, some churches make it a point for the altar to face to the east. I just never know what I will learn next.
Tim
One of the interesting endeavors undertaken by the then newly formed Lassen County Historical Society was to locate the soldier graves at the military encampment known as Smoke Creek, just across the Nevada stateline. In 1964, on their first excursion they located it. Over time they decided that something needed to be done as a memorial. In June 1968, they ventured again, this time erecting a large cross on the hillside.
The small cemetery was established on the hillside across the creek from the camp for the four soldiers who died there while in service. On January 18, 1863, Pvt. John Smith Co C2 Calif Cav died from gunshots at Deep Hole, Nevada, over an argument with his commanding officer Second Lt Henry W. Williams. On November 9, 1863, Pvt. Gustavus W. Platt Co. C2 Calif Cav died of typhoid fever at Smoke Creek. On July 3, 1864, Sergeant William McCoy, age 28, died from an unknown illness. On November 17, 1865, Pvt. David O’Connell Co. B2 Calif. Cav was killed in action at the Pine Forest battle near Black Rock.
During the 1860s, the United States Military had a major presence in the region, with numerous military camps scattered around the Honey Lake Valley and Northwestern Nevada—one of which was Camp Smoke Creek just over the stateline in Nevada.
Its origins began on November 9, 1862, when Nevada Territorial Governor James W. Nye wrote to Brigadier General George Wright, Commander of the Department of the Pacific, and requested a Company of troops to protects the emigrants from the Indians along the Honey Lake-Humboldt Road. On November 14, 1862, the troops were dispatched. On December 15, 1862, Second Lt. Henry W. Williams arrived at Smoke Creek with twenty-five men and forty days of rations. On March 28, 1864, First Lt. Oscar Jewett, then in command, received orders from Fort Churchill to abandon the camp and to remove all valuable property from the camp as was possible. Continue reading Camp Smoke Creek
