It is nice to be able to get out and about again, not just from the shelter-in-place guidelines, but also with the broken leg recovery. I am a still bit wobbly on uneven ground, but progress is made, slow but sure.
This lake has been severely impacted by this dry winter. Last year, the lake was full and even prompted California Department of Fish & Game to stock it with fish. However, with the current conditions, the lake will be long gone shortly.
In 1869, for some strange unknown reason, a stray Cornishman, Robert Miles Smith settled on 160 acres which is now a part of the Fleming Wildlife Unit, in the Honey Lake Valley. In many cases, usually immigrants locate where fellow countrymen have settled. This, of course, was especially true of the Swiss Italians of Honey Lake and Sierra Valleys. In Smith’s case, the only other person from Cornwall, was Mary Bass of Elysian Valley. In 1870, his aged mother, Mary, brother John P.M. Smith and sister Jane joined him.
Robert died unexpectedly in 1873, and his brother took over the property. In the meantime, Jane married Honey Laker, William Martin Tanner, my great grandparents. In 1891, John P.M. Smith sold his 160 acres to L.W. Brubeck for $2,500 and returned to Polgooth, Cornwall, England with his mother.
So, sometimes people settled wherever with no particular reason.
What is common throughout the American West is how one person locates. That person then writes to family and friends to come to the new territory and the land of opportunity. Some times there is a unique twist, which John Kelley is a perfect example.
In 1859, Kelley of Missouri settled at the lower end of the Susan River. There he found an abundant water supply along with natural meadow lands. All was fine until 1863 when the United States Government surveyed the region. Under federal law, the most a person could file was 160 acres. Kelley had already claimed nearly 1,000 acres. Kelley concerned that he could lose his holdings wrote back home and encouraged fellow southerners to come out to join and settle on property he had claimed. With the ravages of the Civil War it did not require Kelley to convince family and friends to join him out west. Those who initially did were William Brashear, Robert Briggs, Chappell Kelley and John Saling. In 1864, when Lassen County Surveyor E.R. Nichols who was doing work in the region, noted a number of residents had served in the Confederate Army , he dubbed the district the Tule Confederacy. Over time the area became known as the Tules and these days its just part of the Standish-Litchfield region.
Bronson & Doyle was a local feed and agricultural equipment operation. Some seasoned residents may remember their landmark building on Richmond Road across from the railroad depot.
In this day and age of farm to table movement, makes this 1935 advertisement of Bronson & Doyle seem way ahead of their time.
Bronson & Doyle acquired the Lassen Grain & Milling Company located on Richmond Road back in the 1930s.
Some of things I learn along the way doing these posts amazes me. In 1929, C.R. Robinson of the Lassen National Forest released his report on a rodent survey. Robinson stated most of the damage is being done by the Oregon ground squirrel. Robinson found that the damage to the forage crop in the mountain meadows often amounted to fifty percent. It was that figure that grabbed my attention. I thought given the era, there might have been some bias, but not so.
In a 1993 report by the Oregon State University Extension Service reported “that the ground squirrels are a major wildlife pest in central and eastern Oregon. They consume a substantial amount of forage and field crops.” In one instance they cited, “in northern California another study reported that, during the growing season, 123 Belding’s ground squirrels per acre consumed 1,790 pounds of alfalfa per acre.”
Were you aware that the Belfast petroglyph site also serves as ancient observatory? This event only occurs on the morning of the summer solstice when the sun enters a chamber highlighting a variety of glyphs, among other things. It is quite the sight to see.
This is an early morning excursion and I mean early as we gather at 5 a.m. to make the trek. In preparation attendees receive in advance John Rudolph’s paper, “An Ancient Solar Observatory.” If there is enough interest we can make the trip this year. Last year only one person indicated an interest, but did not commit, so I cancelled. So it is important that you express an interest to me in advance.
The solstice occurs on Sunday, June 21. On Saturday, June 20, I will send an email with all the details, or on the other hand whether its cancelled. After all, if it is overcast there is no sense in going.
Note: There is a $5.00 fee for non-subscribers.
Yesterday, I mentioned the Bocci Ball Court, and the only way I learned of their existence is because I possess a 1929 Sanborn Map of Susanville, with a 1935 update. The maps are quite rare because Sanborn never gave up ownership of their maps. As was customary, an insurance underwriter rented the map, and was later returned back to the company. My copy is only one of four in existence. How, I received a copy is an interesting story in itself, but it was in a junk pile of other records destined to the dump.
The maps are a treasure trove of information. The maps are quite detailed indicating whether a building was made of wood, brick, stone etc. Take for instance, the steeple of Sacred Heart Church was thirty feet in height. Another example, as the above illustration indicates, Carroll Street crossed Susan River to connect with Richmond Road. The street has since been realigned and no longer crosses over the river, but one can see the cement bridge abutments. Another example with streets, Alexander Avenue was not a through street and its length was from North Railroad Avenue to Cornell Street.
This is one of those interesting little discoveries, that I do not know anything. In the 1930s, there was a Bocci Ball Court located at 1019 Orchard Street, Susanville. Also spelled as Bocce is in the simplest term as Italian lawn bowling. Where the court was located was part of the housing section for the employees of the Lassen Lumber & Box Company. In the company’s, 1923 photograph album portfolio has a photograph with the caption “Housing for the Italians.” Initially, Lassen Lumber hired a number of Italian immigrants, followed by Spaniards and Filipinos. How long the court existed, I have not a clue and in all my years of research I have never come across a single reference of Bocci being played in Susanville.
This is the second installment of the “mobile home” tour. This was home of Marcus Nathan, well known merchant way back when and it was originally located on the southeast corner of Cottage and South Gay Streets. In 1920, the Susanville School District purchased the property for a new school that would eventually be known as McKinley. This was a relatively short move, almost across the street and it is now Elise’s Barber Shop.
It is that time of year, and the south shore of Eagle Lake is quite popular these days since the only campgrounds open on the Lassen National Forest are located there.
In June 1916, Robert M. Cook of the Lassen Weekly Mail thought something should be done for the safety of bathers there. Cook wrote: “If the present warm weather continues it will only be a short time until the bathing season commences at Eagle Lake and we wish to call attention to certain conditions there that should be improved. Life lines, light rafts and bare bottom boats should be provided so that assistance can go quickly to the aid of the bather who gets into difficulty. The lack of those things means the loss of life sooner or later. While bathing at Eagle Lake is safer than at the average beach there is always danger that swimmers will be seized by cramps and a very few minutes while onlookers are confused and seeking means of assistance no loss of life.” While it was a admirable gesture no one heeded Cook’s advice.