The first local cookbook published was in 1915 by the Monticola Club which was very well received. The second one, I am not so sure of, since I have seen only one copy and I never come across references. In November 1927, the Lassen County Farm Bureau released a 144 page cookbook. The recipes cover most everything imaginable from that era. Those recipes were contributed by members of the farm bureau and every nook and cranny in the county was represented.
Eons ago, Richard Peterson of the University of Hawaii at Manoa contacted me in regards to published locally material on hot or mineral springs. Sadly, I informed him, that with exception of some stories of the Amedee Hot Springs during its heyday that such material was non-existent.
However, not to dissapoint him, I did some research to send along. As to Wendel Hot Springs, I informed that since 1856 some one has always tried to use these springs, initially for a steam bath. When James A. Wood had a homestead there in 1870s and 1880s he used the springs to heat his home. When the NCO Railroad arrived in 1899, they tried to use the water for the locomotive boilers, but quickly gave it up, as the minerals in the water clogged the boilers. I did mention that in the 1970s about Phil Gutman and the Hobo Wells Hyrdoponics company to grow tomatoes, but that is a story in itself.
Most people assume that McKinley School has always been located on Fourth Street, but that was not the case. First a little background history. By 1920 the growth created by the arrival of the railroad and subsequent establishment of the lumber mills was more than Susanville’s one school could handle. That year the voters in the school district were asked to pass an $83,000 bond measure to build a second school. The school district trustees were stymied on the issue of where to build the second school. It was finally decided to build next to the current school. The district bought the Nathan residence on the corner of Cottage and Gay Streets and the house was moved across the street, which is now Elise’s Barbershop. In 1947, the Susanville Grammar now known as Washington was condemned and officials thought it was a matter of time McKinley would suffer the same fate. In 1950 a new McKinley school was built at the Fourth Street location.
On January 5, 2005, Susanville’s uptown district lost one of its iconic buildings from fire. For seasoned residents, they will know the place as Spalding Drug—where many recall having their first “cherry coke” at the store’s soda fountain. What many people do not know, is that six months prior to the fire, I resided on the second floor of that building. Had I not moved, a large portion of my historical photographic archives would have been destroyed among other priceless documents. Among things in the basement, not being able to retrieve anything is my cross country skis for a future archaeologist to discover.
Lookout Junction, was located in southwestern Modoc County that connected the McCloud River Railroad to the Great Northern Railroad. The station opened in November, 1931 which handled freight. B.J. Neal served as the only agent from 1931 to 1959. I recommend Jeff Moore’s book “The McCloud River Railroads,” as it is a wealth information and there is a great deal of material about the Red River Lumber Company.
The Northern California Traveler, located in Cedarville, has announced that after thirty-five years, its time to retire. Founded by the late Dennis and Kathy Smith, the two have always were at the helm of the publication. Since 2016, I penned a monthly a column for the Traveler and have always had a close association with the publication. Shucks, back in 1993, they published a rare profile of yours truly, still not sure how I allowed that to happen!
Tim
First of all, I have not a clue about the background of this photograph. It was taken by my grandmother, Margaret A. Purdy. All she wrote was “On our way to Mineral to check out the snow, 1932.” Whatever the case may be, wishing everyone a Happy New Year, and that you experience some interesting journeys during 2020. Lest, we forget as an extra bonus, it is a Leap Year.
A year ago today, I lost a very dear friend, Henry “Hank” Martinez, Jr. A native of Westwood, it was a place so endeared to him, and especially “Old Town” where he grew up. Years later, his sons, referred to their father’s visits to Westwood paramount to the pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
While Hank enjoyed talking about Westwood, he was very knowledgable about so many topics and we had many epic and enjoyable discussions. Hank had many passions in life, one of which he shared with his father—photography. Over the years, Hank and I shared a variety of historical photographs. Some may notice where I credit him for those who gave to me. After his passing, there would be a final exchange whereby I received historical aerials of the region—only fitting he being a pilot among his credentials.
Thank you Hank and your family for enriching my life.
Tim
The Nobles Trail gained attention as part of the possible route of the nation’s first transcontinental road to California. (This not is confused with the transcontinental railroad; think of it as an early day highway.) Shasta County was eager to promote the Nobles route. In fact, in December 1853, Major P.B. Reading was willing to take a group of surveyors in the middle of the winter to survey the road. In 1855, R.T. Sprague of Shasta estimated that it would cost $10,000 to develop the Nobles Trail into a first-class wagon road. Appropriations for this and other roads were submitted to the California Legislature, but languished due to that body’s inaction.
During the late 1850s, various roads were established in Northern California and traffic diminished on the western segment of the trail between Susanville and Manzanita Lake. For reasons unknown, in the fall of 1859 the trail had an unusual spike in usage. In a two-week period, 375 individuals, in sixty-seven wagons, along with about 100,000 head of livestock had crossed the plains and used the Nobles route into Shasta County. The eastern segment from Susanville through Nevada faired much better with heavy use during the late 1850s and most of the 1860s due to the mining activity of southern Idaho and northern Nevada. This traffic ceased in 1869 with the completion of the Central Pacific Railroad and many segments of the Nobles Trail were abandoned. In 1975 the Nobles Trail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Those who made the overland journey for the California gold rush were faced with many obstacles. One of which was that there were no direct route to the gold fields of Northern California. There was the short-lived Lassen Trail, which had many drawbacks and was quickly abandoned.
In the summer of 1850 William H. Nobles arrived on the scene with the quest to locate a route to California’s northern sector. In the spring of 1851, Peter Lassen guided Nobles to the Honey Lake Valley. Nobles and Lassen parted company, Nobles then made a thorough evaluation of the country. He found a direct route from Lassen’s Meadows (known today as Rye Patch Reservoir, Nevada) that went in a westerly direction across the Black Rock and Smoke Creek deserts to Honey Lake Valley. From there the course went in a northwestern direction to Pine Creek Valley, making a turn to the west to Butte Lake. Leaving Butte Lake, the trail went along the base of Cinder Cone toward the northern base of Lassen Peak and Manzanita Lake. From that point it continued its westward journey into the Sacramento Valley, to its final destination, the mining town of Shasta. It is interesting to note that Highway 44 parallels the western portion of the Nobles Trail.
In February 1852, Nobles led a party that included Lassen over the route. Nobles hoped they would join him in forming a partnership to develop the new route, but they were not interested. On April 21, 1852, Nobles addressed the citizens of Shasta, informing them that he had indeed discovered a direct route across the mountains. This, he said, would be a great benefit to Shasta and the northern mining communities. Nobles requested a $2,000 guide fee. If the Shasta business community found the route unacceptable, he would decline his commission. On May 3, 1852, Nobles and a group of nine men left Shasta to travel the route. When they reached the Humboldt River at Lassen’s Meadows, the Shasta delegation declared that the new route had more than met their expectations. Nobles received his fee and parted their company.