News

A Hallelujah Moment

August 24, 2018 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

There are times, I amazed who contacts me for what. Recently, Recitals Australia contacted me to use a photograph of Hallelujah Junction in a classical music program. Below is composer John Adams interesting tale about how this piece came to be.

Hallelujah Junction (1996) is a small truck stop on Highway 395 in the High Sierras on the California-Nevada border near where I have a small cabin. For years I would pass through in my car, wondering what piece of music might have a title like “Hallelujah Junction.” It was a case of a good title needing a piece, so I obliged by composing this work for two pianos. Continue reading A Hallelujah Moment →

History

Carlton Goodrich

August 23, 2018 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Goodrich Barn — The old Goodrich barn as it appeared in the 1920s

In 1861, Carlton Goodrich settled at Mountain Meadows and would become one of the largest property owners there, as his ranch totaled over 7,000 acres. He located his ranch house just west where the highway crosses Goodrich Creek, approximately across from where the old chimney stands. It became known as Mountain House and was a popular stop for weary travelers. In April 1875, Sylvester Daniels paid Goodrich a visit while touring the region and wrote, “I love these mountain folks. No aristocracy among them.” When Goodrich died in 1886, due to estate issues and the subsequent sale to John Crouch, the popular establishment closed. When the Red River Lumber Company established its Westwood operation, they transformed the old Goodrich ranch into a dairy.

History

Standish Creamery

August 22, 2018 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

In 1907, the Standish Creamery had a daily output of 650 pounds butter. It was only running at half capacity, labor or the lack thereof being the culprit. As one observer wrote: “One does not wisley undertake the ownership of a herd of a hundred dairy cows, no matter how profitable he knows it to be, with the likelihood staring him in the face of waking up any morning and finding his milkers all gone, converted overnight into cowboys, astride their horses and galloping away.”

History

Milford, 1908

August 21, 2018 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

The Milford Post Office and Store, 1909. Courtesy of Betty Barry Deal

In 1908, G. Yoell Parkhurst compiled a Lassen County booklet as part of Sunset Magazine’s Homesteader’s Bureau operation. Parkhurst made the following observation about Milford:

“Milford is quaint little village a few miles from the west shore of Honey Lake, and is the post office for some fine orchard and farm lands. The best way to show what may be done here is to tell about James Doyle, one of Lassen County’s oldest and prosperous citizens. He came to California in the early sixties [1860s] by way of the plain route. Arriving in Lassen County in the vicinity of Milford, he saw the possibilities in the land around him, so went no farther, taking up a section of land plowing the soil. Altogether he accumulated a mile and a quarter square of land between Honey Lake and the mountains, all of it being overgrown with sagebrush. This was nearly sixty years ago and today he is one of the wealthiest men in the County, made so by the power of his own energy exerted upon fertile land.

History

More Lahontan Levels

August 20, 2018 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

While on a tour with California State Parks OHV members one of the stops was at Wendel Dunes. If notice in the background, you can see the terrace effect from the receding waters of Lake Lahontan. One of the best examples is found just east of Flanigan at a spot known as Neversweat Hills.

History

Old Time Power Saws

August 19, 2018 Tim Purdy 2 Comments

An electric saw powered by a D-2 cat. Courtesy of Fruit Growers Supply Company

In the twentieth century one aspect of logging that was slow to modernize was timber falling. In the mid-1930s, Fruit Growers experimented with a Dow Low Stump Power Saw. It turned out to be too bulky and cumbersome and the fallers returned to falling timber manually. In 1943, Fruit Growers experimented with an electric saw power by a generator attached to a D-2 Caterpillar. To provide for mobility it was equipped with 400 feet of cable. One of the drawbacks was it took three men to operate it one to operate the tractor and two to run the saw. It was not until the 1950s when a more advance line of lightweight saws were introduced that the traditional hand saws and axes were replaced by the power saw.

History

The west end of Main Street

August 18, 2018 Tim Purdy 1 Comment

The west end of Susanville’s Main Street

This just an interesting photograph to share, taken in early 1923. Believe it or not all the structures still exist. On the left are the two Hunsinger houses. The corner house was moved to Janesville Grade. The dark color structure is still there at 504 Main Street, but in an altered state, as a second floor would be added. The retaining wall in front of the current Elk’s building was removed in 1966. On the right, which is hard to see is the A.J. Mathews residence, that is now at 1415 North Street.

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History

The Gables

August 17, 2018 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Guess what folks, there are a lot of things that I do not know. Every day is a new learning experience, or at least it should be. Now, with that aside, I know absolutely nothing about the former establishment known as The Gables, located near Johnstonville. It should noted, Johnstonville Road, was Highway 36 at the same time. The property recently sold and there is a sign in the window, CM Cottages. Anyhow, if someone can enlighten me about when it was built or the some of the owners that would be appreciated.

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History

Malgin’s Sheep Camp

August 16, 2018 Tim Purdy 1 Comment

Malgin’s cabin in 1887. Sifford Collection

It amazes me at times, how early some remote places were settled. Take for instance the Drakesbad Guest Ranch in Lassen Volcanic National Park. In 1874, a sheepman, Thomas Malgin located there to establish a summer camp. The following year, by taking advantage of Hot Springs Creekm he built a bathhouse. While it was rather primitive, it was available free to the public. When time permitted Malgin provided guide service to nearby points of interest. In 1880, Malgin abandoned the property. In 1885, E.R. Drake took possession of Malgin’s claim. Drake was not aware, that back property taxes were due and in 1887 Quincy resident F.B. Whiting bought the eighty acres there in a delinquent tax sale for $8.11. The following year, Drake purchased it from Whiting for $50 and the foundation was in place for the development of the property.

History

Lassen County Dairy History

August 15, 2018 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

The dairy industry played an important role in the region’s history. After all, before grocery stores and transportation, one needed to be self sufficient. In the late 1800s, butter was a major product. For example, A.L. Tunison who resided in Willow Creek Valley wrote in his diary: October 21, 1880 – Started for Oroville with 3200# of butter.

Virginia City, Nevada during its boom times was another big market. It was not until the late 1890s, that saw the development of creameries. Then by the early 1920s, with a huge population increase in Lassen County caused the establishment of the large lumber mills, saw the establishment of numerous dairies to produce milk. In future posts I will be exploring the history of those dairies. Of course, if you happen to have knowledge of any of these, I would like to hear from you, as very little has been documented on this topic.