Roxie Peconum, A Maidu Matriarch

January 10, 2025 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

The Peconom family is one of the better known Maidu families. If you noticed that I highlighted the name in bold, there is a reason. The family name has been misspelled for years with a um instead of the proper om. Of course, the name spelling was brought to light, during the proposed name change of the first branch of Willard Creek to Roxie Peconum Creek to commemorate Roxie Yoanna Peconum (1851-1958), well-known member of the Maidu tribe, who gathered roots and berries in the region. However, some thought the name should be for the Peconom family, and not an individual family member. If it was to be the latter, the name should be Yoanna Creek for Roxie. Whatever the case may be, on February 11, 1993 U.S. Board of Geographic Names approved the name change to Roxie Peconum Creek.

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History

A Prattville Deed Restriction

January 9, 2025 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Prattville, for those who just tuned in was town in Plumas County, in what is now Lake Almanot. In 1914, the last remnants of it was wiped out in preparation to flood Big Meadows to create Lake Almanor.

In the early 1900s, deed restrictions were common practice . Common restrictions would prohibit the sale property based ethnicity, such Chinese and /or consumption/manufacture alcohol. On June 11, 1875 David Boyer purchased a lot in Prattville from the Pratt family. The deed stated: “to have and to hold the same one as it is used for mercantile or mechanical business or for dwelling house or lawful or legitimate purpose, except hotel, restaurant, boarding house of house of ill fame.” Since the Pratt family operated a hotel there, this would eliminate competition. Boyer would operate a saloon. By the end of year, Boyer sold out and moved to Susanville.

Tim

History

Those January Snowstorms

January 8, 2025 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Typically, the largest snowstorms in this region occur in the month of January. It was January 1914 that proved to be a record breaker with 93 inches of snowfall that month. It also happen to be a rainy month with 9 inches of rain. In all, the total precipitation for the month was 18.17 inches.

The weather conditions was problematic for the completion of the Fernley & Lassen Railroad to Westwood. Due to the weather whiplash of rain and snow, the soil became saturated and prone mud slides in the Susan River Canyon. Railroad officials, of course, had a lot to worry about, as the construction with the Red River Lumber Company had a completion date to Westwood by. March 1.

In a related railroad matter was the NCO train delays due to frequent wash outs of the track. The US Postal Service had a contact with the NCO to deliver mail originating from the East. Since the NCO had a poor delivery record of the mail, the Postal Service by mid-February ordered all mail would be re-routed via the Fernley & Lassen. Many residents of the Honey Lake Valley rejoiced after this announcement, as regular mail delivery would be six days week.

Tim

P.S. – It should noted the other spectrum, there would be dry Januarys in which no snowfall occurred that month. I do know from records searched those rare years occurred in 1893 and 1912. The latter was so mild that baseball games were routinely held.

History

Fruit Growers Camp 11

January 6, 2025 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

In 1929, Fruit Growers Supply Company consolidated all of its logging camps into one larger camp, known as Camp 10. It was located thirty-eight miles northwest of Susanville near the bank of Pine Creek. Ten years later, Fruit Growers considered leaving Camp 10 to establish Camp 11 on the east end of Champs Flat, about ten miles northeast. In the spring of 1940 that plan was put on hold.

In the early 1940s, Fruit Growers was awaiting a very important government decision on the Wage and Hour Law–whether or not an employee would be paid for travel time to the actual work site. Travel time between Camp 10 and the logging site was 1 to 1 1/2 hours each day. If the government mandated paid travel time, Camp 11 would be established, but not necessarily at Champs Flat. It would not be until 1948 when the government ruled that employees were not entitled to paid travel time, and the need for a new logging camp disappeared.

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History

Main Street Fire, 2005

January 5, 2025 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Yesterday, we explored the history of the Spalding Drug Company. When Spalding Drug closed it went through various ownerships and occupants. Looks can be deceiving, yet the building straddles separate property lots. Long time residents will recall that the former Spalding Drug was replaced with The Bootery. On east side, the smaller parcel was occupied by The Smart Shop.

Anyhow, its hard to believe how time quickly marches on. It was on this date, twenty years ago, that this building was destroyed by fire. It could have devastating for me. I had moved out of the second floor of the building only seven months before the fire. My photographic archives were stored there.

Today, it still remains a vacant lot. There have been proposals, even at least to turn it green space, but as I understand it, the property owners are unwilling to sale.

Tim

History

Spalding Drug Company

January 4, 2025 Tim Purdy 1 Comment

Interior of Spalding Drug, circa 1910. Courtesy of George McDow Jr.

Seasoned residents of the area will have fond memories of a one time iconic local institution the Spalding Drug Company. .It was established in 1865, by Zetus N. Spalding and his brother-in-law, A.C.Neale. Spalding was the pharmacist and Neale tended store and its customers. The partnership did not last long and two years Spalding bought out Neale. In 1886, Spalding formed another partnership with his son, John Bridger Spalding who was only 19 years old. In the 1890s, John B. to give the business a more cosmopolitan flair, he renamed it the City Pharmacy. In 1898, Zetus Spalding died an accidental drowning while fishing the Susan River. John B. restored name to the Spalding Drug Company.

South Side, 700 Block, Main Street, Susanville, 1913. The Williams/Spalding building is second from the right.

In 1906, J.B. Williams commenced work on a native stone building for his jewelry business. Spalding by coincidence was Williams neighbor. Spalding became intrigued and joined forces with Williams for construction of two-story native stone building to house both of their respective businesses.

Among other changes was in 1912, when Spalding entered into partnership with his son, Wright and E.E. Bourne. In 1930, the Spaldings bought out Bourne. John B. Spalding passed away in 1934 and then store his operated by Wright’s family-his wife Ruth and son John. In 1967, the Spalding Drug Company closed its doors after a century in business.

This, of course, is a brief outline. For an example, many will have fond memories of the soda fountain.

History

A Susanville Triangle Update

January 3, 2025 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

I have addressed this unique property on the west end of Susanville’s Main Street, just below the Elk’s Lodge. While reviewing the Lassen Advocate of May 22, 1914, I came across this tidbit:

“J.A. Adams is circulating a petition for making of what he calls a ‘park’ at the head of Main Street in front of the J. Henry Swain’s residence, where the wagon-ways branch to north and west. A bit of landscape gardening in the triangle at that point might prove to be attractive, but those who remember the old bandstand abuses of twenty or more years ago, will doubt the merit of the proposal, as the town can not afford to hire a caretaker at present.”

Tim

History

Before Amedee There Was Liegan

January 2, 2025 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

In June 1891, E.W. Hayden, editor and publisher of Susanville’s Lassen Advocate made a trip to Amedee, the Nevada-California-Oregon Railway’s (NCO) new terminus. In his mind, he was prepared to see another wide spot in the road like its predecessor, Liegan, located some ten miles to the south. Liegan was the terminus of the NCO from September 1888 to November1890. It was a remote, desolate location. There is scant documentation about this station. Hayden, before writing about the bustling activity at Amedee, provided this rare glimpse about Liegan.

“Then one is surprised, for most of us expected to see Liegan repeated, that is, a small freight house, a bale of hay, a sack of grain, a post, perhaps several posts to hitch horses to, three of four barrels of water hauled out from Doyle for drinking and domestic uses and a place in which to take meals, and which in the matter construction and value was not up to the average Honey Lake henhouse.

”This about what was comprised in Liegan, the first. Later it was much improved, but Amedee at first sight would cause ‘Old Josh Whitcomb’ to say ‘Well I be goll durned.’”

Then there a published story in which four men from Surprise Valley took the stage to Liegan bound for Reno. After nearly a week being stranded there , the men started out on foot to follow the railroad tracks to Reno. As the story goes “A week at Liegan is enough to drive almost anyone wild.”

News

It is a New Year

January 1, 2025 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Here it is the first day, of the first month of 2025. That is my profound statement. No revelations or grandiose goals. Actually, I wrote this brief post back in October, and a lack of inspiration.

However, today’s illustration I thought would refreshing since it is going be awhile when nature is green again in all its splendor. This corral is located north of McCoy Flat Reservoir and is a somewhat relic of past. They were once a scene of bustling activity in the fall, when livestock would be rounded up to relocated to lower elevation for the winter.

The regular programming will resume tomorrow.

Tim

News

Tuesday Tidbit-Just Because

December 31, 2024 Tim Purdy 2 Comments

The Southern Pacific Railway in the early 1900s initiated promotion brochures, especially in the areas where it was expanding operations. These glossy booklets were subsided by city and/or county governments. This became the foundation of Sunset Magazine.

The above illustration appeared in 1908 edition of Lassen County that was published by Sunset. The three houses depicted still are in existence, though they have been remodeled through years. The new owner of the house depicted at the bottom relies on the internet search, like Zillow to find the history of the house. They inquired if the information was correct. Consider the source. This year I experienced way too many internet sleuths, who wanted me to their verify findings, especially the ones who paid search fee and then expect me to do such work for free. I am not going down those rabbit holes. A final note as to my rant of the North Pine Street house. The house appeared in a 1878 photograph at an auction site, but it was too pricey for my budget.

Have a safe and sane Happy New Years Eve-Tim