Historic Buildings in the Land of Lakes is the latest annual publication of the Shaw Historical Library. If you are not familiar with these publications they are quality books in both content and production.
I have not had an opportunity to read my copy yet, since I busy preparing the 2025 Calendar for production. Locally there is a wide range of historic buildings from the Constantia Church to the St. Francis Hotel. The book casts a wide net of structures that will delight many from the Adin Supply Store, the Alturas Depot and one my favorite off beaten path places, Camp McGarry.
Copies of “Historic Buildings” can be purchased in Susanville at Margie’s Book Nook or by contacting the Shaw Historical Library by email at shawlib@oit.edu or by calling 541-885-1686.
McKissick’s frieght team near Wendel, November 26, 1906. Courtesy of Katie Penning French
Today is World Gratitude Day. When I first began my research, I had no idea that it would be a life long journey. There are some folks from my earliest days, that I want to thank posthumously. First. there was Frank Satica (1922-1982) who started it all. I admit when growing up, I was very naive and believed everything. I was told. When Frank told me the tale that the World’s First Champion Cowboy (John Best McKissick) was buried at Secret Valley some thirty miles northeast of Susanville, I did not believe him. One would think that a person of that notoriety would be common knowledge. My journey began as a novice researcher, who knew almost nothing how to locate this type of information. After all this was pre-internet days. The first person I contacted was Abe Jensen, a former Lassen County Fair Manager and for whom Jensen Hall is named for. Abe knew about the McKissick story and gave me names of other people that were more knowledgeable. One of those folks was Merlyn “Mul” Mulroney who opened my world to other interesting events of the region. If you are wondering, yes it is true about McKissick. He won the title at the Centennial World Exposition in 1876 that was held in Philadelphia.
Finally, I want to give a shout out to Tandy Bozeman, and Michael, too. Tandy put together my first website and then in 2015, this one. Tandy is aware that I am technology challenged, so he is always there to give a lending hand. Sometimes, its calls for reinforcement and his son-in-law, Michael steps in for the task at hand. Thank you so much.
T.B. Walker spent the winter and early spring of 1913 at San Francisco to monitor the progress of the construction of the mill and the future company town of Westwood. Not all was going well. Not only his son Clinton was adamant that Mountain Meadows was not the right place for the mill, contractor in charge agreed as well.
In the spring T.B. Walker was ready to return home to Minneapolis. He wanted to visit Westwood, but had to decline. He could not travel there via Susanville, since there was a movement on foot to relocate the mill. The other option was take the Western Pacific train via the Feather River Canyon. Walker had a fear of that canyon, that he could get caught in a rock slide.
It was not until the summer of 1917 that Walker made the trip. He had a special guest, John Andrus. Andrus was a New York investor who help finance T.B.’s acquisition of Northern California timberland. They formed the Waland Lumber Company with the intent to build a sawmill in their holdings. Andrus had never seen these holdings, thus Walker’s invite. On July 7, the entourage arrived in Westwood. It was a low key affair and most the time was spent touring the Northern California properties.
The parade, August 10, 1917. D.M. Durst Collection
While there are no longer grizzly bears in Lassen County, locally the name was a applied to a World War I infantry unit, and the Lassen High School adopted the grizzly as its mascot in 1929.
On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany and marked its entry into World War I. It was something that President Woodrow Wilson had attempted to avoid for two years. An all effort began seeking volunteers to fight in the war. On August 10, 1917, sixty-five men from Lassen, Modoc and Plumas Counties gathered at Susanville’s Methodist Church for roll call as members of Battery F, Second Light Artillery Division. Afterwards, Susanville’s businesses closed in observance, and the volunteers marched down Main Street, and onwards to the railroad depot on Richmond Road. It was in many ways a solemn occasion. This initial group were dubbed the “grizzlies,” who originated the monicker is not known.
The send off of the first recruits of World War I from Lassen and Modoc Counties at the Susanville Depot. Courtesy of Lola L. Tanner
Yes, that is correct the grizzly bears once roamed the region, albeit briefly with the settlement of the region. In August 1873, at Devil’s Corral, Morgan Williams spotted one such bear. Further north, in 1878 the grizzlies were problematic for sheep men. In June 1878, J.J. Board spotted four such bears, that killed fourteen of his sheep. In retaliation, Bogard killed three grizzly bears. Finally, the last documentation of grizzly bears in Lassen County occurred in 1879. This happened in far northeastern Lassen County, in the Warner Mountains. In September, George Powers killed a grizzly weighing over 800 pounds at Blue Lake.
Piute Creek flood of April 9, 1938. Courtesy of Margaret A. Purdy
I am seeking a photograph of Piute Creek. It does not need to be historic. Maybe kids fishing during Junior Fishing Derby. In the alternative a catch of catfish would suffice. Thank you.
When I pulled my Lassen County Wildlife file, I realized there were a bevy topics that I thought of be interest. There subjects of which have never published. Take for instance the Grizzly bears in the region of the 1870s. The Pyramid Lake trout was a local hot issue during the 1930s. Did you know that in 1909 the ring-necked pheasant was introduced in the Honey Lake Valley? The next several months we will explore. those topics and much more.
This very rare 1887 brand book, I obtained before it went to the dump. Only five copes known to be existence. The last one sold at a 1997 auction for $10,000.
For some thing a bit different some tales of my earlier days when I did lot of dumpster diving to salvage historical records from destruction. This involved both private and public records.
In 1984, Milford resident David Ross called me and stated he had a box of old books and photographs and wanted to know if I was interested. Of course, I paid Dave a visit, as one just never knows what treasures might exist. There were a few interesting items, and some well I tossed. I was intrigued with an old leather brand book that I had never seen before. Years later, I was working on a project with Alvin McClane of Desert Research Institute on a past and present photographic survey at Eagle Lake. He happened to spot the brand book on my bookshelf, and informed me that it was very rare and very valuable.
Paul Bunyan Lumber Company, 1953. Courtesy of Fred Lendman
In another instance, in 1985 I received a telephone call from Fred Lendman, a forester for the Paul Bunyan Lumber Company in Anderson, Shasta County. Fred stated the company was going to toss a portfolio of some 300 8×10 photographs of that company when it was located in Susanville during 1940s and 1950s.. Needless to say, I quickly made arrangements and off to Anderson I went.
One now has a little glimpse as to how I have but together a unique archive collection of the region. More tales to follow.
Goodrich Creek, Mountain Meadows, 1914-Minnesota Historical Society
Mountain Meadows located in the western section of Lassen County comprises some 12,000 acres. Prior to the establishment of Westwood in 1912, its hub of activity was at Coppervale. More about that in a minute.
In 1860, Dr. Atlas Fredonyer became the first settler. He remained there for two years and William B. Long briefly settled on his claim. In the early 1860s copper was discovered in the vicinity. When Carlton C. Goodrich petitioned for a post office he suggested the name of Coppervale. It was granted and the Coppervale Post Office opened for business on May 24, 1864 with Goodrich as first postmaster.
In 1885, L.M. McKenney’s Directory of Northern California provided the following description of Coppervale: “A small town with a post office situated midway between Prattville and Susanville. sixteen miles from the latter place. It has a try-weekly stage route each way between these two points. Mountain Meadows, in which the town is located, has an area of 12,000 acres, principally devoted to stock raising and dairying.”
In 1886, Goodrich passed away. He owned 7,650 acres there. He had put up on the market in 1885, but it was not until 1909 his estate sold it to John Crouch. Crouch would later sell it to the Red River Lumber Company where that Company established the town of Westwood.
In 1888, the Mountain Meadows School District was organized. A school house was built in 1892. In 1902 the school was closed for a lack of students.
A primary reason the region did fully develop in the late 1800s was the weather. Mountain Meadows is susceptible to heavy winter snows. A number of the ranchers who located there wintered at Red Bluff.
Susanville Branch, of the Lassen County Free Library, 1920
On Monday, September 9th, the Lassen Library District has closed its doors temporarily due to a much needed renovation. It is anticipated that it will re-open February. It is a hinderance, but I have wealth of records in the archives I maintain.
While I do have the luxury of large number volumes of bound local newspapers, I still rely upon the library’s microfilm collection. The major impact is obituary requests. As an alternative, if know of the newspaper, and citation date, as well page and column the California State Library can provide assistance.
Of course, newspapers are just one source of material. For instance, I am researching when the residence at 120 North Roop Street, Susanville was built. An alternative of newspaper source, normally I would consult Book of Agreements lodged in the Lassen County Recorder’s Office. During the early 1900s, it was common for a building contractor and their client to record an building agreement as to the specifications, costs, etc. Alas, there is temporary roadblock there as well due the fact that those records are in storage because of the Lassen County Courthouse Renovation project.*
Patience is virtue, so I am grateful that the access of those records is just temporary and not permanent.
*Mechanics Liens is a good source of building records.
Historic Buildings in the Land of Lakes is the latest annual publication of the Shaw Historical Library. If you are not familiar with these publications they are quality books in both content and production.
