News

Go Exploring!

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Goggle sign
When traveling the back country around these parts. Google maps and GPS not the best move. Use some common sense. Though it should be noted that AAA maps indicated Shinn Ranch Road was maintained. May be it was back in the 1870s when the Shinns lived there.

This happens to be one of a few annual posts that I repeat. I enjoy this  interesting editorial from the Lassen Advocate of June 21, 1929.  Take the paper’s advice and go exploring, no matter where you reside.

Know Your Country

If you were wondering what to do with your weekends this summer, have you ever given any thought to the fact that you don’t know your own county and the wonderful lake and mountain country immediately contiguous.

Within a few hours of Susanville there are numerous beautiful lakes as well as some beautiful streams and excellent camping spots.

How many have been to Drakesbad and to the top of Mount Lassen? How many have been to the ice caves near Eagle Lake and Wilson Lake?

There are many trips that can be taken from Susanville in the morning returning the same evening and traversing in the meantime a lot of new country that you have never seen before. Beauty spots near a mountain stream with clear sparkingly water are numerous where one may have their picnic lunch.

Try and see your own neck of the woods this summer. You will find many a pleasant day in store for you.

Tim

News

2025 Calendar Photograph Reject

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The photograph in question

On my New Year’s Eve post, I made the commitment for a 2025 Calendar. Of course, photograph selections are challenging, especially since I like the portrait style, Those photographs are more difficult to locate. Without further adieu . . .there are some  photographs that appear promising, but that eventually go into the reject pile. Today’s featured photograph is one of them. It is an interesting concept of an aerial view of Susanville with Lassen Peak in the background. The problem is that its lack clarity, thus would not reproduce well.

By the way, if you have a photograph you want to submit, please contact me. I also accept current color photographs for the cover. See Dow Wells below.

Dow Wells, October 8, 2020

Tim

History

Petes Creek & Valley Lassen County

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Pete’s Creek, 1916—-Betty B. Deal

Petes Creek is a small desert stream that originates near Horse Lake and then flows into a southerly direction where it empties into Willow Creek, at a site referred to as the “The Crossing.”

The who, when and what of naming the creek is not known. In 1944, Phil Lord attributed the naming after Peter Lassen during his 1850 expedition of the region. Lassen accompanied by J. Goldsborough Bruff among others. Bruff kept a diary of the travels, and upon close examination  its apparent they never came across this stream.

The area, even by today’s standard is somewhat remote. It was not until the 1890s that Petes Valley came into prominence.  In 1897, tjhe Associated Colonies purchased the Petes Valley Ranch as part of their Standish Colony scheme. They provided the following information about that place and their intended operations: “In order to give Standish colonists an opportunity to engage in the cattle industry on the most profitable terms, the Associated Colonies purchased one of the best stock ranches in northern California. By herding their cattle together the small farmers of Standish wil have the advantages enjoyed by large cattle owners. Under this systems the man who owns ten head of stock will have  precisely the same facilities as the man who owns a thousand head. The Standish Colony stock ranch and ranges is in Petes Valley, only about ten miles distant from the village of Standish. It is commonly spoken among stock men as a ‘little principality.’ It controls the water of a creek along which the titled land extends for a distance of six miles. The range surrounding the ranch proper includes 20,000 acres and furnishes good summer pasturage for at least 5,000 head of stock.”

The Associated Colonies Standish utopia floundered and so with it their vision Petes Valley—best known today for opening day of pigeon season on September 1.

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History

Lassen County Bans Fishing

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Eagle Lake fishing
Bass fishermen at the south shore of Eagle Lake, 1914.

Having been a long time observer of local politics, I am past the stage of shock and awe. Every now and then in my research I come across some things that leave, well just plain dumfounded. Today’s topic is one them.

For unknown reasons on April 28, 1924 the Lassen County Board of Supervisors held a special session—the agenda item to ban fishing. The supervisors gave no rhyme or reason why such action was needed. It did not stop them from proceeding. They drafted an ordinance and they would adopt it at their regular meeting on May 5.

Camp 38
Camp 38, Red River Lumber Company at Lake Almanor circa 1925—Hank Martinez

The California Division of Fish and Wildlife was not amused. They informed the county supervisors  the matter was unconstitutional. In addition, their local game wardens were told not to enforce it. The local nimrods were not pleased either and they let their voices heard. Needless to say when the board of supervisors held their regular meeting, the matter was tabled.

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History

Goodrich Reservoir, Lassen County

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Goodrich crossing and reservoir in 1914. Minnesota Historical Society

While most reservoirs in the region were constructed for agricultural purposes, there is always an exception to the rule. The Goodrich Reservoir on Goodrich Creek near Westwood was constructed in 1912, by the Red River Lumber Company. Its main purpose was for a domestic water supply for the residents of Westwood and also as a water supply for Red River’s millpond. During the winter months, it found another use as it was a popular ice-skating spot.

During the drought of 1924, Goodrich Creek could not provide for a stable water supply for Westwood. A pipeline was constructed  from Clear Creek to Westwood to correct the problem. In 1931, the State of California inspected the dam, deemed it a hazard and was removed.

Tim

History

Early Telephone History

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Cover of Susanville’s first telephone directory.—Mathews family

In the spring of 1910, a new telephone company for the region was established—the California Northern Telephone & Telegraph Company. The principal figures behind the company were W.E. Hills, Scott Hendricks and A.J. Mathews. Their mission was to provide for long distance telephone service for northeastern California. On October 4, 1910 the City of Susanville granted the company a fifty-year franchise. In return the City received free phone service for the fire hall, marshal’s office and two-percent of the gross annual receipts.

In the summer and fall of 1910, company invested $30,000 to construct a telephone line from Susanville to Big Meadows (today Lake Almanor) and onward to Quincy. On September 12, 1911, the entire sysrem was completed, with hookups throughout the Honey Lake Valley. On that date, Susanville residents could call long distance anywhere in California! At the Susanville office, three operators were hired. Such operators were generally known as “hello girls.” Those initial operators  were Nina Turnbaugh, Lucille Pearce and Eva Lanigar. The first two worked the day shift and the latter the night shift. Telephone operators would be referred to as “hello girls” until the advent of World War II. In 1951, the operator’s job became easier with direct dialing, when rotary dial telephones were introduced in Susanville.

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History

Red River’s #102 Locomotive

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Red River’s 102, with a jammer in tow.

In 1914, Red River Lumber Company purchased three Baldwin locomotives from. the Tonopah Goldfield Railroad for its Westwood operation. Of course, Red River had quite a fleet of locomtives at Westwood.

The 102 remained in operation during Red River’s tenure there and the locomotive became the property of Fruit Growers Supply Company in 1944. When Fruit Growers closed the Westwood mill in 1956, the 102 was sold for scrap.

Tim

History

The Saga of California’s Last Gray Wolf

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Frank &. Leda (Wood) Koehler

Note: In 2011, the first appearance of a gray wolf was reported in California. Prior to then, the last gray wolf in California was trapped in Lassen County in 1924.

At first I was going to do a condensed version of the account, but the Lassen Advocate had such a compelling story that I decided to transcribe it.

Lassen Advocate, Susanville, California, June 13, 1924 1;4 “Frank Koehler Gets Large Gray Wolf, June 12 – Frank W. Koehler, United States hunter and trapper had a thrilling experience yesterday afternoon when he encountered what is now almost an extinct species of animal in the United States, especially in this part of the country.

“June 2, Koehler had been called by G.E. Seeber at Litchfield to help him out as the coyotes had killed 50 of his young turkeys. That day Koehler set out seven settings of three traps each and returning to his settings on June 7 found that he had caught a coyote but he had broken away and escaped. He set his traps in the same place and yesterday afternoon returned to see what had been happening.

Continue reading The Saga of California’s Last Gray Wolf →

History

Susan River’s Colony Dam

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The Colony Dam, Susan River, November 1897. Courtesy of Betty Barry Deal

When proposed and built this dam on the lower Susan River just below where Willow Creek feeds into it was controversial. Nothing truly unusual about since water has and will be a heated issue.

When the Associated Colonies of New York proposed their puritan community of Standish in the Honey Lake Valley, they created the Colonial Irrigation Company to handle the complex water right issues of Susan  River, the main water source for Standish.  The community had a European design, wherein the residents resided in a clustered village, but tended to their farms/livestock  that surrounded the village.

Whatever the case may be,  in November 1897, the Colonial Irrigation Company began work on the controversial Colony Dam on the Susan River.. The construction of the dam outraged their neighbors downstream in the Tule District, who claimed it obstructed their water flow and riparian rights. The Tule folks took the matter to court and not only asked for an injunction, but demanded the $12,000 dam be removed as a nuisance.

The old Smith homestead, also known as the Brubeck field. November 19, 2015

Lewis Brubeck, who owned the Smith place in the Tules (now a part of the Fleming Unit of Fish & Game), also filed a separate lawsuit against the Company in 1898, as the waters of the river had been diverted, never reaching his property. The Brubeck verdict was important to the Tule people, for while Brubeck only received a damage award of $750, the court placed a restraining order against the Company, preventing them from irrigating any other lands until Brubeck’s lands were thoroughly irrigated. It was a major court ruling, that with future lawsuits would bring about the landmark adjudication of Fleming v Bennett filed in 1934.

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Exploring Lassen County's Past