Round Valley Reservoir is located north of Susanville in the Willow Creek Valley region. The private reservoir came about as a fall out of investors of Captain C.A. Merrill’s campaign to construct an Eagle Lake tunnel for irrigation. Two of Merrill’s associates and John L. Davie and Frederick Getchell severed ties with him. On December 3, 1884, Davie and Getchell purchased a ranch in Willow Creek Valley, which included adjoining Round Valley, from Susanville financier, William Greehn for $4,000. The locals dubbed the new enterprise, “The San Francisco Ranch” as the owners were from that fair city. The name stuck, though it would later be known as the Lonkey Ranch and today as Five Dot.
For Davie and Getchell to make this a successful enterprise, they would need to develop an adequate water supply. The solution, place a dam at Round Valley. The valley is a small basin, yet a reservoir there could store the winter run-off, to provide irrigation in the summer. John T. White, the resident manager of the San Francisco Ranch, was assigned the task to have the Round Valley dam constructed. In August 1887, White came to Susanville in search of common labor to construct the dam. White offered those willing to work a $1.25 per day, plus room and board. There were few takers, but not enough to undertake the dam construction. To alleviate the labor problem White brought forty Chinese laborers from Dutch Hill, Nevada County, California to construct the dam. By Christmas, 1887 new the dam was completed.
My great grandfather is Camille. My father was one of the grandsons who lived on the ranch during that difficult time. Verdi Lonkey Shirley, Georgianna and Camille’s daughter was my father’s mother. The pictures you’ve shared of their ranch are gems. Thank you for the enlightening story especially about the size of their 25,000 spread. I tell you what would be nice to see are pictures of Camille and his step father Oliver Lonkey on horseback. I’ve been to the Verdi History Center and didn’t uncover any photos there. Perhaps you can point me in the right direction and suggest what course of action to take. Again thank you for your accounts about my family.