THE LUMBER INDUSTRY EMERGES AND EVOLVES IN SHASTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

Filmed on location.

On this episode of Exploring Shasta County history we examine the lumber industry in Shasta County, California, which began in 1844, evolving from a frontier necessity into a primary economic driver that peaked in the mid-20th century, and never had an industrial bust, yet it kept evolving into the industry it is today with many changes overtime from hand tools to mechanized machinery, sawmills,  transportation equipment and more making it a lucrative industry for logging companies to be a part of. 

Above: Jeff Reed, left, and John Hansel whipsaw a tree circa 1890, with a dog in the foreground. Courtesy of Shasta Historical Society.

Resources: 

Interests Are Varied - The San Francisco Call newspaper of San Francisco, December 26, 1901

Northern Sawmills - The Fresno Bee newspaper of Fresno, May 1, 1903

Shasta's Lumbering Industry is Second to Mining - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 21, 1904

Lumbering Interests in Northern California - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, January 22, 1907

Lumber Plants of Northern California - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 20, 1907

Studies Smelting and Lumbering - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 14, 1907

Studying Economic Conditions in Northern California - The Marysville Daily Appeal newspaper of Marysville - July 17, 1907

Cottonwood Is Shipping Point - The Sacramento Union newspaper of Shasta, September 19, 1911

10 Largest Timber Holdings in the State - The Ventura Free Press newspaper of Ventura, January 17, 1916

Defense Spurs Lumber Industry in Shasta County - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, March 18, 1941

My Playhouse Was A Concord Coach, an anthology of newspaper clippings and documents relating to those who made California history during the years 1822-1888, by Mae Hélène Bacon Boggs. Published by Howell-North Press ©1942 

Lumber Payroll Here is $5 Million - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, March 21, 1946

Shasta Leads in Lumber - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 27, 1946

Flumes, Steam Tractors Hauled Lumber in Early Days - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, July 17, 1947

Shasta County, California A History by Rosena Giles, published by Biobooks, ©1949.

Spring Lumber Boom Expected; Prices Up - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, December 23, 1949

Sustained Yield is New Idea to Assure Stability in Shasta's Lumber Industry - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, June 10, 1950

Way Back When - Myrtle McNamar, published by C.A.T. Publishing of Redding, California, 1952. 282 pages.

Lumberman Predict Good Year Ahead - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, January 12, 1955

Lumberman Wonder What Future Will Bring - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, April 12, 1957

Lumber Is Big Business in California; Started in 1843 - The Blue Lake Advocate newspaper of Blue Lake, July 28, 1960

Say Tree Growing Practiced Right Can Equal Cutting - The Geyserville Press newspaper of Geyserville, July 29, 1960

Heroes of the Western Woods - Ralph W. Andrews, published by Dutton & Co., Inc., New York: E.P.  ©1960.

Famous Old Sawmills of the Shingletown Ridge. Written by Leo T. Cunningham. The Covered Wagon 1965, pp. 15-20. Published by Shasta Historical Society.

Tight Money Brings Lumber Industry to Brink of Slump written by John Lawson - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, October 6, 1966

Aerial Logging Opens New Land written by Henry Bussey - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, February 25, 1971

Clear Cut Logging: Crime or Conservation? - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 7, 1971

Helicopters Aid Logging Industry - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, October 5, 1979

Logging Woes: How Much More? Written by John Crowe - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, December 24, 1979

Where The 'Ell Is Shingletown? The Shingletown Story by Marion V. Allen ©1979 Printed by Press Room Inc., Redding, California, Pages 81. 

Leaves of the Past, 1828-1880 by Ruth Hitchcock Book Five, Association for Northern California Records and Research. Chico: California State University Meriam Library. ©1980.

Birth Of the Shasta County lumber industry - by Jeremy M. Tuggle - Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, January 13, 2017 

Selected Sawmills of the Shingletown Area - by Jeremy M. Tuggle - Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, February 4, 2017 

LA MOINE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 1906 Tree fallers working for La Moine Lumber and Trading Co.'s property at La Moine, Shasta County, California, summer of 1906. SOURCE Miller, C. R. (Charles Richard), 1875-1934.

A California Historical Landmark: Battle Creek Bridge.

Filmed on location: December 27, 2025. 

Battle Creek marks the county line for Shasta and Tehama Counties in northern California. Come learn about this bridge which spans two counties and was built in 1911. It is owned by Shasta County and Tehama County, California.

RESOURCES: 

Biggest Power Ditch Is on Battle Creek - The Daily People’s Cause newspaper of Red Bluff, September 4, 1911

Battle Creek Bridge Falls into Stream - Loss $15,000 - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 5, 1911

Battle Creek Bridge to Cost About $8,000 - The Daily People’s Cause newspaper of Red Bluff, September 8, 1911

The Battle Creek Bridge Is Needed - The Red Bluff News newspaper of Red Bluff, September 15, 1911

Lift Bridge Now Belongs to County - The Daily People’s Cause newspaper of Red Bluff, September 19, 1911

Contract Let for Battle Creek Span - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 22, 1911

Go to Battle Creek Bridge - The Daily People’s Cause Cause newspaper of Red Bluff, October 20, 1911

Battle Creek Bridge Accepted by the Board - The Daily People’s Cause newspaper of Red Bluff, November 27, 1911

Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, California, the Shasta County Connections, the Famous and the Historical Figures.

This documentary starts with local Shasta County, California, pioneers, which continues to cover some of the nationally renowned famous people, as well as some of the historical figures buried within this amazing 226-acre cemetery. Journey with me as we explore the Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, Alameda County, California, which was established in 1863. From murder victim Elizabeth Short also known as the Black Dahlia, to legendary Oakland rapper Mac Dre, and then to Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, Ernie Lombardi, is just a small portion of the famous people buried here. Among the millionaires are Domenico Ghirardelli and Charles Crocker, who are both historical figures like James A. Folger, and Henry G. Blasdell. Come find out about the life these famous and historical people led.

Video filmed on location July 31, 2024.

Oft Forgotten Places in Shasta County

This article might be turned into a series about oft forgotten place names in Shasta County, California, which were formerly up-and-coming places to live in our beautiful region of northern California. Let’s take a look at some of them today and explore their history below...

Above: an 1884-1914 map of Shasta County, California, showing Allen's Station or Allen. The United States Fish Hatchery at Baird on the McCloud River is also shown here. Source: Cal Topo.

Allen’s Station also known as Allen, it was a community which was overshadowed by the townsite of Baird, situated in Section 23, Township 34, North, Range 4 West and a half-mile north of the United States Fish Hatchery at Baird on the McCloud River. It was a settlement, resort and a favorite stopping place during its prime which attracted nationwide travelers. Local resident George Allen established this one-time thriving location in 1872. Years later, in 1881, a man named Intrepid Morse Wiley, became the operator of the resort and stopping place at this location which was also called Allen’s Station. Breakfast, lunch and dinner meals were sold for twenty-five cents a plate and the meals were prepped here by Wiley and his wife. 

It was a first-class hotel and restaurant with an open fireplace and comfortable furniture which made their patrons feel at home while lounging around. Swimming, and fishing were popular here along the river as well. However, it was no match for the new community of Baird becoming the larger community in the area and the Biard United States Post Office came to fruition by the United States Postal Service headquarters in Washington D.C., on April 8, 1878, with Myron Green as the first postmaster. The townsite of Baird and its U.S. Post Office was named in honor of Professor Spencer E. Baird, the first Federal Fish Commissioner. 

Later on, the Baird United States Post Office was discontinued on January 31, 1920, which made the population decline in the area. Eventually it was re-established again on October 16, 1929, and it wasn't until July 17, 1933, when it was discontinued again. Allen's Station and Baird are now under Shasta Lake, and in the end, Baird became an oft-forgotten place as well.

Above: the townsite of Baird, in Shasta County, outgrew the community of Allen's Station.

Courtesy of Shasta Historical Society.

Elderton, was an agricultural community where farming and stock-raising was the main industry which helped establish this community. This community was settled in 1860, and later that year, on October 17, 1860, John C. Divine took charge as the first postmaster of this United States Post Office, and it became a townsite complete with a rural general merchandise store which housed their United States Post Office. The townsite of Elderton was a booming location which was located four miles west of Cottonwood. However, the prosperous growth of the town of Cottonwood merged with this oft-forgotten locality and its United States Post Office became discontinued on September 20, 1862, as Cottonwood burgeoned with success and Elderton's mail route was rerouted to the Cottonwood United States Post Office at that time. 

Above: a list of post offices in California showing those in operation in March of 1853. Kilna (Potter's Ferry) is mentioned in the Shasta County group. It was one of three post offices in Shasta County at that time. From the Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, March 26, 1853

During 1852, the Wright Ferry, which was owned and operated by Eugene Wright & Otis Seaman sold their ferry to William Potter Jr., and Potter changed the name of this ferry to Potter’s Ferry which was then located one hundred yards south of the mouth of Spring Creek. Potter then relocated his ferry below the mouth of Rock Creek on the Sacramento River near Middle Creek (north of the present-day site of the Ribbon bridge.) Kilna, was a nearby settlement at the mouth of Middle Creek which was first settled in 1852 and later that year the United States Postal Service headquarters in Washington D.C., established a United States Post Office there on November 10, 1852, with William Potter Jr., as the first postmaster due to its flourishing population. It was located at the site of Potter’s Ferry, which was owned and operated by local ferryman, William Potter Jr., on the Sacramento River at Middle Creek. The town of Kilna boomed overnight and yet just as quickly as the townsite emerged out-of-nowhere it faded into becoming a footnote in history. On October 27, 1853, the United States Postal Service headquarters in Washington D.C., discontinued Kilna’s United States Post Office. William Potter Jr., was the last and only postmaster at this locality. The town of Kilna declined in population and it became deceased just as quickly as it emerged. Years later, a town called Waugh also known as Middle Creek formed at the same location as Kilna, and is now considered a ghost town along the Sacramento River Trail at Middle Creek with a few reminders of its hey-day remaining.

Believe it or not, Shasta County had a thriving mining settlement called Nebraska, which was located on Clear Creek, and situated in between the burgeoning towns of Texas Springs and Briggsville. Nebraska was a thriving community which saw an increase of population from 100 residents to 750 residents in 1855 due to lucrative gold strikes in the area.  Five years later, only two residents remained in this declining community due to the mines not producing lucrative ore, and by 1861 the settlement deceased. Even today, Texas Springs and Briggsville outgrew Nebraska and there are a few relics from those townsites which remain visible to the public eye.

Above: the town of Texas Springs is featured on the official 1862 map of Shasta County. Note: it's called "Texas" instead of Texas Spring and Briggsville is called "Briggs" instead of Briggsville. Nebraska is not mentioned on it had vanished before Colonel William MaGee surveyed this map in February of 1862. It became the first official map of Shasta County.

Pine View, was another booming lumber settlement which was first settled in 1884. It was located eight miles west of Shingletown and fourteen miles north-east of Balls Ferry. Pine View included a one-room schoolhouse which was established there on May 4, 1885, and was utilized to advance the education of the local school children in the area who were taught there by one teacher. The schoolhouse was erected in 1885 on the Balls Ferry to Shingletown Road approximately a half mile east of the Lack Creek bridge.

Later, the Pine View schoolhouse was relocated to an open meadow about a half-mile of Lack Creek bridge. Florence Pugh was the teacher here in 1899 and 1900. The school continued to be utilized until May 9, 1919, when the school was transferred into the Sheridan School District due to a decline in the community’s population which eventually was the death knell of this locality.

RESOURCES: 

List Of Post Offices - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, March 26, 1853

List Of U.S. Post Offices and Postmasters in the State of California - The San Joaquin Republican newspaper of Stockton, August 18, 1854

Clear Creek Ditch - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, October 27, 1855

Increase Of Our Population - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, November 3, 1855

List of Post Offices on the Pacific Coast - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, October 25, 1862

San Francisco Bulletin newspaper of San Francisco, March 15, 1879

The Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 8, 1884

The Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 10, 1884

Shasta County, California A History by Rosena Giles, published by Biobooks, ©1949.

Place Names of Shasta County by Gertrude A. Steger revision by Helen Hinckley Jones, ©1966 by La Siesta Press, Glendale, California

U.S., Appointments of U.S. Postmasters, 1832-1971

California Unearthed: History Of Historic Parkville Pioneer Cemetery - ECV Plaque Dedication

I am featured in the newest episode of California Unearthed with its host Robert Frazier. Watch and learn about the amazing history of Parkville and about the pioneering families who are buried there in the Parkville Pioneer Cemetery. Thanks Robert for allowing me to be on your show. We'll have to collaborate more in the future... subscribe to his YouTube channel today. See below:

Shingletown, Circa 1900 Photograph

How cool is this! This is the newest accessioned photo into our archives at Shasta Historical Society, we acquired it today! I’ve been granted a copy of this photo which is getting edited. I took this snapshot of the picture because I couldn’t wait to share it amongst family and friends. 22 of the 28 people that are pictured have been identified below:

Front Row Sitting On Ground L-R: Archie “Arch” Taylor and William “Billie” Taylor.

Sitting: L-R: Carrie (Barnes) Tuggle (1875-1949), Elizabeth (Finger) Schuler, and Mrs. Mary C. Scharsch.

Back Top Row Standing: R-L:  Louisa M. Loomis (baby), Mrs. Estelle Loomis, William “Billy” S.B. Townsley (man with gray beard behind Mrs. Loomis), unidentified male child, Harvey “Harve” E. Taylor, Nancy Taylor, unidentified female child, George F. Schuler, John Schuler, unidentified male, Lou Taylor, and James “Jimmie” M. Barnes.

Left Side Lower Row Standing R-L: Melinda (Ferrel) Tuggle (directly behind Carrie (Barnes) Tuggle and Elizabeth (Finger) Schuler. Addison J. Tuggle (1866-1916),  Adleta Maybelle Tuggle with her mother Carrie (Barnes) Tuggle {blurry} (1894-1932). Unidentified female child. Unidentified male in back of Addison J. Tuggle. Unidentified male child in front of Addison J. Tuggle.  John Hall with walking stick pointing up. Lydia (Barnes) Shamp, Unidentified person, Madie Myers, Albert Schuler, and Emma Schuler.

Place: Shingletown, circa 1900. My paternal great-great-great grandmother, Melinda (Ferrel) Tuggle  was born January 17, 1826 and she died on March 17, 1901, at the age of seventy-five years old. She is buried in the Parkville Pioneer Cemetery. Melinda lived on Ash Creek at Shingletown. Addison J. Tuggle had his place at Balls Ferry. She arrived in Shasta County in 1862. This is the only known photograph of her.

Above: original group photo. Lightly faded in parts.

Above: Circled: Addison J. Tuggle (1866-1916) and his mother Melinda (Ferrel) Tuggle (1826-1901), Carrie (Barnes) Tuggle (1875-1949) with her daughter Adleta Maybelle Tuggle (1894-1932)