BENJAMIN BARNARD REDDING (1824-1882); THE NAMESAKE OF THE CITY OF REDDING, IN SHASTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

 

Filmed on location on October 19, 2024.

In my newest video you can visit the headstone and grave of Benjamin Barnard Redding who was born on January 17, 1824, to Fitz W. Redding and his wife Mary at Yartmouth, Yartmouth County, Nova Scotia, Canada, and died in San Francisco on August 21, 1882. Benjamin Barnard Redding is the man who the town of Redding, California was named for which was established on June 15, 1872, by the California & Oregon Railroad, a division of the Central Pacific Railroad. He was also a mayor of Sacramento in 1856 among other high profiled positions in California. He also became a land agent of the Central Pacific Railroad. This is the Redding family plot in the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery, in Sacramento, California, while I chase Shasta County's history to this historic location. Don't miss out, this is the newest video from Exploring Shasta County History... 

RESOURCES:

B.B. REDDING - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper, of Sacramento, August 22, 1882

DEATH OF B.B. REDDING - The Shasta Courier newspaper, of Shasta, August 26, 1882

Redding: A Railroad Town’s Transition Into A Flourishing City written by Jeremy M. Tuggle, July 10, 2018

Visiting the Grave of Benjamin Barnard Redding (1824-1882), the Man Whom Redding Is Named For written by Jeremy M. Tuggle, February 25, 2019

Benjamin B. Redding Find A Grave Memorial

Sacramento Historic City Cemetery 

SHASTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY - HOW REDDING GOT ITS NAME

Elias Anderson (1817-1907), the Founder of Anderson, California.

 

How did the City of Anderson receive its name? Who was the person this burgeoning present-day city is named for? When was the City of Anderson incorporated? Find out more about Elias Anderson and the city which bores his surname in this newest installment of Exploring Shasta County History from local historian and author, Jeremy M. Tuggle. 

RESOURCES:

Elias Anderson in the California, U.S., Pioneer and Immigrant Files, 1790-1950; available on Ancestry.com

1830 U.S. Census

A HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY, MISSOURI.

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

1850 U.S. Census

School Districts of Shasta County 1853-1955 compiled by Veronica Satorius

1860 U.S. Census

Died - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, July 27, 1861

List Of Post Offices -The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, December 19, 1863

Died - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, May 4, 1867

1867, Shasta County Voters Registration 

1870 U.S. Census

New Store! - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, March 1, 1873

The Shasta Courier newspaper July 19, 1873

Lots For Sale in the Town of Shasta Co., Cal. - The Sentinel Newspaper of Red Bluff, October 24, 1874

Died - The Reading Independent newspaper of Redding, August 14, 1979

1880 U.S. Census

History and Business Directory - Shasta County - 1881 by B.F. Frank and H.W. Chappell. Redding Independent Book and Job Printing House, Redding, California, ©1881.

1885, Shasta County Directory

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps - Anderson, California, 1881-1947

A Big Fire at Anderson - The Chico Weekly Enterprise newspaper of Chico, January 28, 1887

Anderson In Ashes - The Marysville Daily Appeal newspaper of Marysville, January 30, 1887

The Fire at Anderson - The Chico Weekly Enterprise newspaper of Chico, February 4, 1887

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, February 2, 1889

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 6, 1889

1899, City & Business Directory of Shasta County

The Free Press newspaper of Redding, September 30, 1899

1900 U.S. Census

The Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 23, 1901

Death of a Pioneer Woman - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, November 4, 1903

Aged Lady Passes Away - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, November 6, 1903

Oldest Man in County Lives at Anderson - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, August 23, 1906

Founder Of Anderson Dies at Advanced Age - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento,

Oldest Man in County is Dead - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, October 1,1907

Anderson To Incorporate - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, February 5, 1912 

Found Dead in Bed in a Home in Anderson - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, May 28, 1931

Our Storied Landmarks – Shasta County, California, written by May H. Southern, published by Balakshin Printing Company, ©1942.

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

Shasta Historical Society Pioneer Plaque file: AP-023 - Anderson, Elias, available on file at the Shasta Historical Society

979.424 - Anderson. Shasta Historical Society, Vertical files. 

979.424 (324) Anderson (history) unknown author

Shasta Historical Society Pioneer Record: Elias Anderson, dated April 8, 1943

Shasta Historical Society Genealogical Records 7-59: Elias Anderson

Shasta Historical Society Genealogical Records 7-59: George H. Anderson

Shasta Historical Society Pioneer Record: George H. Anderson, dated: January 18, 1945

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

The Town of Anderson Grew from Teamsters Campground Site written by Rosena A. Giles - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, January 4, 1951

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

City of Anderson owes its name to early-day farmer written by Elizabeth Dellow - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, August 30, 1963

In the Shadow of the Mountain a Short History of Shasta County, California, by Edward Petersen ©1965

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

Elias's Town Has Grown by John Lawson - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 18, 1969

The House That Elias Anderson Built - The Anderson Press newspaper of Anderson, March 24, 1976

Anderson house plan studied - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 9, 1976

Anderson project will be backed - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, November 9, 1976

Anderson gets plea to repair old house - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, August 2, 1978

Anderson House Wins Reprieve - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, February 6, 1980

Anderson House To Be Saved - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, March 4, 1980

House: Time Running Out - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, April 14, 1980

Old Anderson House Doomed - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, April 15, 1980

Historic Anderson House Has to Go by Pat Lakey - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, May 8, 1980

9579.424 (324) Anderson by Laura Gurwell, January 12, 1987

The Remaining Historic Relics at Waugh's Ferry and the Townsite of Waugh at Middle Creek

Filmed on location. Copyright: 2022 and 2023.

Resources: 

Dissolution Copartnership - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, December 24, 1853

Court of Sessions - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, April 8, 1854

$50 Reward - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, May 6, 1854

Notice - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, October 28, 1854

Notice - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, November 18, 1854

District Court, November Term, 1854 - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, December 2, 1854

District Court, November Term, 1854 - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, December 9, 1854

Notice - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, October 27, 1855

District Court - May Term - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, May 22, 1858

Board Of Supervisors- The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, February 12, 1859

News of the Morning - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, June 10, 1859

Supreme Court Decision - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, June 11, 1859

Rains, Snows and Floods - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, January 15, 1859 

Board of Supervisors - May Term - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, May 11, 1861

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, January 25, 1862

Copper Lead - The Marysville Daily Appeal newspaper of Marysville, April 16, 1863

Ferry Notice - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, July 30, 1864

Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors August Term 1854 - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, August 13, 1864

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, February 10, 1866

High Water In Shasta County - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, February 15, 1866

New Boat - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, February 2, 1867

Stranded - The Shasta Courier newspaper Shasta, February 28, 1868

Accident - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 11, 1869

Elevations - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, June 18, 1870

Railroad Surveys - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, August 13, 1870

Died - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 9, 1871

Death of the Waugh Brothers - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 9, 1871

Inheritance - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, April 27, 1872

Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors for the May Term 1872 - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, May 18, 1872

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, March 15, 1881

Railroad Notes - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 28, 1883

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, April 28, 1883 

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 5, 1883

Deed - May 5, 1883, Joseph Waugh to Central Pacific Railroad 

Transfers - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, May 12, 1883

Real Estate Transfers - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 12, 1883

The New Road - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, May 12, 1883

Deeds - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 12, 1883

Pacific Coast Items - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, May 19, 1883

Our Neighbors - The Humboldt Times newspaper of Eureka, May 20, 1883

Our Neighbors - The Humboldt Times newspaper of Eureka, June 5, 1883

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, July 7, 1883

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 7, 1883

The New Road - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, July 14, 1883

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, August 11, 1883

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, August 25, 1883

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 1, 1883

Real Estate Transfers - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, October 6, 1883

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, February 23, 1884

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 5, 1884

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, August 23, 1884

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, November 1, 1884 (Redding to Middle Creek completed)

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, November 15, 1884

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 24, 1885

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 19, 1885

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 26, 1885

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 31, 1886

Middle Creek News - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 14, 1888

Middle Creek News - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 17, 1888

Middle Creek Notes - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, February 18, 1888

Middle Creek News - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 5, 1888

Middle Creek News - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 12, 1889

Middle Creek News - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, February 9, 1889

The Free Press newspaper of Redding, February 13, 1892

Crossed Over the River - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, March 12, 1892

Another Pioneer Gone - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 12, 1892

Notice For Publication - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, April 9, 1892

Notes From Middle Creek - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 1, 1893

Pioneer Mrs. Waugh Dies Peacefully - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 20, 1901

Middle Creek Middlings - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, June 11, 1901

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 7, 1901

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, August 11, 1901

Mongolian Pheasants - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 20, 1901

Railroad Will Build Depot at Middle Creek - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, December 21, 1903

Middle Creek Is Supplying Gold - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 26, 1904

Post Office at Waugh No More - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 29, 1906

Waugh Office Closes June 30 - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 31, 1906

Post Office Has Been Discontinued - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, May 31, 1906

Waugh Office Abolished - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, June 1, 1906

Middle Creek Hotel for Sale - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, March 27, 1907

Middle Creek Depot - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 4, 1911

Depot At Middle Creek Moved Away - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, March 24, 1914

Warehouse At Middle Creek Is Torn Down - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, March 11, 1921

Do You Remember? - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 23, 1934

Group To View Historical Spots - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 17, 1947

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

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

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

Shasta: The Queen City by Mabel Moores Frisbie and Jean Moores Beauchamp, published by California Historical Society, ©1973.

A History of Delta & Vollmers In, Shasta County. (Also Known as Bayles, California)

Filmed on location May 14, 2022.

Resources:

Pacific Coast Postal Changes - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of June 8, 1880

Coast Notes - The Daily Alta California newspaper of San Francisco, September 10, 1884

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, February 28, 1885

Mining Notes - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, March 23, 1885

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, June 13, 1885

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, June 27, 1885

Railroad Extension - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 5, 1885

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 19, 1885

New Mining Company - The Daily Alta California newspaper of San Francisco, December 31, 1885

The California and Oregon Railroad - The Weekly Butte Record newspaper of Chico, May 1, 1886

Forest Fire Near Delta - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, April 12, 1908

Blockade On Shasta Route Is Lifted - The San Francisco Call newspaper of San Francisco, May 15, 1910

Alden Anderson Again Victorious - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, December 19, 1911

Bandits Flee On “Speeder” - The Healdsburg Tribune newspaper of Healdsburg, February 1, 1924

Shasta Town Nearly Wiped Out By Fire - The Press Democrat newspaper of Santa Rosa, March 12, 1924

Pacific Highway Now In Excellent Shape - The Healdsburg Tribune newspaper of Healdsburg, July 31, 1926

Old Toll Road Being Repaired - The Blue Lake Advocate, September 29, 1928

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

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.

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

Mines and Mineral Resources of Shasta County, California – County Report 6 – by Philip A. Lydon and J.C. O’ Brien ©1974 by California Division of Mines and Geology.

The Covered Wagon, 1976, published annually by the Shasta Historical Society

The Covered Wagon, 1989, published annually by the Shasta Historical Society

The Covered Wagon, 1995, published annually by the Shasta Historical Society

The Covered Wagon, 1997, published annually by the Shasta Historical Society

Rails In the Shadow of Mt. Shasta by John R. Signor. Published by Howell-North Books ©1981

An aerial view of the town of Delta. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on May 14, 2022.

A Foundation Of A Building Located Along the Shasta Route Railroad At Pollock

On October 2, 2021, Shasta Lake’s water level was recorded at 891.58-feet elevation wise below full pool or 175.42-feet below the crest of Shasta Dam for the third lowest record of all-time. By this date we were 2.09-feet away from the second lowest record set on November 29, 2014, of 889.49-feet below full pool elevation. This building was also located at Pollock on October 2, 2021, and is located just north of the historic Pollock bridge. Presumably, it is a building connected with the Shasta Route railroad. 

Filmed on location on October 2, 2021 in Lakehead, California.

HISTORIC FREIGHT TRAIN CAR, WRECKAGE DISCOVERED.

California Drought Reveals 112-Year-Old Freight Train Car Derailment On Shasta Lake. One Of Five Freight Train Cars Found In The Sacramento River Channel. Wreckage Dates To 1909.

Above: this video was filmed on location September 18, 2021.

In the rain and mud at the discovery site in Lakehead north of Railroad Tunnel Number 6. L-R: Jeremy M. Tuggle (Education & Community Engagement Manager at Shasta Historical Society) and Ryan "Rizzle" Hammon the discoverer of this freight train car wreckage. Selfie. Photo taken: September 18, 2021, by Jeremy M. Tuggle/Shasta County News Source.

Lakehead, California, September 29 - After following the footsteps of my metal detecting buddy, Gabriel Leete, of Redding, and I, who helped me film a metal detecting segment of my YouTube show “Exploring Shasta County History” on September 4, 2021, near Railroad Tunnel Number 6 at Charlie Creek, on the Sacramento River arm of Shasta Lake, for recreation purposes only. While we were there we were trying to determine if the rail of the Shasta Route were still there or if they were removed by the railroad. It is our opinion that the railroad removed them to be utilized elsewhere along the modern route of the railroad heading north and south due to the hefty costs of manufacturing and purchasing of the rail at that time.

We were finding many iron pieces connected to the railroad and railroad spikes along the way, both old and modern versions, including a piping system of some sort below the rail bed before we concluded our search that day. We did not expect to locate anything important, and we thought we covered the entire area because parts of the river channel below the rail bed was still muddy, wet and not walkable at that time.

However, this warranted further investigation of the site by local Redding resident, Ryan “Rizzle” Hammon, age 29, who picked up where we left off. However, he didn’t think he would locate anything of interest or anything this exciting! Yet, what Hammon found was a historic derailed freight train car buried in the Sacramento River channel.

      

Looking north from a southern point along the rail bed at Railroad Tunnel Number 6 on the Sacramento River arm of Shasta Lake near Charlie Creek. This photograph was taken on July 11, 2021, by Jeremy M. Tuggle/Shasta County News Source. 

                          

Looking south from a northern point along the rail bed at Railroad Tunnel Number 6 on the Sacramento River arm of Shasta Lake near Charlie Creek. This photograph was taken on August 18, 2021, by Jeremy M. Tuggle/Shasta County News Source.

In 1872, the California & Oregon Railroad, a division of the Central Pacific Railroad stopped its construction at Redding until their surveying was completed to decide if they were heading west towards Shasta into Oregon or north through the Sacramento River Canyon into Oregon. As the end-of-the-line, Redding was very fortuitous in its role in the development of our county for ten years until the railroad resumed construction and laid its tracks north of Redding through the Sacramento River Canyon in 1883, and established additional communities, depots and "flag stations" along the way. Most of the railroad tunnels were erected along the route in 1884, a total of seven in all, and most of them were remodeled during the 1920’s these dates are etched into their concrete except for Railroad Tunnel Number 6 whose dates are faded away and lost to time. Only two remain above Shasta Lake's water line.

Later, this railroad was acquired by the Southern Pacific Railroad, and eventually this region of track became known as the Shasta Route. The Shasta Route was used for both passenger and freight trains. One of the routes main passenger trains was the popular Shasta Limited. The Shasta Route promised to be the prominent and scenic travel route from San Francisco, California into Portland, Oregon. The railroad company advertised it as being the "road of a thousand wonders" since it traveled through the heart of the Shasta Cascade district. Train derailments rarely happened on this route, but they did occur. 

One freight train derailment occurred on this rail line on March 27, 1909, when freight train number 221 came to a screeching halt approximately a mile north-west of Railroad Tunnel Number 6, near Charlie Creek, on a bend of the Sacramento River which derailed for 100 yards or more. Original reports say that four freight cars departed the track, later reports claimed that five freight cars departed the railroad. This incident held-up the traffic along this Sacramento River Canyon route for several hours that Saturday. The railroad was busy that weekend with the northbound passenger Portland Express Number 16 halted at Kennett and the southbound passenger Dunsmuir Express Number 35., halted at Dunsmuir on its way to Kennett and Redding. The cause of the wreckage was never determined. There was a transient who had hitched a ride on a break beam of the train as well, but this person walked away without injury. This wreckage made headlines all over the State of California.

A 1915-1945 map showing the Shasta Route at Charlie Creek at the Sacramento River. Source: CalTopo.

One hundred and twelve years later, on September 9, 2021, Ryan “Rizzle” Hammon with the assistance of local Redding residents Mariah Stevens, age 26, and James White, age 30, discovered something which many people can only dream of locating and “this discovery was made by hand with absolutely no metal detecting involved”, says Hammon as the current drought revealed this wreckage site to them, that day after digging by hand through the mud. On that day, Shasta Lake’s elevation was 900.13-feet below full pool and the wheel, drum bearing, and axel of the car appeared to them with other pieces neatly preserved by the murky depths of Shasta Lake.

Then, he departed Lakehead and anxiously went home to Redding where he immediately began his own research with the help of his friends above. Later, he contacted the author of this article at the Shasta Historical Society and invited me out to explore the discovery site with him. I first saw this discovery site on September 18, 2021, and I met him there in Lakehead to film and document it. I later finished compiling the research for Hammon. With hopes of salvaging the freight train rail car wreckage, Hammon, seeks to go through the proper channels before digging and he's aware that it might cost him money. With my help he contacted the Shasta Cascade Rail Preservation Society, general historian, Dave Jungkeit, who became fascinated and mind-blown by this rare discovery. 

Jungkeit, remarked during an interview that: "it's a real possibility that whatever cargo those freight cars were hauling could still be intact and nicely preserved for Hammon to find, if he gets cleared to start digging it up from the river channel, of course he would have to go through Fish & Game to make a salvage claim." One newspaper article mentioned that most of the cars were hauling ties. Jungkeit, has set up a date with Hammon to review the discovery site himself.

The chances of locating the other four cars are slim since the newspaper articles claimed that they were smashed into pieces. So, it's a very rare possibility that any more lie there in the Sacramento River channel. Currently, Shasta Lake is 892.66-feet elevation below full pool, and or 174.34-feet below the crest of Shasta Dam.

FOUR CARS LEAVE TRACK NEAR TUNNEL 6 - CANYON TRAFFIC TIED UP FOR SEVEN HOURS SATURDAY - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 27, 1909. 

One of the five derailed freight train cars is shown here. It has been nicely preserved by the murky depths of Shasta Lake for one hundred and twelve years. This discovery was made by Ryan "Rizzle" Hammon and his friends. This photograph was taken on September 18, 2021, by Jeremy M. Tuggle/Shasta County News Source.

L- R: James White, Ryan “Rizzle” Hammon, Zack Stevens, age 18, and Mariah Stevens checking out their incredible discovery in Lakehead. This photograph was taken on September 18, 2021, by Jeremy M. Tuggle/Shasta County News Source.

RESOURCES: 

The Shasta Route - In All Of Its Grandeur - A Scenic Guide Book.

Four Cars Leave Track Near Tunnel 6 - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 27, 1909

Freight Wrecked Near Tunnel No. 6 - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, March 28, 1909

Shasta County - Wreck - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, March 28, 1909

Freight Cars Smashed To Pieces - The Marysville Daily Appeal newspaper of Marysville, March 28, 1909

Freight Train Wrecked Saturday - The Colusa Daily Sun newspaper of Colusa, March 29, 1909

COTTONWOOD IN 1899

Above: these structures were erected in the 1870s and 1880s, and they remain standing in Cottonwood today on the east side of Front Street. Date unknown. From the collection of Jeremy Tuggle.

In 1899, Cottonwood was located eighteen miles south of Redding and seventeen miles north of Red Bluff. It was located on the county line between Shasta and Tehama Counties, and on the California and Oregon railroad which included a busy railroad depot that made it a major shipping location. The town also featured a hostelry owned and operated by A.M. Dunham, a bakery owned and operated by a man with the surname of Moore, a church, livery and feed stables, and a general merchandise store owned and operated by John Pfeifer and W.F. Price. 

T.R. McClabe was the post master at the Cottonwood post office, and he delivered the mail to a town site with a population of 450 people, that year. Cottonwood was also home to the Thatcher Lumber Company which was managed by W.F. Smith, at that time. Local resident, A.B. Gilliland was the physician and surgeon in town as well. Cottonwood continued to thrive into the 20th century  

COTTONWOOD BEFORE 1899:

This community has a long history which dates back to 1846, when Captain John C. Fremont named the nearby creek for the abundance of Cottonwood trees in the area. The town site eventually took it’s name from Cottonwood Creek. During 1850, all of the townsite was located in Shasta County. 

Cottonwood was established on the south side of the creek, the settlement stretched from Ludwig Gulch west of the Red Bluff-Shasta Road to nearly the same distance on the east side. The town’s first post office was established in 1852. When Tehama County was created in 1856, Cottonwood Creek was selected as the towns northern boundary which made Cottonwood a two-county town.

Above: the same row of historic structures located on the east side of Front Street on September 6, 2020. This photo was taken by Jeremy Tuggle.

RESOURCES:

1899 City Of Redding Directory

1900 U.S. Census

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

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

California & Oregon Railroad Historic Water Tower Foundation of 1872

On June 15, 1872, the town of Redding was established by the California & Oregon Railroad, a division of the Central Pacific Railroad, which stopped the construction of its tracks later that year at Poverty Flats. Poverty Flats lacked settlement by the early European-American’s because it was mainly swampland and farmers couldn’t raise their crops there which is the main reason it was ignored by them. Due to the railroad it forced Redding's settlement upon Poverty Flats. Redding gained prominence and grew rapidly as the town burgeoned with success.

A water tower was built by the California and Oregon Railroad in 1872. It was a very significant structure in Redding. Then on, September 1, 1872, the first passenger train arrived in Redding via Red Bluff, Cottonwood, and Anderson., and later other trains followed suit often refilling their engines with water from this tower. It is located at the Southwest corner of the tracks at the South Street crossing. It's unknown to me when the railroad dismantled it. Everyone has probably driven past it, stopped at it, or walked by it without realizing the historical importance of this foundation. 

Above: The California & Oregon Railroad Historic Water Tower Foundation of 1872. This photograph was taken on June 12, 2020, by Jeremy Tuggle.

Visiting the Grave of Benjamin Barnard Redding (1824-1882), the Man Whom Redding Is Named For

ABOVE: This is the Redding family plot in the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery at Sacramento. All of the photographs are taken by Jeremy M. Tuggle, unless noted otherwise.

On February 22, 2019, my son Carson and I toured the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery at Sacramento and we visited the grave of Benjamin Barnard Redding who was born on January 17, 1824 to Fitz W. Redding and his wife Mary at Yartmouth, Yartmouth County, Nova Scotia, Canada. His family came to California in 1850, Benjamin was interested in mining and he did some mining along the Yuba River. Then in, 1854, Benjamin Barnard Redding became a publisher of the Democratic State Journal. Two years later, Redding was elected as a mayor of Sacramento. He was also the General Land Agent for the Central Pacific Railroad as well, and then he was appointed by Governor Low to be California's Secretary of State. Redding led a public life and he was also active in the State Board of Fish Commissioners for California.

ABOVE: This is the main headstone of Benjamin Barnard Redding in the Redding family plot one of four names etched into this towering headstone. 

ABOVE: This is the main headstone of Mary Prescott (Putnam) Redding wife of Benjamin Barnard Redding.

ABOVE: A secondary headstone belonging to Benjamin Barnard Redding and his wife Mary Prescott (Putnam) Redding.

Benjamin met and married Mary Prescott Putnam, and to this union four children were born to them. The children of Benjamin and Mary are the following: William Redding, J. Albert Redding, George H. Redding, and Joseph D. Redding. Benjamin Barnard Redding died in San Francisco on August 21, 1882 at the age of fifty-eight of apoplexy. He is the man who the town of Redding, California was named for which was established on June 15, 1872 by the California & Oregon Railroad, a division of the Central Pacific Railroad.

ABOVE: The headstone of George H.H. Redding son of Benjamin Barnard Redding.

ABOVE: A Redding family headstone, too faded to read.

ABOVE: A Redding family headstone, too faded to read.

Today, the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery is located at 1000 Broadway Street in Sacramento. It was founded in 1849 by early Sacramento residents. Today, the cemetery has an office which is opened to the public daily from 7 A.M., to 5 P.M., and guided tours are available as well. This historic cemetery includes 17 famous burials including three California State Governors such as: John Bigler, Newton Booth, and William Irwin. Find out more from their website at: Sacramento Historic City Cemetery.

ABOVE: A Redding family headstone, too faded to read.

ABOVE: The main headstone of Fitz William Redding son of F.W. & Mary A. Redding.

ABOVE: L-R: Jeremy M. Tuggle and his son Carson K. Tuggle posing for a photograph at the main headstone of Benjamin Barnard Redding in the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery. This photograph was taken by Cindy L. Nelson.

ABOVE: L-R: Jeremy M. Tuggle and his son Carson K. Tuggle posing for a photograph at a secondary headstone of Benjamin Barnard Redding and his wife Mary Prescott (Putnam) Redding in the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery. This photograph was taken by Cindy L. Nelson.

RESOURCES:


B.B. REDDING - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper, of Sacramento, August 22, 1882

DEATH OF B.B. REDDING - The Shasta Courier newspaper, of Shasta, August 26, 1882

Benjamin B. Redding Find A Grave Memorial

Sacramento Historic City Cemetery 

SHASTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY - HOW REDDING GOT ITS NAME

ABANDONED, UNCOVERED AND THEN RE-INTERRED: A REDDING CEMETERY

Believe it or not, this location at 2146 Pine Street in between Market and Pine Street in Redding was home to Redding's first cemetery. It's on the flatter surface of this knoll. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on December 12, 2018.

Redding was established by the California & Oregon Railroad, a division of the Central Pacific Railroad, on June 15, 1872. Once the construction of the railroad resumed north from Anderson, the railroad company decided to bypass this burial ground, and make its way north to Poverty Flats where the construction stopped that year. This cemetery was now on the outskirts of the brand new town at the southern end. 

The first streets in town which were laid out by the railroad company was North, South East and West Streets followed by the nearby counties Placer, Tehama, Butte, and Yuba Streets. While Redding grew larger with additional streets and the development of Pine and Market Streets it brought more commercial businesses and private residences to town. The town grew into a flourishing city and this cemetery became an oft-forgotten location. It's a site of historical importance because it was Redding's first cemetery which a lot of people tend to over-look in Redding's early history. Over the years, the cemetery has been called the Redding Abandoned Cemetery. Today, the site is the former home of Biggins Lighting who just recently relocated to Larkspur Lane in Redding.

Since the cemetery's establishment in 1867, this piece of land became the final resting place of some of our counties early pioneer settlers for nearly thirty-nine years when it became abandoned and then rediscovered in 1906. At Shasta Historical Society, there are volumes of interment records for Shasta County cemeteries and among these are the records for this cemetery. It was Samuel Dinsmore, a young man, who died on April 24, 1867, at Dinsmore's ranch due to consumption at the age of twenty-five and he became the first interment into this newly established cemetery. Samuel Dinsmore was the eldest of four children born to John W. Dinsmore and Arabella (MacGlashon) Woodrum-Dinsmore. 

Together, the John W. Disnmore family arrived in Shasta County in 1852, and they settled at Shingletown. John W. Dinsmore was a millwright who is noted with erecting the Dry mill at Shingletown in 1853, with his partner Merriman Ferrel, a brother to his future son-in-law. Then in 1857, John W. Dinsmore purchased land from Major Pierson B. Reading, this land was part of the Rancho Buena Ventura land grant. According to Shasta County historian Madge R. Walsh, "Dinsmore located his home, the Four Mile House, about four and a half miles east of Shasta, on the west side of the stage road where it divided to go east to Green's Ferry, or south to Tehama via Canyon House. He had built his house before paying for the property, as it was already extant when the deed was recorded. Today, the site is about a quarter mile west of the junction of Highway 299 W and Ridge Drive." 

The headstone of Samuel Dinsmore whose remains were re-interred into the Redding Cemetery (now Redding Memorial Park). His name is misspelled as Samnel. He is buried next to his sister Angeline (Dinsmore) Ferrel (whose surname is misspelled as Ferrell. Ferrel is the correct spelling. There are no dates on this headstone. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle August 28, 2014.

Later that year, Arabella Ferrel, a niece of Samuel Dinsmore, and a daughter of Henry Clay Ferrel and Angelina (Dinsmore) Ferrel died at Balls Ferry, at the age of eleven from congestive chills on July 27, 1867. Henry Clay Ferrel is my paternal great-great-great uncle, and his daughter became the second interment at this former cemetery. Henry C. Ferrel, was a native of Ohio, and he arrived in Shasta County in 1853. He was married in 1854 to Angelina Dinsmore. In 1860, they were living at Shasta, Henry C. Ferrel was a miner by trade.

This is the headstone of Arabella Ferrel, a daughter of Henry Clay Ferrel and Angelina (Dinsmore) Ferrel who was re-interred at the Redding Cemetery (now Redding Memorial Park). The Ferrel surname is spelled correctly here. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST BURIAL IN REDDING MEMORIAL PARK.  Note: Redding Memorial Park was established in the 1890s. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 28, 2014

The death notice of Joseph W. Brackett who died March 27, 1875 at Redding, he was a local lawyer. He was a son of Joseph Warren Brackett and Lydia (Miller) Brackett. His funeral was conducted under the supervision of the Masonic fraternity, of which he was a member. He was survived by his wife and a large family to mourn his loss. Taken from the Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday, April 3, 1875.

The following is a confirmed listing of burials which took place between the years 1875 and 1877 and all of them were re-interred into the Redding Cemetery (now Redding Memorial Park);

Joseph W. Brackett died March 27, 1875

Emory Farhner died March 20, 1876

Ethol F. Wood died February 15, 1877

Annie Guilbert died July 20, 1877  (has no death notice, nor headstone.)

Six years after the turn of the 20th Century on February 13, 1906, the Redding Water Company rediscovered parts of the original cemetery when they were lowering the manes in that section of Redding. The majority of these burials above were re-interred into the Redding Cemetery (now Redding Memorial Park), that year. It was heralded across the state as a gruesome discovery, as their employees were finding the original coffins which were still intact and the headstones.

The local media claimed there were seven burials which had been unearthed, and only six of those seven burials are named in the cemetery records at the historical society. So who was the seventh burial? More research may uncover the answer to that question while it remains a mystery.

It’s possible that there might be additional burials at the former site of the Redding Abandoned Cemetery, only ground penetrating radar could tell us if there are any anomaly’s underground that shouldn’t be there today. It’s not clear if they recovered all of the burials because some references give this cemetery a much larger perimeter. It’s definitely, a location of historical interest that doesn’t get a lot of exploration, the next time you drive-by this former cemetery take a look as you're passing 2146 Pine Street.

The death notice of Emory Farhner, son of John Farhner, who died due to drowning in a small creek which ran through Redding and near the railroad tracks. Taken from the Shasta Courier newspaper on Saturday, March 25, 1876. 

The headstone of Ethel Florence Wood a daughter of William A. Wood and Mattie Wood. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 28, 2014.

RESOURCES:

Death Notice - Samuel Dinsmore - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, April 27, 1867 

Death Notice - Arabella Ferrell - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, August 3, 1867

Death Notice - Joseph W. Brackett - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, April 3, 1875

Death Notice - Ethel Florence Wood - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, February 24, 1877

Ditch Men Make Grewsome Finds - The Press newspaper of Redding, February 13, 1906.

Finds Coffins And Headstones In The Streets Of Redding - The San Francisco Call newspaper of San Francisco, February 14, 1906

Shasta Historical Society Cemetery Records (Small Cemeteries) - Redding Abandoned Cemetery, page 299, available in the archives of Shasta Historical Society.

Shasta County Cemteries compiled by Ronald Joliff

DP-015 Dinsmore, John W. Pioneer Plaque file available on file at the Shasta Historical Society in Redding

The Dinsmore Family by Madge R. Walsh

Selected sawmills of the Shingletown area by Jeremy M. Tuggle, Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, February 4, 2017.

The Bunker Hill Mine

This map was surveyed on August 12, 1948, as part of the railroad relocation project from Middle Creek to Matheson. The Bunker Hill mine is noted as the George P. Whaley and A.M. Whaley lot.

In 1860, a miner by the name of Samuel Gaston, a resident of Middle Creek, led a party of miners consisting of: James T. Loag, Drury D. Harrill, and Soloman D. Brawstow. The later were all prominent residents of Shasta. However, some accounts refer to them as the Loag party. They started prospecting the channel of Middle Creek and they struck a lucrative vein of decomposed quartz near the mouth of the creek.

   

While they were at their new mining claim, Gaston and his men began the surface work, that day. A couple hours later, another party of miners arrived at the scene. This group was led by Terrance Brennan of Shasta. During my research I haven't found any documents which contains the other names of the Brennan party. The local media often referred to them as Brennan & Company. After their arrival at the mining claim, a heated argument ensued between Brennan & Company and the Gaston party. During this argument Brennan & Company objected to their work because they claimed that they were infringing upon a nearby quartz lode that they owned. They demanded the Gaston party to leave at once and never to return.

   

After Gaston and his men returned to their home’s, Gaston traveled into Shasta where he filed a law suit against Terrance Brennan in the Shasta County District Court, in November of that year. Gaston had reasons to believe that Brennan & Company didn’t own the mining claim. The case was tried before Judge William P. Daingerfield. 

   

Later that month, on November 27, 1860, the Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento reported the following account:

"SHOOTING AFFAIR - Terry Brennan and Samuel Gaston who have been engaged in a law suit in reference to a mining claim located near Middle Creek, Shasta county, met on the claim on Monday, morning November 19th, both armed and, after an exchange of some harsh words and threats, resulted in Brennan shooting Gaston in the arm. Brennan gave himself up, says the Northern Argus, but none appearing against he was discharged." (SIC)

Over the years the media outlets in California have twisted the above shooting affray into a bloody battle between Gaston’s party and the Brennan party, at the Bunker Hill mine. The above article was derived from an article that appeared in the Northern Argus, a newspaper from Horsetown. Some accounts are bogus but the above article is the most authentic story of the Bunker Hill mine, due to its gold and lore the mine became famous.

As the trial in the District Court preceded, the disputed mining claim was brought before the miners of the Lower Springs Mining District and the Middle Creek Mining District to determine if Gaston and his men were conducting surface work or quartz lode work on December 5, 1860. They were also hoping to settle the dispute out of court. Apparently, the miners decided that they were conducting surface work and the Gaston party would eventually infringe upon the quartz lode owned by Brennan & Company. There were mining resolutions which were passed that day but they were not in favor of Gaston & Company. Gaston continued the law suit in the District Court. 

The earliest account of this mine being referred to as the Bunker Hill appears in a newspaper article which was printed on Saturday, December 8, 1860 by the Shasta Courier. It’s not clear as to who named this mining claim, but the shooting affray between Brennan and Gaston played an important part of its naming. One of the questions brought before the District Court was in regard to who had completed the most surface work at the mine, and only time would tell.

On Saturday, March 23, 1861, the Northern Argus printed the following column: 

"DISTRICT COURT - The court has been engaged during the greater part of the present week, in trying the case of Gaston against Brennan and others. It terminated on Wednesday last, the jury stood nine for plaintiffs and three for defendants. The case will be tried again during the coming week." (SIC)

During the next week, the jury in the trial voted in favor of the plaintiff on every count. Apparently, it was determined by the District Court that Gaston and his group completed the most surface work at the site. Therefore, they were the rightful owners of this disputed property. Gaston won the lawsuit which allowed him to collect damages from Brennan. 

Then on, Saturday, April 13, 1861, the Gaston party took possession of the Bunker Hill mine and they resumed their mining operations that day. Once again, Brennan & Company started another altercation with them as they rushed into the mining claim and belligerently forced the Gaston party off the property. Brennan & Company threw out all of their equipment and additional belongings they brought with them as well.

Upon their departure from the Bunker Hill mine, Gaston & Company immediately went to get the Sheriff at Shasta, and they returned with Sheriff, John S. Follansbee to Bunker Hill where Gaston and his party had the sheriff arrest the Brennan party for rioting. The Brennan party still claimed ownership of the mine even though the District Court awarded it to Gaston and his group. After the Brennan party were released from jail, Gaston and his men obtained a Writ of Resolution from the District Court of Shasta County. Due to this clause an agreement was reached by both parties who decided not to mine the claim for thirty days until the rightful owner was decided again by the District Court.

It was Judge William P. Daingerfield who officially declared ownership of this mining claim to Samuel Gaston and his party in May of 1861, which ended the Writ of Resolution. Brennan was very disappointed that he lost the potential ownership of the Bunker Hill mine. Lawyers for Brennan’s party motioned for a new trial to be granted but the motion was denied by Judge Daingerfield.

Gaston and his men established the Bunker Hill Company, naming themselves after their mine. Each of them owned shares within the mining company. In April of 1862, the Bunker Hill Company were steadily mining and extracting gold from their placer mine at an lucrative rate of six to ten pounds per day. They employed four men to assist them in their claim. The Shasta Courier, a newspaper from Shasta, reported the following account on Saturday, May 3, 1862:

"BUNKER HILL - On last Thursday, this claim paid ninety-three ounces, and it is improving continually."

Then in, October of 1862, a notice was printed by the Shasta Courier that claimed Brawstow was selling his interest in the Bunker Hill mine. This was a chance for others to buy his shares within this mining company, and the new shareholder profited very well. 

During May of 1863, prospectors Hoy and Kennedy struck a rich vein of ore on land adjoining the Bunker Hill mine. The discovery yielded remarkable results which were heralded by the local media in Shasta. Hoy & Kennedy cleaned up nicely as it was reported that they were making between $900 and $1,700 per day with the employment of three miners extracting the ore near the Bunker Hill mine. The local media opined that this vein was a continuation of the Bunker Hill mine lead.

A ditch was dug from Middle Creek and miners extended it into the Bunker Hill mine to help them convey water into their mining site to assist them in the extraction of gold. If a large abundance of water was available then mining was a regular occurrence on the property. The Bunker Hill Company negotiated a contract with the Spring Creek stamp mill to crush its rock to obtain the ore. It was surface rock that they were crushing. After the deal was made they began delivering large quantities of rock to the nearby stamp mill. 

Two years later, the Bunker Hill Company was still actively perusing their claim. In February of 1865, their miners struck a new vein of gold ore. It was reported by the Shasta Courier newspaper that: "four pans of rock from which, when crushed in a hand mortar yielded twenty-four ounces and eight pennyweights. It still continues to pay nearly the proportion."

Nearly a month later, the Bunker Hill Company continued making progress on their placer mine as they extracted forty ounces in two days by washing pay dirt. The ground contained an abundant of ore in profitable quantity to be extracted by their miners. As the mine kept revealing its secrets they rapidly stayed in production that year. In January of 1866, after a run of a two week period the mine yielded between fifteen and sixteen hundred dollars in gold. The mine continued to produce lucrative ore. There were no adits, shafts or tunnels on the property it was still an active placer mine, not a quartz mine.

Aside from washing pay dirt at the mining site. The miners extracted the ore from a soft slate in a thin strata of decomposed quartz as well. Their miners struck gold in deep pockets of quartz, and located quartz walls with veins of gold on the property. 

In 1872, the construction on the California & Oregon Railroad, a division of the Central Pacific Railroad, finished bringing the railway north to Redding. The construction would not resume north for another ten years. During the interim, in December of 1874, Drury D. Harrill applied to the United States Government for a patent which was granted at a later date for the Bunker Hill mine. After a ten year hiatus, the construction of the railroad resumed north from Redding in 1882.

That year, Chinese immigrants who were employed by the railroad made an amazing discovery of gold pieces valued between $15,000-$20,000 at the Bunker Hill mine, it wasn’t reported by the local media about how or why these gold pieces were left. At that time, the Bunker Hill mine was abandoned. However, this discovery brought a renewed interest to the mine and it was developed again.

In 1896, the Bunker Hill mine was owned by John Varner Scott of Shasta, a Mrs. Carmichael of Oakland, and Mrs. Emily Loag of New York (the widow of James T. Loag.) A man named William Albert Pryor was an overseer of Mrs. Loag’s shares of the mine. Pryor's position granted him access to the mining property and mining rights.

In December of 1900, the Bunker Hill Company employed one man and an armed guard at the mining site to protect their property, because the mine began yielding  $3,000 per day. It’s days of being a lucrative placer mine were ending as the owners wanted to transform the placer mine into a quartz mine with adits, tunnels and shafts. Eventually, additional men were hired by the above company to do that for them.

The first shaft was dug to eight feet below the surface of the earth and a new tunnel was dug in near the hillside to the new shaft. While the miners were digging out and constructing the new tunnel a new vein of gold was discovered by them.

During the year 1915, the mining property included sixty acres of patented land and 460 feet of tunnel. The mine was owned by William A. Pryor, the Shasta druggist, and a man by the surname of Logan. According to G. Chester Brown of the California State Mining Bureau the Bunker Hill mine included a north and south vein which was five feet wide with 200 feet of drifts. Pryor and Logan were working the mine together while they were producing fine specimens of ore.

Eventually, the quartz mine was abandoned again, and during the 1940s, it was relocated again. Miners began redeveloping the mining site and extracting the ore from it. Then the production stopped. The last owner’s of the property was George Whaley and his wife A.M. Whaley of San Francisco, according to a 1948 map of the property which was surveyed for the railroad relocation project from Middle Creek to Matheson.

At the Bunker Hill mine there are remains of an old water well which has been plugged, a rock retaining wall, a plugged shaft and a few fig and grape trees. Along the creek nearest to the mining site there are a few spots indicating that the miners tried probing while miners dug for gold. From historical references it’s learned that drifts and adits were made with underground openings (now plugged). If you go take water with you on a hot day.

The unmarked trailhead to the Bunker Hill mine is located just north of the ribbon bridge that spans the Sacramento River on the Keswick side of the Sacramento River Trail. From this trailhead the trail guides you in about 0.2 miles from the Sacramento River Trail near the mouth of Middle Creek. The trail is a moderate hike into the mine. Another mine called the Compton mine exists north of here at Rock Creek just off the Sacramento River Trail, if you know where to look.

Above: The superintendent of the mine more than likely lived near this plugged water well of the Bunker Hill mine. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on June 13, 2015.

Above: One of the plugged shafts of the Bunker Hill mine. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on June 13, 2015.

Above: One of the plugged shafts of the Bunker Hill mine. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on June 13, 2015.

Above: Miners tried to probe here but without luck they moved on to better diggings. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on June 13, 2015.

Above: A Fig tree at the Bunker Hill mine, a rock marking the spot in memory of someone. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on June 13, 2015.

Above: Grape trees at the historic site of the Bunker Hill mine. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on June 13, 2015.

Above: A rock retaining wall against the trail into the gold mine. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on June 13, 2015.

Above: The headstone of the original locator of the Bunker Hill mine, Samuel Gaston (1834-1909). He was interred into the Redding Memorial Park. Gaston was a native of Livingston County, New York. He arrived in Shasta County and settled at Middle Creek in 1852. He was a miner. At a later date, Gaston relocated from Middle Creek to Elko, Nevada where he served as a deputy Sheriff for a number of years. After that, he returned to Shasta County and died in the county hospital. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on June 19, 2018.

Resources:

Shooting Affair - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper, November 27, 1860

Mining In Shasta - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday, April 26, 1862

Bunker Hill - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday, May 3, 1862

A Chance - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, October 4, 1862

Rich Claim - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday, May 9, 1863

The Mines Played Out - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday, February 11, 1865

Bunker Hill Co. - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday, March 4, 1865

Bunker Hill - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday, April 29, 1865

Bunker Hill - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday, January 6, 1866

Bunker Hill - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday, June 9, 1866

Bunker Hill - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday, June 16, 1866

D.D. Harrill - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday, December 5, 1874

Bunker Hill - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday, October 20, 1877

Bunker Hill - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday, February 29, 1896 

1896 California Voters Registration

A Story of Bunker Hill Mine - Sausalito News, December 15, 1900

Mines and Mineral Resources of Shasta County, Siskiyou County, and Trinity County, by G. Chester Brown, ©1915 published by California State Printing Office. Page 37.

Place Names of Shasta County by Gertrude Steger, published by La Siesta Press, ©1966.

Mindat.org

Mines and Mineral Resources of Shasta County, ©1974, Philip A. Lyden & J.C. O'Brien