SHASTA COUNTY'S PIONEER GENERAL MERCHANDISE STORE: THE McCORMICK-SAELTZER COMPANY, AND IT'S BRANCHES.

Where would your ancestors have purchased a Studebaker horse drawn wagon during the late 19th century in Redding? What was Redding's biggest store, who were the entrepreneurs behind this annual million-dollar general merchandise business. Other than Redding, where were the other branches located? Find out more in my newest episode of Exploring Shasta County History.

RESOURCES:

1860 U.S. Census

California Voter Register, 1866

Dentistry (advertisement) - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, June 30, 1866

City Drug Store (advertisement) - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, January 11, 1868

1870 U.S. Census

Dissolution Of Partnership - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, May 5, 1877

McCormick-Saeltzer & Co. - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 29, 1877

Dr. Wellendorf - The Reading Independent newspaper of Redding, October 31, 1877

Our Merchants - The Reading Independent newspaper of Redding, October 31, 1877

McCormick Saeltzer & Co. - The Reading Independent newspaper of Redding, May 22, 1879

1880 U.S. Census

Misfortune - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, October 20, 1883

Our Merchants - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, November 10, 1883

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, September 6, 1884

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 14, 1885

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 4, 1885

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 16, 1885

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 11, 1885

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, August 1, 1885

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, August 29, 1885

Delta - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, September 12, 1885

Our Business - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 12, 1886

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, October 2, 1886

New Incorporation - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 21, 1888

Holt & Gregg - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 2, 1888

Consolidated - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, November 24, 1888

1900 U.S. Census

Two New Buildings to Be Erected - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 22, 1900

Louie Autenreith (branch store at Carrville) - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 25, 1901

Carrville Is Growing - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 9, 1901

Big Store Clerks Have Falling Out - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, December 17, 1901

Big Store Firm May Soon Build Large Addition - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, March 20, 1902

W.L. Smith's Estate Goes to Probate Court - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 7, 1902

W.L. Smith's Will Goes to Probate - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, June 22, 1902

Mrs. Boggs Wants Her Money Back - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 18, 1902

Mrs. Boggs Temporarily Suspended as Administratix - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 9, 1902

Smith's Stock in Big Store Stands in Boggs' Name - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 10, 1902

They Acknowledge Smith's Widow of Smith - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 23, 1902

Smith Will Case is Set Down for Trial - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, October 4, 1902

Executrix Point is Passed Along - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, October 4, 1902

Fire In Big Store Building - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, December 19, 1902

The Smith Estate Comes Up in Court - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, December 21, 1902

Will Contests Are Dismissed - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 1, 1903

Big Store Company Sues Smith Estate - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, October 20, 1903

Two Suits Over Stock in the Big Store - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, October 23, 1903

Vast Changes in McCormick-Saeltzer Store - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 18, 1903

The Big Store to Be Made Bigger - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, April 19, 1903

Smith's Will Is Twice Attacked - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, June 21, 1903

The Big Store's New Building - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 11, 1903

Smith Estate to Be Settled Soon - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 9, 1903

James McCormick Is Number with the Dead - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 9, 1905

Says Her Father Was Unduly Influenced - The San Francisco Call newspaper of San Francisco, July 4, 1905

Several Wills Filed - The San Francisco Call newspaper of San Francisco, June 21, 1905

Chico Record newspaper of Chico, July 7, 1905

Makes Offer of Compromise - The San Francisco Call newspaper of San Francisco, December 1, 1905

The McCormick-Saeltzer Co. Offers Reward - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 26, 1906

Saeltzer Clerk Is Arrested - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 1, 1907

Jeffords Is Found Not Guilty - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 12, 1907

Delamar Eats Up Big Store Team - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, August 3, 1908 

Rudolph Saeltzer Wins Promotion - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, February 25, 1909

1910 U.S. Census

1920 U.S. Census

Old Timer Passes In San Francisco - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, August 22, 1923

Court Adjourns in Honor of Merchant - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, February 14, 1927

Final Tribute to Be Paid Monday to R.M. Saeltzer - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, February 14, 1927

Chamber Honors R.M. Saeltzer - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, February 16, 1927

R.M. Saeltzer Estate Estimated At $250,000 - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, February 16, 1927

1930 U.S. Census

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, January 12, 1933

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, January 14, 1933

Klement Buys Big Store - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, January 22, 1938

1940 U.S. Census  

Fire Levels Block; Still Burns - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, January 13, 1940

Big Store Will Be Rebuilt Immediately - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 14, 1940

To Start Big Store Salvaging - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 18, 1940

Big Store Claims Paid - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 1940

Pioneer Store May Purchase Big Store Lot - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, January 29, 29, 1940

Saeltzers to Rebuild Soon On Old Site - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, February 5, 1940

McCormick-Saeltzer to Rebuild; Labor Dispute on Job Settled - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, February 6, 1940

Pioneer Will Rebuild Big Store - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 31, 1940

Pioneer Store to Buy Big Store Property - The Redding Record Searchlight of Redding, April 1, 1940

To Build Big Store Soon - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 1, 1940

More Than $200,000 Will Be Spent in Construction of Big Store Building - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 2, 1940

Big Store Lot Sold For $55,000 - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 17, 1940

Issue Permit for Big Store - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 30, 1940

Revocation of Permit Halts Big Store Job - The Redding Record Searchlight of Redding, May 13, 1940

Wm. M. Klement Buys Hardware Depat., and Big Market Real Estate; to Retire As Pioneer Store President - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 15, 1940

City to Require Inspector On Pioneer Store - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, May 24, 1940

Beautiful New Pioneer Store Block to Open Tomorrow - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 18, 1940

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 19, 1940

First Stores of New Block Opened Today - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 19, 1940

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

Three Years Ago Today: Million Dollar Fire Destroyed Big Store - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, January 13, 1943

R.M. Saeltzer's Itchy Feet Brought Him Here - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, June 10, 1950

The Redding Record-Searchlight newspaper of Redding, April 29, 1961

MP-019 McCormick, James Pioneer Plaque file on file at Shasta Historical Society

SP-033 Smith, Williamson Lincoya Pioneer Plaque file on file at Shasta Historical Society

R.M. Saeltzer, Adventurer by Florence M. Saeltzer - The Covered Wagon 1951, published by Shasta Historical Society. Pages 19-24

A Redding Landmark for Sixty-Three Years McCormick-Saeltzer Company - The Covered Wagon 1972. Pages 32-38

TRINITY JOURNAL 1992 - The Carrville Inn by Kit Waller, pages 11-31. Published by the Trinity County Historical Society.

Shedding New Light on James McCormick by Karen Taylor - The Covered Wagon 2012, published by Shasta Historical Society. Pages 47-54.

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE CARR FIRE; REVISITING THE DEVASTATED AREAS & THE HISTORY OF KESWICK

Above: a welcome to Keswick sign, Keswick was established in 1895. The town sign survived the Carr Fire, located at Market Street and Iron Mountain Road. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

The historic and deadly Carr Fire erupted into flames around 1:30 p.m., on July 23, 2018 at the intersection of Highway 299 West and Carr Powerhouse Road, due to vehicle malfunction failure. It ravaged everything in its course of destruction in Shasta County as it entered nearby populated places traveling into Shasta. Spot fires were a regular occurrence. On the afternoon of July 26, 2018, some spectators watched from the vista points near Shasta Dam as the Carr Fire climbed over Copley mountain, but the worst was yet to come.

The fire raged into Lower Springs, Keswick and Redding. Eventually, it made its way into other places in the area. It was scary, unlike anything our county has seen before, we weren't prepared for this monster, but our fire fighters and first respondents battled the blaze. Everyone was on high alert, and some evacuations were almost last minute. Pure fear and pandemonium spread over Keswick and Redding when the famous fire whirlwind ravaged them, that night.

The fire kept getting hotter and had its own weather pattern. Then it jumped the Sacramento river, and also made its way south-east to Harlan Drive and the Lake Redding Drive area. Many people were evacuated from their home's including downtown Redding at Chestnut Street. All the hotels and motels were completely booked for many miles by evacuees. Emergency shelters were set up at various places in the county. Traffic in and out of Redding was a nightmare in its own. The Carr Fire grew to become the 6th most destructive fire in California state history and it became the most destructive fire in the history of Shasta County. One hundred percent containment was held on the fire at 229, 651 burned acres on August 30, 2018. Eight lives perished during the deadly fire, a tally of 1,079 homes were destroyed, while another tally of 79 homes were damaged which included the Shasta County Fire Station No. 53 at Keswick, which was a volunteer fire company.

The Carr Fire destroyed the town of Keswick leaving only two residences standing next to each other on separate lots on Weiland Street. However, one of Keswick’s unknown secrets were revealed. The strange metal dome shape structures seen on the property of Alan Crabtree were seen for the first time. They were usually blocked from the view of the public by his buildings on the property and they attracted much attention on Facebook and many people called into the Shasta Historical Society wondering what they were. We didn't know much about them, and yet we could only speculate. Through a mutual friend I was placed in contact with Crabtree and he believes that they were “covers for artillery and people sold surplus from them, years ago.” However, it’s not known exactly what they were originally used for. According to Crabtree the inside of the covers had iron in them.

Above: only two houses survived the Carr Fire which are located on Weiland Street near Bush Street at Keswick. Both houses are shown here in this photograph above. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: the residence at 11541 Weiland Street survived the Carr Fire. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: the residence at 11557 Weiland Street survived the Carr Fire. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: one of the strange metal dome shape structures, possibly used as a cover for artillery, from which people sold surplus from them, years ago. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

You could say that history has repeated due to the Carr Fire as it’s not the first time the town of Keswick has been destroyed by fire. The phrase “We will rebuild” which was coined by local residents after the Carr Fire comes to mind, because in past history, it did rebuild after the destruction of those major fires. Today (July 23, 2019), marks the one-year anniversary since the hellish Carr Fire erupted into flames.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF KESWICK:

Long before the town site of Keswick was established the present town site was bustling in action with horse racing, cock fighting, gymnastic exercises, and additional entertainment purposes for our local residents to enjoy. A horse racing arena called the Oakland Horse Racing Track was established there in 1852 by pioneer T.J. Stump. Stump owned the track until 1856, it was also home to a suburb of Shasta called Hogtown which never took-off and eventually disappeared. Hogtown was located near the Stump Ranch that Stump owned and lived upon.

Stump sold out to Frank Thompson and later owners made extensive changes to the property. The smelter town of Keswick was established in 1895, due to the nearby production of the Iron Mountain mine, which was owned and operated by the Mountain Copper Company LTD., who had purchased the mining property from Charles Camden, Colonel William Magee and James M. Sallee, that year. The mine was located in 1865 by Camden and Magee, and it quickly became known for its mass copper production. The mining property was part of the Shasta County copper belt. Sallee became a partner in 1884, after discovering a lucrative vein of silver in their mine.

Above: the Keswick smelter was the the first copper smelter in Shasta County. It was built between 1895 to March 1896, when one of the first furnaces of the smelter began its operation. It was formerly located on Spring Creek on the site where the Spring Creek Powerhouse is today on Iron Mountain Road. Note: the denuded hill sides from the deadly chemicals of the smelter fumes. Date: unknown. Courtesy of Shasta Historical Society.

While the smelter was being erected upon Spring Creek the first order of business by the Mountain Copper Company LTD., was to erect living quarters for their personnel, and this included the superintendent residences. The living quarters consisted of a one two-story building comprised of sixteen rooms with furnishings which included baths and toilets. This made their staff feel comfortable at home. The company also built a mess hall and a entertainment hall. Construction then followed on two company office buildings.

On October 18, 1895, the Shasta Courier newspaper reported the following:

“Keswick and the camps are booming, locomotives tooting up and down the new track. It’s a regular hive of industry.”

The owner and president of the Mountain Copper Company LTD., was Lord William Keswick of London, England, who the town of Keswick was named for. The Mountain Copper Company, LTD., holdings on Iron Mountain included the following mines on the adjacent properties: the Complex, the Hornet, the Lost Confidence, the Mattie, the No. 8, the Old Mine, and the Richmond.

As the new settlement of Keswick boomed it flourished, even though it was a rough-and-rugged up-and-coming-place to live. The town was primarily established due to the nearby copper smelter which was designed to process the ore from the Iron Mountain mine. Then on, November 23, 1895 the local media offered the following glimpse of the area:

“While the Iron Mountain improvements result in considerable benefit to the country in various respects, the inflow of tough characters, which always follows on the heels of any great enterprise, is bound to cause considerable and public exbense” (SIC)

The settlement also contained thirty-five saloons, a railroad station, stores, boarding houses, hotels and a school. In December of that year, due to the high number of saloons in Keswick the Mountain Copper Company LTD., banned all employees who “patronized the saloons” there. It appeared that they wanted a sober crew of employees who took the job seriously. With that many saloons in operation, one can see that this company had their job cut out for them. 

“W.S. Harvey-Wray of Keswick, was a visitor here, Sunday. He is to be assistant editor of Mountain Mine monthly paper, or magazine, to be issued by parties employed with the company. The residing surgeon and physician, Dr. Kenneth Millican, A.B., M.R.C.S., will be chief editor. George A. Poor, the veteran book and job printer of Redding, has the contract to print the periodical, which will be sixteen pages, two columns to a page.” (SIC) The above magazine only operated for a period of six months at Keswsick when it was discontinued by the owners.

A second post office called Taylor was established in the smelter town on May 18, 1897, by the United States Postal Service who appointed John K.O. Hair as the first postmaster. Keswick now had two post offices serving their community. Taylor was the post office and Keswick was the town site. This post office served Keswick until August 15, 1922 when it was discontinued and the mail from the Taylor post office was rerouted to the Keswick post office.

During July of 1897, the third branch store of the McCormick-Saeltzer Company was established in the growing smelter town at the new suburb of Keswick, called South Park. Keswick was attracting attention in the local media, and the firm was offered a room inside the brand-new Keswick hotel or Hotel Keswick at that location by its owner, John N. Stephenson. This store was owned by James McCormick, Rudolph M.F. Saeltzer and Williamson L. Smith who were all local businessmen.

Above: this undated photograph shows the Keswick hotel or Hotel Keswick building which was designed by architects W.J. Bennett and his partner Gove. The hotel was erected by carpenters McCarthy & Gillespie at South Park in Keswick. The Keswick branch of the McCormick-Saeltzer Company's sign is visible on the left side of the building. Courtesy of the Shasta Historical Society and the Siskiyou County Museum. 

South Park was booming as new structures were rapidly built by local carpenters. Keswick has had its share of fires but nothing like the Carr Fire. On May 12, 1898, the first fire in the history of Keswick ignited causing $40,000 in damages. It was opined that this fire ignited in the saloon of McCandless & Patterson, however, another account revealed that it started in a boarding house called Our House, due to careless lodger who left a candle burning inside his room. It destroyed nearly half of the business portion of Keswick. The Keswick hotel survived but it suffered a minimal damage of $500. A water brigade battled this fire. Keswick lacked a fire department at that time.

Later reports favored the boarding house fire theory. Keswick also lacked fireproof brick buildings, as the town was entirely made of wood by local carpenters and it still became the target of future fires. In just two years, Keswick contained a thriving population of 1,200 people according to media reports of the era.

The United States Postal Service headquarters in Washington D.C., established a post office called Keswick at that location on January 9, 1896 with Louis Schwichman (sometimes spelled as Schwickman) as postmaster of this new post office. It stayed in business until 1923 when it was discontinued. Then on, February 29, 1896 the Shasta Courier newspaper heralded the following column:

The town had a Methodist Church which was used for their place of worship. Weekly membership meetings were held at the church. In February of 1901, Keswick raised money for improvements to be made on their church building. The expense incurred was $150. It was the Reverend Fay Donaldson who often preached inside this church. The church walls were papered through-out the building, and new baseboards were added, the interior was remodeled at that price during that month.

Above this circa 1900s photograph of Keswick was taken by the Eastman View Company of Kennett. Courtesy of Shasta Historical Society.

In addition to that month, there were many residents who were even talking about the possibility of an electric road to be built between Redding and Keswick, one article mentioned the following excerpt:

"As quickly as the weather will allow the engineer corps will start a line north from Redding to Reid's Ferry where it will cross the river and follow up the stream to the new Keswick bridge. There it will re-cross the river and proceed up the south side of Spring Creek to Keswick. Mr. Johns believes Keswick can be reached by the route in about six miles. The heaviest expense would be the buidling of a bridge at the ferry. At Keswick station the line could cross on an extension built onto the county bridge."

Then on April 20, 1901, fire struck the town of Keswick a second time when flames broke out in the Mascot Saloon, conducted by Cecil & Bray. The origin of this fire was not reported. Once again, the town’s residents kept no fire insurance, even though it had been available to them. The loss was smaller than the 1898 fire, and only did $30,000 in damage, a tally of 20 buildings were destroyed.

Another new feature to Keswick in 1901 was electricity. The Keswick Electric Power Company began generating electricity for the smelter at Spring Creek, and eventually the town of Keswick. The electricity was sent from the Volta Powerhouse on Battle Creek and channeled it towards Keswick,

After those business was re-established by July of 1902 business was booming at Keswick as an influx of shoppers used their stores to purchase goods of all kinds. Later on, another disastrous fire claimed the entire business district of Keswick on November 14, 1907. The fire was started by a “fire bug” according to local media accounts. The entire loss was $60,000, and as usual not one person in town kept fire insurance.

Minimal damage was done to the post office, a butcher shop and a bakery as well. Keswick was still without a fire department and once again the community relied on their own efforts to make containment on the fire. As Keswick emerged out of the smoke, the town laid in ashes. A new post office was re-established as the Keswick post office in 1960. With all these fires occurring in the smelter town, Keswick has shown us over the years that we can rebuild. Additional fires would strike the town site in its future.

Our staff at Shasta Historical Society compiled an inventory of burned up or damaged sites due to the Carr Fire. Our inventory contains twenty-four entries and this listing is available to the public upon request. Most of the historic sites on the list do not include those inside the boundaries of the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area or Shasta State Historic Park however, there are some entries that made the listing.

Above: the Shasta County Fire Station Number 53 sign at Keswick in front of their building was badly burned by the Carr Fire. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: the Carr Fire burned the Shasta County Fire Station Number 53 building at Keswick, and property. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: an interior view looking in from a window of the building. The Shasta County Fire Station Number 53 at Keswick. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: looking inside from a window of the building. The Shasta County Fire Station Number 53 at Keswick. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: near the intersection of North Street and Market Street at Keswick. Destruction of the Carr Fire. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: a speed limit sign in the town of Keswick burned by the Carr Fire as well as the property around it. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: at the intersection of Bush Street and Center Street at Keswick. Destruction of the Carr Fire. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: the intersection of School Street and Bush Street at Keswick. Destruction of the Carr Fire. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: a house in Keswick totally destroyed by the Carr Fire. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: another house and property destroyed by the Carr Fire in Keswick. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: devastation from the Carr Fire in Keswick. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: a sign at Keswick: "WARNING: ASH & DEBRIS MAY BE HOT AND CONTAIN HAZARDOUS MATERIALS."  This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: fire fighters on duty at Keswick. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018. 

Above: a private residence destroyed by the Carr Fire at Keswick. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: near the intersection of School Street and North Street at Keswick. Devastated area. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: the U.S. Mail boxes along Main Street at Keswick badly burned. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

Above: at Keswick, burnt vehicles, power lines in the distance. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 8, 2018.

RESOURCES:

W.S. Harvey-Wray – The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, February 29, 1896.

The Smelter Magazine – The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 12, 1896

Fire At Keswick – The Sacramento Daily newspaper of Sacramento, May 13, 1898

Keswick Partially Destroyed By Fire – The San Francisco Call newspaper of San Francisco, May 13, 1898

RISING FROM THE RUINS – The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 14, 1898.

Flames Sweep Smelter Town – The San Francisco Call newspaper of San Francisco, April 21, 1901

New Route For Electric Line - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, February 5, 1901

Keswick Improves Its Worship Place - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, February 8, 1901

Changes At Keswick - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 23, 1902

New Keswick Belfry - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 12, 1902

Town Burned – The Red Bluff News newspaper of Red Bluff, November 15, 1907

Ffity Years of Operation by The Mountain Copper Company, LTD., in Shasta County California by William F. Kett ©1947, 162 pages. Published by California Division of Mines

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

The Covered Wagon 1949, publishes by Shasta Historical Society.

The Covered Wagon 1954, publishes by Shasta Historical Society.

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

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

The Covered Wagon 1996, published by Shasta Historical Society.

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

UPDATE: Carr Fire now most destructive in Shasta County history, by Mike Chapman, The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, August 3, 2018 

CARR FIRE 100 PERCENT CONTAINED, by Allison Woods, - KRCR TV News Channel 7 of Redding, August 30, 2018 

Mae Helene (Bacon) Boggs (1863-1963); A Pioneer, A Historian and A Preservationist

Above: Mae Helene (Bacon) Boggs standing in the door way of one of the south-side ruins at Shasta in 1930. Courtesy of Shasta Historical Society. 

Mae Helene Bacon was born to Charles Bacon and Sarah Elizabeth (Smith) Bacon on February 16, 1863, she was a native of Pike County, Missouri. Mae’s father eventually died and then in 1871, Sarah decided it was time for them to live with her brother in Shasta, California. Sarah and Mae boarded a boat which took them to St. Louis on the Mississippi River. At St. Louis they connected with a covered wagon which took them to California. 

At the age of eight years old this journey became an adventure that Mae never forgot during her lifetime. Upon their arrival in Shasta, they immediately moved into the residence of Williamson Lyncoya Smith, an early California pioneer who arrived at Hangtown in Placer County on August 6, 1850. Two years after his arrival in California the pioneer ventured north to Shasta where he settled that year. Williamson was Sarah’s brother, and Sarah enrolled her daughter into the school at Shasta. This is where she continued her schooling and Mae Helene Bacon became a well-educated person. 

Eventually, Mae’s uncle became the division superintendent of the California-Oregon Stage Company which operated in Shasta between 1853 and 1888. Then, Williamson Smith also purchased stock within the newly established McCormick-Saeltzer Company of Redding which incorporated as a business on May 7, 1877. Williamson became a founding owner of this general merchandise store. When Smith died of heart failure on May 31, 1902, it was Mae who obtained her uncle’s interest in the McCormick-Saeltzer Company, and she became a heavy stockholder inside the company, this move made her wealthy. 

Above: Williamson Lyncoya Smith (1830-1902). His ashes are kept in the San Francisco Columbarium in San Francisco. Aside from being employed by the California-Oregon Stage Company in Shasta he also purchased stock in 1877 establishing the McCormick-Saeltzer Company of Redding. Mae Helene (Bacon) Boggs obtained his interest. Courtesy of Shasta Historical Society. 

In 1900, Mae relocated from Shasta to San Francisco and then she met and married Angus Gordon Boggs on August 6, 1900, in that city. Angus Boggs was a prominent hard working and wealthy citizen of San Francisco. According to the 1910 U.S. Census of San Francisco, he was a promoter of mining stock in the area, and he kept supporting his wife until his death on January 20, 1920, at the age of sixty-two. Mae Helene (Bacon) Boggs inherited her husband’s estate, and she became wealthier. 

On Easter Day, April 20, 1930, Mae Helene (Bacon) Boggs of San Francisco returned to her childhood home in the town of Shasta with her friends Edna (Behrens) Eaton of Redding and her son the late Shasta County Superior Court Judge, Richard B. Eaton. At first glance she was heartbroken to see her hometown in disrepair and in ruins. Shasta had been neglected over the years; it was formerly the county seat of Shasta County from March 6, 1851, to May 19, 1888, when the City of Redding became the county seat that day. 

Above: The first McCormick-Saeltzer Company store of Redding was located at the south-east corner of Butte & California Streets in Redding. Then in 1888, the owners moved into the building which is pictured above. The second building which was located between Yuba and Placer Streets in Redding. This photo was taken circa 1920. Courtesy of Shasta Historical Society. 

Boggs fondly remembered the town in its glory days and wanted to act fast to preserve its historic district. Her first priority was establishing a historic monument dedicated to the Knights of the Whip, the stage drivers that held the ribbons of the stage on the dusty roads in Shasta County and pay tribute to them. Then on, August 6, 1930, her vision became a reality as a monument was dedicated on the north side of Main Street in Shasta, and a duplicate on Bass Hill. She received additional help from the Native Sons of the Golden West and the newly created Shasta Historical Society, which was established on January 18, 1930, in Redding. Together they played an important role in preserving Shasta’s historic district. 

Mae Helene (Bacon) Boggs began embracing a passion for historic preservation as she began restoring the former “Queen City of the North” for future generations to enjoy. She began purchasing land in Shasta which contained historic structures on the property. With the help of the above organizations Boggs began the restoration within Shasta’s historic district which included the south side ruins, during the late 1930s. In 1937, the California State Parks Commission assisted them in their effort to preserve the historic town of Shasta, and from this partnership the Shasta State Historic Park came into fruition.

Of course, much more work was underway in Shasta by the above groups and Boggs herself. It wasn’t until June 12, 1950, that Shasta Historic State Park was opened to the public in the historic town of Shasta. The State Park office in Shasta was located in the (old) brick courthouse which was built in 1862 on the north side of Main Street. The courthouse was restored and preserved as well as it became an intriguing museum with a vast collection of archives and special collections that they received upon donations of local relics related to Shasta’s history. 

In 1942, Mae Helene (Bacon) Boggs published a book called; My Playhouse Was a Concord Coach: An Anthology of Newspaper Clippings and Documents Relating to Those Who Made California History During the Years of 1822-1888. This book was an extensive body of work documenting California’s rich and compelling history through newspaper articles and written material. Of course, the early history of Shasta County was not overlooked in it. In San Francisco, Boggs rallied for women’s rights, and she became a well-known person in northern California. 

Above: the interior of the second McCormick-Saeltzer Company building of Redding, circa 1921. It was located between Yuba and Placer Streets in Redding. This building stood until January 13, 1940, when it was destroyed by fire. Courtesy of Shasta Historical Society. 

The name of the future dam site was heavily debated some of its early name proposals which were suggested by the Federal Government were the following: Coram Dam, Kennett Dam and McColl Dam. It was Mae Helene (Bacon) Boggs who named the dam- Shasta Dam, and she also named the adjacent lake, Shasta Lake. She named these important places after the town of Shasta. Shasta Dam was engineered by Frank T. Crowe the owner of Pacific Constructors Incorporated, and construction began in 1938 and it’s construction was completed in 1945. When the Bureau of Reclamation held their grand opening for Shasta Dam, they invited Mae to attend the ceremony. 

Above: L-R: Earl Lee Kelly, Director of the California State Department of Public Works, Mae Helene (Bacon) Boggs, and John C. Paige, Commissioner of the U.S. Department of Public Works. This photograph was taken on September 12, 1937. Courtesy of Shasta Historical Society. 

At the present (Old) Shasta may be referred to as a ghost town by some people, yet it is a place of living history. Boggs had lived to see her dreams become a reality as she died at the age of one hundred years old on August 1, 1963, in San Francisco. She was a tremendous friend and benefactor of the Shasta State Historic Park. The Shasta State Historic Park now includes numerous historical landmarks and a working museum which employs its own park rangers under the California State Park System. 

Due to the efforts of the pioneers before us who made Shasta their home and succeeded in thriving businesses in that town, the town has reached a thriving population of 1,771 people over time, living amongst this state park. Shasta is accessible by Highway 299 West in Redding which intersects Main Street at Shasta and leaves Shasta heading towards Weaverville. From Weaverville it’s accessible from Highway 299 East and intersects Main Street at Shasta leaving Shasta towards Redding. It’s a short fun-filled family trip if you choose to go, and a visible reminder of the early gold rush days in Shasta County. 

Today, there are numerous places named after this philanthropist and pioneering woman, Mae Helene (Bacon) Boggs. One of them is a government building at 2460 Breslauer Way in Redding called the Mae Helene (Bacon) Boggs Building. There are also two special collections of local historical relics named after her, most notably they are the Boggs Collection in the Redding Library, and the Boggs Collection at the Shasta State Historic Park Museum. 

RESOURCES: 

W.L. Smith Is Taken To The Crematory - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 2, 1902 

Erecting The Memorial In Old Shasta - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 17, 1931

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 

In Memory Of A Famous Knight of The Rein by Harry P. Bagley, the Sacramento Bee newspaper of Sacramento - October 17, 1942 

SP-033 Smith, Williamson Lyncoya Pioneer Plaque 

Shasta Historical Society Pioneer History - W.L. Smith dated January 20, 1943 

Mrs. Boggs Dedicates Her Life To Pioneers by Ward Bushee, the Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding - December 27, 1949

Mae Helene Bacon Boggs 1863-1963 Pioneer-Philanthropist-Centarian written by Judge Richard B. Eaton, The Covered Wagon 1964, published by Shasta Historical Society, pages 42-45. 

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

Shasta State Historic Park Brief History and Tour Guide, published by Shasta State Historic Park, ©July 1985 

Boggs gave California art collection to Shasta State Park by Jack Frost - Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, January 14, 2013 

For a Famous Name, We Owe Thanks to Mrs. Boggs. By Marc Beauchamp - Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, August 26, 2009 

California State Parks Museum Collections