The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company Building; and the History of the Telephone in Redding

Above: 1629 Market Street in Redding, the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company building. This photograph taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 3, 2019.

The building at 1629 Market Street in Redding was the official headquarters of the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company, which is still in use to this day, according to Redding Electric Utility. This building is located in between Yuba and Placer Streets on the east side of Market Street. This building often attracts the attention of the public regarding its history and use. I’ve received quite a number of inquiries about it over the years and have retold its history each time.

The building itself is a commercial building and has an intriguing architectural design, called Tudor Gothic. The architect of this building was J.P. Brennan who erected the building at a cost of $60,000. The first process towards the erection of this building occurred on March 13, 1926 when a topographical and delineative survey was conducted on the one-hundred-foot lot for the purpose of furnishing information to the architect to design the plans for the building.

Then on April 30, 1926 it was announced by George Wahl, manager, of the Redding Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company, that the plans were completed. Wahl also mentioned to the local media that the actual start of construction would begin in May of that year. It was also reported that their new building was going to be a first-class semi-fireproof one-story structure with a basement.

During May of 1926 the initial construction took place and continued for the next eight months. Then on, January 12, 1927 the building was dedicated, and it opened for business the same day. The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company was the second telephonic service company in Redding which dates to 1898 when their original location was inside the Swasey building on Yuba Street between Market and California Streets. In 1907, the company relocated into a building at 504 California Street. After spending twenty years in their California Street location their new building on Market Street was ready for them to move in, and on January 12, 1927 it also marked forty-seven years of telephone progress in the City of Redding.

In 1978, the Western Electric Company began operating their business in the basement of this building, according to the City of Redding Directory, this company's time was cut short in this building. During the 1970s the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company featured a traffic department and a toll department. Both companies utilized this building until 1980. By 1981 the building became vacant after the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company spent fifty-four years in this building. In 1982, they moved to a new location at 1514 Market Street and their name appeared to be shortened to the Pacific Telephone Company at that time. During the early 1990s AT&T Communications moved into this building, and continued telecommunications in the Redding area.

Above: the Bell System logo on the front entrance to the building of 1629 Market Street in Redding. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 3, 2019.

Above: the full length front of the building at 1629 Market Street in Redding. A view of the business office in the north-east corner of the building. Customers were able to place local and long distance calls here. This photograph taken by Jeremy Tuggle on August 3, 2019.

THE HISTORY OF THE TELEPHONE IN REDDING:

A man named Charles E. Berry, a local tinner, installed the first telephone at Redding in 1880. According the 1880 U.S. Census he resided at 216 East Street with his wife Aarilla and their three children. A crude telephonic instrument was invented by Berry who strung a copper telephone line from his house on East Street to his tinnery shop on Yuba Street. 

Now Berry was able to communicate with his family from work each day. By June of 1881, several of these crude telephones were modeled after Berry’s design, which was never patented, but his design was used around Redding. Among the people and businesses who had them were the following: Doctor O.J. Lawry, a physician and surgeon, who installed a telephone line at his residence to connect with the Gleaves and Averill drug store owned by Redding druggist James M. Gleaves, and Redding dentist, George W. Averill.

Harry Parker who was employed as an operator for the Postal Telegraph Company, also installed a telephone line from the Redding railroad depot to the Gleaves and Averill drug store. Telephonic communications in Redding were booming, and everyone wanted to ride the wave.

By 1884, Berry’s design was improved by Redding resident E. Newton Eaton, a brother to Redding druggist James P. Eaton, who according to the local media “constructed a single wire line using iron wire between the store of Gilbert, Miller and Eaton and the residences of S.J.R Gilbert, Dr. Miller and James P. Eaton. The instruments were made of tin, with an opening in front which was the transmitter and receiver across back of the box, which had been left open. A piece of rawhide was stretched to form the diaphragm and the end of the wire was run thru the diaphragm in the center and fastened inside the box. Later, the rawhide was replaced by a piece of drumhead which Eaton secured for the purpose and which improved the instrument. No batteries were used. The sound being carried purely by the vibrations from the diaphragm. A code of taps for signals was arranged and this served the purpose of the phone bell.” (SIC) E. Newton Eaton had stated that the transmission of the voice was fine, it was clear, and it carried down the line.

However, sometimes an electric shock was generated between the users of this crude device. Five years later, E.W. “Pike” Roney constructed a grounded telephone circuit for the Enright Lumber Company at Bella Vista which was installed between that town and their yard in Redding. This was a line used by company officials only. The installation process that Roney used to create this telephonic line was: “black iron balling wire, salamoniac batteries and Bell company instruments secured from the Bell Telephone Company. Another instrument was connected to this line and located in the apartment of Vuave, assistant superintendent for Enright”. (SIC)

Preceding the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company in Redding was the Sunset Telephone and Telegraph Company which had their initial start in 1894. This company began using what’s known as the village or automatic system which proved inefficient. Telephone customers who used this system had to handle the switching by themselves in Redding. There were no official switchboard operators then. Later, a switchboard was installed in Eaton’s Drug store which was then located in the Bergh building on California Street and owned by James P. Eaton. The first official switchboard operator who handled the above switchboard was Redding resident Arvilla (Thompson) Paulsen, a daughter of Philip C. Thompson and Ida (Kelley) Thompson.

In 1897, there was 87 telephones in operation and connected to this switchboard. As the “hello” boom flourished in Redding the Sunset Telephone Company promoted their telephone services even more and brought the tally to 100 telephones in operation by the end of that year. In May of 1898, telephonic communications were enhanced when the San Francisco to Redding line was connected by long distance. Later, the Redding to Portland line began serving the public. A year later the City of Redding had 135 telephones in operation. Rapid growth of telephonic systems in Redding has changed drastically over the years far exceeding the initial design by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876, when he received a patent for it that year. 

Resources:

1880 U.S. Census (Note: Charles E. Berry is also found as Charles E. Bong but has been corrected on Ancestry.com as Charles E. Berry.)

1881, History and Business Directory of Shasta County, California

Early Installations and Telephone Development in Redding and Shasta County, written by Tessie Coughlin, December 12, 1924. On file at the Shasta Historical Society  in VF 621.0 Utilities.  (621.382 Call Number)

Telephone Co. Can Now Build On Hoff Lots - The Courier-Free newspaper of Redding, January 8, 1926

First Work Is Done Towards Erection Of Telephone Building - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 13, 1926

$60,000 Pacific Telephone, Telegraph Building To Be Erected In Redding - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 30, 1926

Contract For Construction Of Telephone Building Let - The Courier-Free newspaper of Redding, May 24, 1926

New Building Marks 47 Years Of Telephone Progress Here - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 11, 1927

The Telephone Company Occupies Its New Building Wednesday, January 12th - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 11, 1927

New Telephone Building, Costing $60,000, Opened - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 12, 1927

First Telephone Operator Sends Congratulations – The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 13, 1927

History of Telephones in Shasta County by Peggy Kesterson. On file at the Shasta Historical Society in VF 621.0 Utilities, 1973-1974.

1938 City of Redding Directory

1948 City of Redding Directory 

1958 City of Redding Directory 

1968 City of Redding Directory

1970 City of Redding Directory

1973 City of Redding Directory

1974 City of Redding Directory

1977 City of Redding Directory

1978 City of Redding Directory

1981 City of Redding Directory

1982 City of Redding Directory

1984 City of Redding Directory

1985 City of Redding Directory

1986 City of Redding Directory

1988 City of Redding Directory

1990 City of Redding Directory

1991 City of Redding Directory

Shingletown, Circa 1900 Photograph

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

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

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

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

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

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

Above: original group photo. Lightly faded in parts.

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

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 

ON REDDING-KLAMMATH FALLS HIGHWAY, CALIFORNIA

Courtesy of David Stuart.

A friend of mine sent me this wonderful image which is titled, “On Redding-Klamath Falls Highway, Calif.”. It’s a photograph captured in the late 1930s by J.H. Eastman, a local photographer when he was at Salt Creek, now part of present day Lake Shasta or Shasta Lake. The highway route is actually historic U.S. Route Highway 99. It’s still there today on Lower Salt Creek Road in the Sacramento River Canyon. Thank you, David for the intriguing postcard!

The Historic Igo Schoolhouse

The historic Schoolhouse located at the Shasta District Fairgrounds in Anderson. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on June 19, 2019.

In 1872, Igo pioneer and resident Charles N. Kingsbury, an active miner and a native of New York, erected a one room school house which was used as a school in the town of Igo on the property of the present Igo-Ono School. The wood was hauled into Igo from Shingle Creek at Shingletown. It included a well and an out-house.

The school lacked running water and electricity. A wood stove was used to heat the one room school house during the winter months and cold rainy days. One teacher educated the students from grades kindergarten through eighth grade. Some years the teacher taught A board of trustees was established to preside over financial affairs, repairs and to help guide the school into the future. Being a trustee of the school was a paid position just like the teachers did.

An interior pic. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on June 19, 2019.

In 1941 the town of Igo received their first electricity, and so did the school house. The decade of the 1950s brought a new feature to the school house, running water. It was utilized by the Platina Union School District until 1960 when the last class was taught by Mrs. Lucy Plumb. In 1970 the building was relocated by truck to Anderson at the Shasta District Fairgrounds.

Original restoration took place by the Shasta Historical Society between the years 1989-1991. Since that time the organization has made many additional restorations to the building so it can be enjoyed by future generations to come and up to code on safety regulations. The Shasta Historical Society keeps the historic Igo Schoolhouse open during the Shasta District Fair, and some times during Anderson Explodes. 

The original stove wood still housed inside the building. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on June 19, 2019.

Teachers:

*Note: Teachers prior to 1901 are not well documented.


1901 - A.E. Downing

1904 - Mrs. L. Cunningham

1905 - Mary Stevens

1906 - Mrs. Alex Cox

1907 - Maude M. Sears

1908 - Addie Baker

1909 - Mrs. Mary Kingsbury

1910-1912 - Mrs. Lulu Swanson

1913-1915 - Pauline Rimer

1915-1918 - Mrs. Pearl Miller

1919 - Mrs. Sydnie Jones

1920 - Arleta Hubbard

1921-1944 - Mrs. Sydnie Jones

1944-1958 - Mrs. Amy Jones

1958- 1960 - Mrs. Lucy Plumb



RESOURCES:


The Igo Schoolhouse 1872-1970 printed by Shasta Historical Society

Igo School printed by Shasta Historical Society

Igo School 371.23 available on file at the Shasta Historical Society in Redding.

Igo School Board Minutes Circa 1964/1965

Don't Close Books Yet On Igo School by Mark DeSio -Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, June 14, 1989

The Last Days of the Igo Schoolhouse by Donald J. Bagley

The Igo Schoolhouse 371.23 

Gold Fever: A Tale of the Lost Cabin Mine

The Lost Cabin mine is a fabled gold mine which was located by prospectors Cox, Benedict and Compton during the year 1850, however, the first quartz mines in Shasta County were not dug out and located until 1852, everything up-until-then (in this county) were placer mines. While the three miners were prospecting in the Sacramento River Canyon (where it is believed to have been located) a grizzly bear met them face-to-face. The miners shot and killed the animal which fell into a natural shaft about several feet in diameter. One of the men jumped into this depression in the ground to cut the meat from the grizzly bear for food.

While he was carving out the meat from the grizzly bear, he noticed a gold nugget in the shaft and he stopped cutting meat to continue to prospect this natural hole while he moved the large creature around to give him room to make the search. He found additional free gold, and he stopped collecting the nuggets. The three men discussed what to do next and they decided to cut the trees in the area to erect two cabins. Eventually, the two cabins were erected by Cox, Benedict and Compton at the site. They also found a way to lift the body of the grizzly bear out of the hole to clear it out.

Cox, Benedict and Compton, stayed in the area for sometime they had axes with them which helped them build their cabins and blaze a trail to their discovery site. However, within time the fear of the heavy winter months ahead forced them to abandoned this claim. Legend has it that the three men departed the area with $40,000 each. in free gold, a grand total of $120,000. They reached a trading post near Whiskeytown, and showed the people at the trading post their findings which made their story factual and in time legendary. The three men never returned to Shasta County, and the secret of its location went with them until they died.

Then in 1853, John W. Hillman led a party of prospectors into the Sacramento River Canyon in the upper end of the canyon in hopes to locate the fabled Lost Cabin mine, this was before he discovered Crater Lake in Oregon. Their search yielded no results. The men were hoping to find the cabins of the former miners still standing in a non-populated place. Once they found no trace of this fabled site they decided to move north into the Oregon territory.  

During 1855, a new rush of miners seeked-out the area of Lower Soda Springs which was the home to Castle Crags. The tale of the Lost Cabin mine was retold by an early pioneer settler of the area named Joe De Blondy alias Mountain Joe who kept a trading post in the area. Mountain Joe had befriended another pioneer in the area by the name Cincinnatis H. Miller alias Joaquin Miller the famed Poet of the Sierra's who also talked about the fabled mine. Mountain Joe thought it would bring him additional business to his trading post, and his business flourished because of it. As more European-American's and other emigrants entered Shasta County the tale became widespread. Thousands of men dotted the creeks and bars on the Sacramento River in search of the fabled mine.

Pictured above: Cincinnatis H. Miller alias Joaquin Miller the famed Poet of the Sierra's. Courtesy of Shasta Historical Society.

Miners began filling the nearby creeks and the Sacramento River with mud from their mining activities which killed the salmon run in these channels. They also began to hunt the wild game in the area which left no food for the Modoc Indians. The Modoc Indians began attacking travelers using the Oregon Trail in response to the European-Americans which forced the closure of that famous route in Shasta County. It was a major set back for the region as supplies and the local mail couldn’t reach various areas. After that, a raid was made upon Mountain Joe’s trading post and many supplies were stolen by them including sacks of flour. Some of these flour sacks accidentally tore open upon their return home. This allowed the European-Americans to find them easier as it marked a trail for them, in June of 1855, a war broke out called Battle Rock. Battle Rock was a deadly clash between the Modoc Indians in the area and the gold miners who were in search of the Lost Cabin mine due to the above events.

Captain George R. Crook led his military troops up Castle Crags to fight the Modoc Indians but they ended up losing the fight. The next attack was led by pioneer Reuben Gibson whose wife was was a daughter of Chief Weilputas, Chief of the Shasta Indians. The Shasta Indians were enemies of the Modoc Indian tribe. The Chief loaned his Indian warriors to Gibson. This group also contained Shasta County Sheriff John Driebelbis, Mountain Joe, Joaquin Miller, and additional gold miners to assist them in their fight. It was in this battle that Joaquin Miller was injured. Gibson’s group won the battle. Battle Rock was also documented as being the last battle in which local Indians used bows and arrows.

As for the Lost Cabin mine, it has never been found in Shasta County, yet, their have been many claims over the years in other areas of California printed by various media outlets which claim that miners have found the legendary Lost Cabin mine. There is a version of the story printed by the San Francisco Gate which places the fabled gold mine in Trinity County. However, these are the Shasta related events that are known. It still attracts a lot of attention today. Battle Rock is now a California historical landmark.

The plaque states, “Battle Rock - Battle of the Crags was fought below Battle Rock in June 1855. This conflict between the Modoc Indians and the settlers resulted from miners destroying the native fishing waters in the Lower Soda Springs area. Settlers led by Squire Reuben Gibson and Mountain Joe Doblondy, with local Indians led by their Chief Weilputus, engaged Modocs, killed their Chief Dorcas Della, and dispersed them. Poet Joaquin Miller and other settlers were wounded.”  California Registered Historical Landmark No. 116 Plaque placed by the State Department of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus, Trinitarianus Chapter #62, July 26, 1984. Photograph taken by Jeremy Tuggle on May 31, 2019.

RESOURCES:


STORY OF SHASTA'S LOST CABIN MINE IS AN INTERESTING ONE - By May Southern - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 18, 1930


The Legend of the Lost Cabin Mine, 1948 by Robert O’Brien - San Francisco Gate, June 17, 2012


Shasta County, California A History by Rosena Giles, published by Biobooks, ©1949, pages 37-38.


The Covered Wagon 1967, published by Shasta Historical Society