Noble's Emigrant Trail - Historic Bear Creek and the Dersch Homestead Site

Filmed on location April 18, 2023.

On this episode of Exploring Shasta County History, Jeremy, dives into the history surrounding the historic Dersch Homestead at Bear Creek. Come check out what's left of Noble's emigrant trail a trail which was blazed and routed William H. Nobles opened in 1852 as a safer route and an easier alternative from the Lassen Trail led travelers, wagons, pack trains and freight trains using this route into Shasta County.

RESOURCES:

1850 U.S. Census

1852 California State Census

1860 U.S. Census

Solomon D. Baker, Declaration of Homestead dated March 27, 1862

Coroner’s Inquest Report – Mrs. William Allen dated September 10, 1864

Coroner’s Inquest Report - Helenor M. Jones dated September 21, 1864

Horrible Massacre By Indians - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 10, 1864

Another Indian Murder - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 17, 1864

Our Indian Difficulties - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 17, 1864

Volunteers -  The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 24, 1864

More Indians Killed - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, October 8, 1864

Indian Raid - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, August 25, 1866

Correspondence - The Red Bluff Independent newspaper of Red Bluff, August 29, 1866

Indians Overtaken and Killed - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 1, 1866

Death of Mrs. Dersch - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, September 1, 1866

The Settler’s Vengeance - The Red Bluff Independent newspaper of Red Bluff, September 5, 1866

1867 California Voters Registration

1870 U.S. Census

1880 U.S. Census

BP-005.1 Baker, Solomon Dodge Pioneer Plaque File on file at Shasta Historical Society

The Good Old Times In McClean County, Illinois written by Dr. E. Duis. Published by Bloomington. ©1874 pages 206-207.

DP-009 Dersch, George Pioneer Plaque File on file at Shasta Historical Society.

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

Shasta Historical Society Pioneer Record - George Dersch, dated: March 23, 1943

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

Our Pioneers - The Dersches by Beverly Steele, Ridge Rider News newspaper of Shingletown, January 4, 1993

Our Pioneers - The Dersches Part II by Beverly Steele, Ridge Rider News newspaper of Shingletown, January 11, 1993

Our Pioneers - The Dersches Part III by Beverly  Steele, Ridge Rider News newspaper of Shingletown (no date)

Wintu Trails by Helen Steadman Hogue. Published by Shasta Historical Society ©1977. Printed by Redding Printing Company Inc.,

Noble’s Emigrant Trail - Dry Creek Twin Bridges

Noble's Emigrant Trail - Dry Creek Twin Bridges. A zoomed in view from Dry Creek Bridge. This photograph was taken by Jeremy Tuggle on April 15, 2023.

The historic Noble's Emigrant Trail, a trail which was blazed and routed by William H. Nobles opened in 1852 as a safer route and an easier alternative from the Lassen Trail led travelers, wagons, pack trains and freight trains using this route into Shasta County, California. At the historic site of Dry Creek in eastern Shasta County, and just to the west of the historic Dersch Homestead site are twin bridges belonging to the route which were built in 1924 with the date etched into their concrete. These bridges were made of reinforced concrete slab arches, arched rails and girder beams, which makes them unique and one of a kind in the State of California, designed by C.R. Wiegel.

They were erected by the Severtson Construction Company over the eastern and western channel of Dry Creek at that location. They are a short distance east of the historic site of Fort Reading. To the naked eye they appear to be identical in shape and size, however, their measurements are not exact, bridge one measures at 44 feet long and 20.6 feet wide while bridge two measures at 34 feet long and 20.7 feet wide.

About twenty-seven years ago, Shasta County deemed them to be unsafe for passing motorists. Today, they are fenced off to public access with no trespassing signs around them which is why I'm blogging about this historical site rather than filming a YouTube video about it. Today, historic signs mark each bridge over Dry Creek but remain visible from a distance. A nearby road called Noble's Trail Road retains the name of the historic route as well.

Noble's Emigrant Trail - Canyon House Historic Site (in Redding.)

Join me on this episode of Exploring Shasta County History as I dive into the history of the Canyon House or Canon House which predated Redding about 20 years before its establishment in 1872. This settlement's location might surprise you, and very little remains preserve this oft-forgotten locality which was pretty prominent alongside Noble's Emigrant Trail. See who, what, and where this settlement which included a popular stopping place was in this new YouTube video. Filmed on location April 3, 2023. 

RESOURCES:

Lost - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, June 25, 1853

Married - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, August 6, 1853

Died - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, May 27, 1854

Dissolution - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, November 10, 1855

Canon House for sale! - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, November 17, 1855

Births - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, January 19, 1856

Racing - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, June 26, 1858

Canon House - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, April 17, 1858

Canon House Race Course - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, July 3, 1858

Road From Shasta to Canon House - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, April 9, 1859

The Shasta Couriee newspaper of Shasta, January 7, 1860

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, May 12, 1860

Struck By Lightning - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, March 30, 1861

Shooting Affair at the Canon House - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta April 20, 1861

Banner Again - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, November 19, 1864

Stage Upset - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, December 8, 1866

Board of Supervisors - February Term - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, February 6, 1869

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, February 1, 1873

Trails of 49' - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, August 27, 1930

Canyon House Had a Bad Name For Shooting Scrapes In Early Days - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, February 4, 1943

California, U.S., Pioneer And Immigrant Files, 1790-1950: Frederick McIntosh, July 1948. In the archives of the California State Library.

Trees, Graves Mark Site Of Canyon House written by Edna R. Hollenbeak - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, July 29, 1948

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

Find A Grave Memorial: Frederick McIntosh (died: 1854)

Find A Grave Memorial: Elizabeth Ann (McIntosh) Catey (1821-1854)

Redding Consolidated Mine's Abandoned Mine Shaft

In the late 1920's and 1930's the Redding Consolidated Mines owned the lucrative Boswell Group of Mines. These mines produced gold and were located by its original locator George Boswell in the 1890's. While geocaching with my friend James, son Carson, and my Mom, we found a plugged shaft belonging to their mining company in the Swasey Recreation Area on Mule Mountain Trail just west of Redding near the Redding Consolidated Mines property. Also known as the Redding Consolidated Mining Company, these mines have a detailed history in Redding and I'm currently editing a video about their history which will be released in the future. Stay tuned to Exploring Shasta County History. Enjoy this short video. Filmed on location April 29, 2023. 

The Original Site of Wright's Ferry

Filmed on location in February of 2023.

In this video you can join me on an adventure as I explore an old stage road leading down to and from the original site of Wright's Ferry at the mouth of Spring Creek, where Shasta County pioneers Eugene Wright and Otis Seamans formerly operated a ferry across the Sacramento River just 100 yards south of the mouth of Spring Creek at this location. Their ferry license was granted to them by the Shasta County Court of Sessions on October 14, 1851. I tried locating some of the ferry's iron mooring pins and ramps here which their watercraft would have used but none were found, however, it's possible that they might still exist under the water level of the river. Only the old stage road leading to and from the ferry on both the west and east sides of the Sacramento River at this location remains. Come see what we found in this historic area and learn about the early history of the ferry which was eventually relocated to another location on the Sacramento River. Later on, this ferry became the Waugh's Ferry.

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

The Beck Cemetery of Millville

Filmed on location October 28, 2022. 

The Beck Cemetery was established in 1857 at Millville. The first burial was that of Paul Heryford, a local farmer, who was born in 1794, in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Heryford died on October 3, 1857, at Pine Grove, in Shasta County, California, at the age of sixty-three years old from a congestive chill. His body was then transferred to this cemetery for burial. This cemetery lies within the boundaries of the Millville Cemetery District. Additional burials were made within this small cemetery. The last recorded burial occurred in 1877, but there are three unknown burials at this historic site in Shasta County.

Resources:

1850 U.S. Census

Millenium File for Paul Heryford available at Ancestry.com

Find A Grave Memorial: Paul Heryford 1794-1857

The Historic Wells Ferry Crossing Along the Sacramento River Near Anderson on Noble's Emigrant Trail: and the Sacramento River House

Filmed on location March 17, 2023

On this episode of Exploring Shasta County history, Jeremy takes you on a private tour of the historic Sacramento River House property at the present-day site of the Sacramento River Bridge 1 1/2 mile north of Anderson at the historic Wells Ferry crossing with its property owner, Scott Swendiman. The Sacramento River House was built circa (1875-1880) along the historic Noble's Emigrant Trail at that location, originally it was a ferry house belonging to the historic Wells Ferry, and it still stands today. Tuggle & Swendiman gives you an exclusive look into Swendiman's property here. Check out the remains of the ferry on the property which dates to 1852. In 1886 the Wells Ferry was replaced by the Anderson Free Bridge and there are remains of that bridge on this property as well. This is an episode you don't want to miss. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven't already. This is now a historic vacation rental, wedding and event venue which is available to rent online at the following website's:

https://www.sacramentoriverhouse.com/

https://www.vrbo.com/292309

https://www.reddingbridalshow.com/redding-ca-wedding-bridal-show-expo-blog/sacramento-river-house

Resources

Notice - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, July 22, 1854

Notice - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, November 11, 1854

District Court, November Term, 1854 - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, December 16, 1854

Notice - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, January 12, 1856

Valuable Ferry Property For Sale - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, July 2, 1870

Purchased - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, October 1, 1870

Supervisor Proceedings - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, November 19, 1870

Whirlwind - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, May 11, 1872

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

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, February 27, 1886

The Bridge Matter - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 6, 1886

That Bridge - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 13, 1886

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 10, 1886

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 29, 1886

Board of Supervisors - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 10, 1886

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 17, 1886

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, August 14, 1886 (vilas mill Shingletown contract 50,000 feet of lumber for new bridge)

Talkin' About Ferry Boats and Changes written by Rosena A. Giles - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, February 1, 1951

Shasta County Had Many Ferries written by Judge Albert F. Ross Jr., - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, December 28, 1963

Shasta County, California, U.S., Marriages, 1852-1904

First Ferry Crossing written by Christy Milan Duke for Enjoy Magazine February 2019.

Sacramento River House