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“On the Road to . . .”by Bob PaseroCA BRE#105225631299 S. Main Street, Suite A(530) 842-1996 or 842-3591Yreka, CA 96097(530) 842-1739 tainINSURANCE SERVICES INC.Farm - Ranch - Stables - Auto - Homeowners - BusinessMona M. Carr, CICIndependent Insurance Agent since 1981CA #OA65427 - OR #841716 - NV #1777943223 Hwy 299EFall River Mills, Ca 96028800-655-6561MOUNTAIN VILLAGE PARK, INC.-Jim HendricksOwnerRV ParkStoreSelf-Storage30 Commercial WayPO Box 30Etna, CA 96027(530) 467-5678www.etnarvp.comemail: etnarvp@sisqtel.netA SLICEOFHEAVEN CAFE & BAKERYFull Service Restaurant & BakeryDelicious Homemade SoupsBaking done from ScratchCatering - Dine In - Take OutPage 10322 S. Main StreetDorris, CA 96023(530) 397-5493Bob Pasero is Orland's retired Police Chief. Orland is in Glenn County which is atthe southern end of The State of Jefferson! Bob writes for the Sacramento Valley Mirrorand we will be re-printing some of his fascinating articles from his column: "On the Road- Adventures in the State of Jefferson."Bob is also the National Chaplain for an organization called The Missing in AmericaProject, a Veteran Recovery Program. Please go to www.miap.us for more info.ON THE ROAD TO HAUNTED SISKIYOUPart 2 of 2Editor’s Note: In Bob's own words, his special 'Haunted Siskiyou" stories wereoriginally scheduled to start in October. However the needs of the City of Weed andthe families affected by the Boles fire took priority. As a result we will now presentHaunted Siskiyou. It is never too late for a good campfire ghost story.In our first “Haunted Siskiyou” visit, I shared my personal experiences ofthe “haunting” at the police department/fire department in Dunsmuir. Today,in “Part 2,” I thought it might be interesting to explore some other reportedparanormal incidents in “Haunted Siskiyou.” However, there is one caveat. Iam neither an ear witness nor an eye witness to these occurrences so I have noactual “firsthand” knowledge of them. I am simply a messenger with respectto the incidents that I will relate in today’s visit. So, perhaps it is time for us toget back On the Road for one final visit to Haunted Siskiyou.The police and fire department facilities are not the only Dunsmuirstructures that are reportedly haunted. A block and a half north of the FireDepartment is Dunsmuir’s California Theater. The theater is a remarkablebuilding with a history and haunting all its own. Without naming myanonymous source I can share what a former employee of the theater told me.He reported that although he personally did not believe in “ghosts or goblins”some things happened during his employment that he could not explain. Severalpeople reported to him that a nondescript “man” quite often could be seen inSeat 4 of the front row of the theater. However, when approached the manseemed to simply vanish into the darkness of the theater. On the third floor ofthe theater a small girl in formal wear had been seen several times dancing inwhat used to be the grand ball room. My informant, although not a “believer,”often felt “chills” in his third floor office near the Masonic Lodge. He said thatother than those uncomfortable feelings he occasionally felt in the office he didnot personally see or hear anything out of the ordinary.Geographically Siskiyou County is enormous. The county, at nearly 6,300square miles, is larger than 3 states: Rhode Island, Delaware and Connecticutand is just slightly smaller than the land mass of the Hawaiian Islands. Thereare a number of small towns, communities and mining camps that are now littlemore than names on 160 year old maps.Communities like Klamathon, Bestville, Callahan, Cecilville, Fort Goff,Humbug, Hilt, Happy Camp, Forks of the Salmon or the even lesser knownghost towns of Deadwood, Gullion’s Bar, Hooperville, Wingate Bar and moredot the landscape in this ruggedly beautiful and picturesque county.

“On the Road to.”Continued from Page 10i ghrtrt’sCoEach one of thesecommunities has its own,sometimes violent story.Four reported murdererswere broken out of theSiskiyou County Jail inthe 1890s and werelynched. In 1935 ClydeJohnson, the admittedkiller of the DunsmuirPolice Chief was brokenout of Jail and he too tooka long fall at the end of a short rope.Many have asked, “What might cause a person’s ‘spirit’ to remainon this side of the veil?” If ghosts do exist it has been postulated thattheir lives may have ended unexpectedly or violently. If that is thecase, Siskiyou County would be a good place to find such a wanderingsoul.When the sun goes down in Grenada, for example, things thatshouldn’t move do move and furthermore things that should movedon’t, almost as if they are being held down by some unseen force.Disembodied voices have been heard to cry out as if in agony in thiscommunity of less than 400 people.But possibly the most haunted community in Siskiyou County isYreka. With a population of near 8,000 living souls, Yreka is the largestincorporated city in the county. The exact number of disembodiedvoices, spectral “beings,” goblins and other unexplained inhabitants isyet to be determined.There is this intriguing story told by three young adults. Whilevisiting Yreka’s “Green Horn Park” they heard footsteps of someoneapproaching on the trail behind them. They moved to the side of theMarket & Deli24 HOUR FUELING - Open 7 days a Week250 E. Webb Street - Montague, CA 96064(530) 459-3414Locally Owned & Operatedtrail in single file in courteous fashion to allow the approachingperson to pass. They stopped and the approaching footstepsstopped. When the hikers turned there was nobody behind them.They left the park vowing never to return.Then there are the spectral blue lights that periodically appearand move about in the Evergreen Cemetery. These have never beenfully explained although they have been seen and reported by anumber of people.Admittedly, there could be logical explanations for thesesightings and experiences. Light reflections, for example couldpossibly explain the cemetery’s blue lights. Perhaps over activeimaginations or audio - echo anomalies could explain the soundsof approaching footsteps. However, neither of those can explainthe following incident. It was reported to me at the ChineseCemetery east of Yreka. Another visitor to the cemetery and Istruck up a conversation. He was of Asian descent and explainedthat he had an ancestor reportedly buried in the cemetery. He hadbeen to the cemetery the previous day and he was inside the displayarea, reading and “getting a feel,” for the cemetery. He heard aconversation in Chinese and somebody crying. Thinking otherswere there he tried to locate the person or persons. There wasnobody around and the parking lot was empty. He told me he wasa bit rattled and left immediately. However, after staying the nightin Yreka he decided to come back to the cemetery to try and repeatthe experience in hopes of discovering who or what had made thesound and who had carried on that conversation in Chinese. I don’tknow if he ever succeeded. I left immediately after thatconversation. I would like to say it was to leave him to his solitudebut honestly, I was more than a little bit rattled myself.There you have it, just some of the tales of “HauntedSiskiyou.” I bid you goodbye until we meet the next time we get“On the Road.” ê Taco Tuesday! ê5 tacos foronly 4.00êFish Friday! êYummy Fish & Chips, Bowl ofClam Chowder and a SmallFountain Drink for only 5.99Page 11

WILDWOOD CROSSINGCOFFEE SHOP & CAFE405 Main St.Etna, CA(530) 467-5544Find us on Facebook at Wildwood CrossingDUNSMUIRHISTORYby Ron McCloudOwner of Dunsmuir Hardware, Dunsmuir, California“The Million Dollar Waterfall”As waterfalls go, Hedge Creek Waterfall is tiny. The secluded 30 footcascade has none of the drama of famous falls such as Niagara or evenneighboring McCloud River Falls. But it has a story that makes it memorable.The little waterfall was known to Native Americans and early settlers in thearea but it was nearly destroyed and lost forever in the early 1970s.Volcanic activity deep within Mt. Shasta millions of years ago createdSeasonal Vegetables, Garlic,a lava flow that formed the cliff over which Hedge Creek flows. Erosion andOnions, Herbs & Free Range Chicken Eggsthe freezing and thawing of water trapped in cracks in the basaltic rock hascaused it to fracture into columns of rock that resemble building blocks. The3104 Harry Cash Road - Montague - Ca - 96064result is the dramatic little canyon lined with huge boulders and old growthwww.mtshastanaturallygrown.com(530) 906-3865 Dave and Kim Stilliantrees and the dark cave behind the waterfall.Hedge Creek was named for the Hedge family who had a small berryOpen Weekends 10am-5pm. Weekdays by Appt.farm at the creek’s headwaters in the late 1800s. Local people knew of thefalls and the secluded little forested canyon and then – as now – it was a specialplace to visit. It is cool on hot summer days, peaceful and tranquil in hectictimes, and dramatic in the winter when ice forms fantastic shapes. Nativepeople in the area no doubt knew of the waterfall and there is a story that theInsurance Brokertrail to the falls was originally made by Chinese railroad workers in the 1880s.License #OD53727Ross McCloud, who owned Upper Soda Springs – the area we nowknow as Tauhindauli Park – had built a toll road to Yreka in the late 1850s.That road skirted the Hedge family farm and was used by freight wagons,stagecoaches and travelers. It became part of the Pacific Highway and in 1912was designated State Highway 99. In 1926 it became U.S. Highway 99. The999 So. Main Street530-842-1500 Officecoming of the automobile increased traffic going past the Hedge farm andYreka, CA 96097530-598-8581 Cellwhen Highway 99 became U.S. Interstate 5, the little farm was taken over bythe four-lane Interstate’s right of way. The waters of the creek however,continued to flow to the west, over the cliff and then on down the canyon tothe Sacramento River. The Hedge farm was gone but the family nameremained with Hedge Creek and the secluded little canyon was undisturbedby the traffic just over the lip of the ravine to the east. The waterfall in itsforested canyon remained somewhat a local secret – visited by local peoplebut virtually unknown to outsiders.Then in 1972 plans were revealed which would widen the four-laneinterstate into six lanes. Massive cuts and fills were planned and a frontageOPENGAS & DIESELroad would parallel the freeway on its west side. Excess fill – dirt, rocks andPROPANE6amto9pmasphalt – would be dumped into the Hedge Creek ravine, burying theFOOD & DRINKSwaterfall forever. Ownership of the Hedge Creek property at this time wasATM - ICE7 daysheld by two sisters – Marie Reid and Margaret Brennan. The two ladies andCHAINSa week!their garden club member friends were shocked by the potential loss of thespecial place. Not willing to sit back and watch the waterfall be destroyed,Store (530) 436-2208Exit 766 off I-5they circulated petitions and collected hundreds of signatures of others whoFax (530) 436-0351338 A-12 Hwyfelt it should be saved.Office (530) 436-0364P.O. Box 174Fax (530) 436-0380The petitions were presented to the Dunsmuir City Council along withGrenada, CA 96038letters and arguments in favor of saving the waterfall by changing theEmail: threejs@cot.netplanned location of the freeway lanes and frontage road. There was virtuallyMt. Shasta Naturally GrownDavid Smith,Auto — Home — Health3 J’s Deli &Mini MartKen Joling & Earl JolingPage 12

Dunsmuir HistoryContinued from Page 12no opposition to the sisters’ efforts and the entire communityunited to back them. A unanimous proclamation from the CityCouncil was forwarded to the California State HighwayDepartment urging that the plans be changed to save the waterfall.Highway Department officials came to see the situation andpromised to study possible solutions.After agonizing months of waiting for a decision, wordcame that the route of the frontage road would be changed tobypass Hedge Creek Waterfall. The result is the kink that we seetoday in the path of Dunsmuir Avenue as it transitions into thefrontage road. The cost of the change was rumored to be a milliondollars.Today there is a parking area for visitors to the falls andsigns point the way to the path that descends into the little canyon.The short downhill walk winds through old growth forest and thegentle sound of the falling water can be heard before it becomesvisible through the trees. The cascading water completely masksthe sound of the trucks on the nearby freeway and visitors aremoved to sit quietly and absorb the sight, sound, and peacefulsetting. The path continues on – behind the waterfall and thenfollows Hedge Creek a short distance to the viewing platform overthe Sacramento River. A million dollars was a small price to payto save such a pretty and tranquil place.Ron McCloud is the co-author with Deborah Harton of ahistory of Dunsmuir published by the Arcadia Publishing Company in 2010. He is the owner of Dunsmuir Hardware which tracesits history to 1894. At right, see the waterfall that came close to being buried underfreeway rubble and lost forever. Dunsmuir citizens' actions changed thefreeway and saved Hedge Creek Waterfall for generations to come.Photo - Dunsmuir Chamber of Commerce.On Call 24-Hours 7 Days a Week-OxygenLift ChairsWheel ChairsHospital BedsWalkersSales & RentalsLocal ServiceMost Insurances BilledScott Valley Respiratory Home Care, Inc. Corporate Office1714 South Oregon Street - Yreka, CA 96097 - (530) 841-3000HOME MEDICAL EQUIPMENT - LOCALLY OWNEDounded in 1894 by Dunsmuir’s first mayor,Alexander Levy, and continuing today as ablend of the traditional small town mercantileand a modern TRUE VALUE hardware store.pen Every DayMajor credit cards accepted5836 Dunsmuir Ave.,Dunsmuir, Ca(530) 235-4539www.dunsmuirhardware.comFor all your plumbing, electrical,well & pump servicesPage 13

HISTORY OF YREKAby Claudia A. EastJoin us each month for Claudia East’s fascinating historicalstories of the town of Yreka, California. Feel free to read & followClaudia on her blog at: http://yrekahistory.blogspot.com.“Standing Tall” in YrekaPhoto above of the Gillis Mansion in Yreka, the "home" of the local cattleBaron in the film. Photo copyright: Claudia East. Photo below of LakeSiskiyou as seen in the last few years, the site of some of the filmingin the movie.In September of 1977 the Quinn Martin Company (who producedfull length TV movies) came to Yreka and the surrounding area andfilmed what was to be titled “Legend at Sundown” entirely in SiskiyouCounty. Later during the editing the name of the film was changed tothe title of “Standing Tall.” It was a movie that depicted thedepression-era times of Montana. The story line of the film was abouta young rancher, Shasta, who is given a rough time by the reigningcattle baron. One individual, Leeland Cook, who appeared in the moviewas a former Yrekan and went on to appear in many western movies.Also starring in the movie was Linda Evans, then most known forher roles in the TV series, Big Valley. In addition Robert Foresterplays the hero, Luke Shasta and was opposite the villain in the scriptwith the ruthless cattle baron, Chuck Connors of “The Rifleman” fame.The role Connors played was described by the Siskiyou Daily Newsas “a villain who has absolutely no redeeming traits.”Below are interesting tidbits regarding the making of this film:In the film a scene was filmed at the Ft. Jones Community Halland the building was turned into the Benteen Community Hospital.Rodeo scenes were shot at Pleasure Park Area in Etna and localresidents dressed up in 1930s style clothing to become part of the rodeocrowd.The Gillis Mansion on the corner of North Oregon and YamaStreets was used for interior scenes. The home (in the movie) belongedto the “evil” cattle baron (Chuck Connors). The filming was doneduring daylight hours, but the windows were draped with black curtainson the outside to simulate nighttime.The “first voice” one hears when the movie begins is the voice ofRon Lillard. Ron, a local man, was the manager of the Siskiyou GoldenFair at the time. During the opening credits he is heard as a countrywestern disc jockey on a car radio.Some of the places to look for in the film, as they were knownwhen the film was made in 1977, include: Lake Siskiyou, the formerSiskiyou Stockyards, Little Shasta’s Johnson Ranch, Edgewood’sGragnani Ranch, the town of Callahan as the town of Benteen, the ParkMotel in Yreka and the City Hall at Fort Jones. Filming for the moviealso took place at the line shack at the Ben Brazie Ranch, mountainscenes at the Fred Burton Ranch (Forest House Ranch), party scenesat the Gillis Mansion (then the Gordon Dunlap Home) and a kitchenscene at the Roland Dexter home in Montague. Kimball’sAuto Body & PaintBrett Kimball, Owner108 Davis Road Yreka, CA 96097 - (530) 842-9484Page 14

Certified Public AccountantManagement ConsultantGary P. Allen, CPAAn Accountancy Corporationgary@gpacpa.comPO Box 11661019 South Main StreetYreka, CA 96097(530) 842-1226Fax (530) 842-7344Nature’s KitchenOpen Mon thru Sat8 am to 5 pmClosed SundayCafe & EspressoVitamins - Supplements - Gifts412 S. Main StreetYreka, CA 96097(530) 842-1136Visit theJohn Lisle(530) 842-3989308 W. Miner Street - Yreka, CaExpert Cuts - Fades - Flat Tops“Sandwiches are our Specialty!”Klander’s Deli211 South Oregon StreetYreka CA 96097(530) 842-3806Page 15

COUNTRY QUILTERS & HAND-CRAFTERS“Needles, Needles, Needles” by Mickey WestonWith so many different needles and so many different threads tochoose from, AAAH! It can seem over whelming. But fear not, allregular sewing machines and most longarm machines and sergers takea class 130/705, also known as class 15x1, needle. This denotes theshape of the top of the shaft, and the length of the needle. We carrySchmetz needles because they are surgical steel and last a bit longerthan some of the other brands. (This may, or may not, have been a goodthing the two times I sewed my index finger! Don’t

Yreka, CA 96097 (530) 842-1649 Dunsmuir Museum & Railroad Display Room Pine Street and Sacramento Ave AMTRAK Station Dunsmuir, CA 96025 www.dunsmuirdepot.com Montague Depot Museum 230 South 11th Street Montague, CA 96064 (530) 459-3385 Etna Museum 520 Main Street Etna, CA 96027 (530) 467-5366 www.etnamuseum.org The People's Center The Karuk Tribe