|
TRAILS WEST --
|
A VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE NOBLES TRAIL, CONTINUED
|
|
This marker is located near a recently logged parcel of private property. It is close to one of the two watering holes mentioned by the emigrants as they traveled west from Roops Fort (Susanville). While traveling in this area, the emigrants often commented on how gradually the road ascended. They were also amazed at the size and density of the pine and fir trees in the area. Photo by Bob Black. |
|
|
This meadow was one of the many popular emigrant camping areas along the Nobles Trail. It is also the site of the Nancy Allen grave which is enclosed by a wood fence. Photo by Bob Black. |
|
|
A marker made from local stone was placed on Nancy's grave when she was buried. The photo above shows what is left. In 2000, the original fence around the grave site was replaced by OCTA and a pedestal-mounted plaque was mounted next to the grave. Photo by Craig Corwin. The OCTA pedestal-mounted plaque next to the grave site reads, in part: |
|
This Nancy Ann Allen grave is one of the very few graves which was marked at the time of death on local stone and has survived as a known site down to the present time. It is a very special place for all of those Americans who treasure their national heritage.
NANCY ANN ALLEN Research has provided no further biographical information concerning Nancy. However, on June 23, 1865, Major Gortham Kimball, driving a flock of sheep to Idaho from California, wrote in his journal: "Found the grave of Mrs. Nancy Allen today. Some poor emigrant woman - on her way to California." This grave was marked and fenced with iron pipe fencing in 1924. The inscription on the small attached plate reads: "Restored by 'Women's Study Club' of Westwood 1924." In September of the year 2000, as part of its program for preserving this nation's overland emigrant trail heritage, the California/Nevada Chapter of the Oregon-California Trails Association was granted permission by the Fruit Growers Supply Company of Burney, California to replace the badly-deteriorated and vandalized pipe fencing with this wooden fence and historic marker. |
|
|
Feather Lake was an important camping area for the emigrants traveling along both the Nobles and Lassen Trails. It was close to the Nobles Trail and only a short distance from the Lassen Trial. Photo by Bob Black. |
|
|
The Nobles and Lassen Trails shared the same route between Feather Lake and near the present-day Bogard Ranger Station. The Nobles Trail was heading northwest; the Lassen Trail was heading southwest. The marker located in the trees a short distance beyond the scene shown in the photo is where Trails West honors the simultaneous use of the same route by the two trail with a marker. Photo by Bob Black. |
|
|
This valley has some excellent remnants of the trails used by the emigrants on both the Nobles and Lassen Trails. The area is located a short distance east of the Bogard Rest Area on Highway 44. Photo by Bob Black. |
|
|
Many of the emigrants commented on how flat the route was through this area and about how large and dense the pine and fir trees were. That is a swale in front of the marker. The swale can be seen running from near highway 44, past the marker, and on some distance to the northwest of the marker. Yes, that is snow that you see in the shadows cast by some of the large trees in the area. Highway 44 can be seen to the left of the photo. Parking to visit this site is across the highway at the junction of Highway 44 and Pittville Road. Poison Lake is just north of where you can park. Photo by Bob Black. |
|
|
This is a view of Mt. Saint Joseph (Lassen Peak) that the emigrants traveling the alternate Nobles Trail route saw in 1855 and later. The photo was taken from a view point on present-day Highway 44 as the highway drops down from Hat Creek Rim. Some of the emigrants referred to the volcanic rock covered flat area below the view point as "Devil's Half Acre." Photo by Bob Black. |
|
|
After dropping down Hat Creek Hill and crossing over several miles of loose volcanic rock, the Nobles Trail travelers were delighted to find this rapid mountain stream called Hat Creek. This creek is located on the alternate Nobles Trail route which was also the route of the later California-Oregon Stage Road and the freight road to Fort Bidwell and Yreka. There is now a nice campground located next to the creek. Photo by Bob Black. |
|
|
This ford of Hat Creek was located on the northern (original) branch of the Nobles Trail. Due to heavy snowfall, the original route of the Nobles Trail was replaced by an alternate route that dropped down Hat Creek Hill, crossed Devil's Half Acre, and then rejoined the original route just west of the northern entrance of the present-day Lassen Volcanic National Park. Photo by Bob Black. |
|
|
This marker is located a short distance from a crossing of Lost Creek that was used on an early branch of the original Nobles Trail. This segment of the Nobles Trail is the only location in the United States where an emigrant trail was destroyed by volcanic action - the eruption of Lassen Peak and subsequent mud slide on May 22, 1915. Photo by Bob Black. |
|
|
This segment of trail is on one of the branches of the original Nobles Trail. It is located on the northwest side of Table Mountain in an area of very large pine and fir trees. Photo by Bob Black. |
|
|
When the emigrants first traveled the Nobles Trail, they found several lumber mills operating in this area. Civilization had reached into the foothills and a road had already been constructed down from the Sacramento Valley to this point and beyond. Photo by Bob Black. |
|
|
As can be seen in this photo, the country the Nobles Trail passed through has changed from being heavy forest to open oak prairie and poison oak. This is due to the drop in elevation and lower rainfall. This area is dry and parched in the summer but soft and "miry" in the rainy season. A popular stopping place for trail travelers settled by Payne and Smith was located about a mile north of this area on the route of the Nobles Trail. Photo by Bob Black. |
|
|
One of the locations the emigrants commented on was the Dersch family ranch house located next to Bear Creek. Travelers were able to obtain some produce and feed for their stock while recruiting near the ranch house. Photo by Craig Corwin. A 1866 raid by local Indians resulted in the death of Mrs. Dersch and many of the Indians. The raid and subsequent retaliation is commemorated by California State Historical Marker 120 [shown in the photo, above] which reads:
|
|
|
After passing Fort Reading a few miles to the northeast, the emigrants traveling the Nobles Trail crossed over the Sacramento River near this site. It is located a few miles northerly of the present town of Anderson. Photo by Bob Black. |
|
|
This is the west end of the Nobles Trail. It was here in the old town of Shasta City that the townspeople subscribed $2,000 for William H. Nobles to locate an emigrant route from the Humboldt River to this town in the Spring of 1852. After several of the town's population viewed his route, they were enthusiastic in their praise of it. They were confident that it was the best route into California from the Humboldt River and that most of the future emigration would come their way! Photo by Bob Black. |
| Site Map |