Lakehead in Shasta County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Stone Turnpike Memorial Freeway
The rugged terrain defied road building efforts until the Upper Soda Springs-Pitt River Turnpike Company built 44 miles of road from Upper Soda Springs (North Dunsmuir) to Stone’s Pitt River Ferry (now under Lake Shasta).
Elias Stone, born in Pittsford, N.Y., founded his turnpike company with sons Norton, Willard, Lloyd, Marvin, and William plus kinsmen Edwin Stone and Pembroke Murray.
The road builders used man- and animal-power plus black powder to carve a road along the canyon walls. Twenty-one log bridges were sited by block and tackle above all high-water marks.
South from Soda Springs the road ran along the west bank via Dog Town, Hales Ferry (Antlers), east over the ridge to McCloud River, then to Pitt River and Stone’s Ferry. Another road lead to Shasta, ‘Queen City of the Northern Mines'.
The fierce winter storms of 1860 washed out most of the road. Undaunted, the Stones in 1861 rebuilt their toll road but again they suffered setbacks as torrential rain again flooded the canyon.
The company struggled on with low tolls, high repair costs and legal problems. In 1868 new owners took over.
After 1870, use of competing routes declined as freight teamsters, U.S. Mails, and stage drivers used Stone’s more direct road. In the 1880s, the Central Pacific laid rails to Oregon using some of the old Stone turnpike roadbeds.
Stones’ route was later paved as the Pacific Highway. Upgraded, it became U.S. 99, and in the 1960s, was rebuilt as Interstate 5.
In 1862, a Geological Survey leader enroute to Mount Shasta wrote “...most picturesque road I have ever traveled. Sometimes down to the level of the river – sometimes crossing ridges, sinking into ravines – sometimes a narrow way where two wagons cannot pass for half a mile... the road is pretty well engineered ...”
Up and Down California
1860 – 1864
Erected 1995 by Descendants of Elias Stone and Deacon Simon Stone.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Roads & Vehicles.
Location. 40° 47.612′ N, 122° 19.05′ W. Marker is in Lakehead, California, in Shasta County. Marker is on Interstate 5, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lakehead CA 96051, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 17 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Pioneers Who “Held the Ribbons” (approx. 2.7 miles away); Heroult Electric Arc Furnace (approx. 7½ miles away); Klub Klondike (approx. 8½ miles away); a different marker also named Stone Turnpike Memorial Freeway (approx. 9½ miles away); Diestelhorst Auto Camp / Reid’s Ferry (approx. 14.7 miles away); Coyle-Foster Barn (approx. 16.2 miles away); Pioneer Baby's Grave (approx. 16.2 miles away); The Coyle-Foster Barn in its Heyday (approx. 16.2 miles away).
More about this marker. This marker is located at the northbound Interstate 5 roadside rest area (O'Brien Rest Area). There is an identical marker on Interstate 5 approximately 9.5 miles north of this one, in the rest area for those driving south.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 1, 2017. It was originally submitted on October 1, 2017, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 258 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 1, 2017, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.