Weed in Siskiyou County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Welcome to the Weed Centennial Plaza / Abner Weed — City Founder
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 4, 2021
1. Welcome to the Weed Centennial Plaza / Abner Weed — City Founder Marker
Inscription.
Welcome to the Weed Centennial Plaza, also, Abner Weed — City Founder. .
Welcome to the Weed Centennial Plaza. This memorial was designed and built by the proud citizens of Weed and dedicated on September 9, 2001 as a birthday gift to the City., You are standing next to several of the 3500 bricks salvaged from the site of the old sawmill and powerhouse and hand cleaned by many volunteers. These bricks were then "sold” as a part of a "buy a brick" fundraising drive that was enthusiastically supported by local businesses and hundreds of current and former Weed residents., At the center of this wheel shaped plaza, which represents Weed as the "hub” of Siskiyou County, is a welded steel sculptor(sic) of Mr. Abner Weed, the city's founding father., Abner Weed was a pioneer industrialist who built the first lumber mill here, on the northwest slope of Mt. Shasta 1901. The now famous "Winds of Weed” were employed to dry the fresh cut lumber. The city grew up around the logging camps that became the Weed Lumber Company., The beautiful and detailed curved wall sculpture depicts classic scenes from Weed's colorful logging past. Behind it looms the ever present grandeur of 14,162 ft Mt Shasta. Both of these sculptures were skillfully created by local Siskiyou County artist Ralph Starritt., To get a feel for the original "company town” visit the fascinating
Weed Historic Lumber Town Museum 303 Gilman Avenue (behind Main Street at Division Street).
Abner Weed , City Founder Born September 18, 1842 in Dixmont, Maine, Died June 14, 1917 in Weed, California. As early as 1891 logging operations were taking place in and around what is now the town of Weed, but it wasn't until 1897 that Weed began to show the first signs of what would later become a booming logging town., The town inherited its unusual name from its founder, Abner Weed, who saw a vast potential in the area's lush timber and abundant water supplies and daily wind., Because of its unique location at the base of Mt Shasta, Weed experiences almost a constant breeze. The wind ascends over Black Butte summit in a northward thrust. As it descends, the air current swirls around the hills with tremendous force, often causing a swirling patch of clouds over the peak of Mt. Shasta. Abner noticed this and saw that he could harness the wind for his lumber operations to help in drying the green lumber. He purchased a 280-acre site in the path of the wind in 1897., By late 1902, the town included a cookhouse, bunkhouse, a post office, two mills, a box factory, a boarding house, a mercantile building, and several homes. Shortly thereafter the Weed Hospital was built. By 1905, Weed was a busy growing community, and was referred to as a "company town". The payroll was large enough to entice investors into the area and by 1907 a new part of town emerged and became known as Shastina. (west of Division Street). At this time, Abner Weed sold the Weed Lumber Company to Long Bell Lumber Company. In 1956 Long Bell Lumber Company merged with International Paper Company. Weed was incorporated as a city in 1961., Politically, Abner Weed was elected to the California State Senate, the 37th session in 1907 and the 38th session in 1909. It was from these sessions that he acquired the title of "Honorable" Senator Weed., In 1915 a devastating fire destroyed Lumber Yard 3 and for a brief time threatened the very existence of the town. In 1918, fire was once again destructive to Weed. This time it started in the bakery and soon spread to the adjoining buildings. Almost the entire south side of Main Street was burned before the flames were finally extinguished. In 2015, another fire started on the southeast of town and destroyed about 150 buildings, about 130 were homes. . This historical marker is in Weed in Siskiyou County California
Welcome to the Weed Centennial Plaza
This memorial was designed and built by the proud citizens of Weed and dedicated on September 9, 2001 as a birthday gift to the City.
You are standing next to several of the 3500 bricks salvaged from the site of the old sawmill and powerhouse and hand cleaned by many volunteers. These bricks were then "sold” as a part of a "buy a brick" fundraising drive that was enthusiastically supported by local businesses and hundreds of current and former Weed residents.
At the center of this wheel shaped plaza, which represents Weed as the "hub” of Siskiyou County, is a welded steel sculptor(sic) of Mr. Abner Weed, the city's founding father.
Abner Weed was a pioneer industrialist who built the first lumber mill here, on the northwest slope of Mt. Shasta 1901. The now famous "Winds of Weed” were employed to dry the fresh cut lumber. The city grew up around the logging camps that became the Weed Lumber Company.
The beautiful and detailed curved wall sculpture depicts classic scenes from Weed's colorful logging past. Behind it looms the ever present
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 4, 2021
2. Welcome to the Weed Centennial Plaza / Abner Weed — City Founder Marker
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grandeur of 14,162 ft Mt Shasta. Both of these sculptures were skillfully created by local Siskiyou County artist Ralph Starritt.
To get a feel for the original "company town” visit the fascinating
Weed Historic Lumber Town Museum
303 Gilman Avenue (behind Main Street at Division Street)
Abner Weed — City Founder
Born September 18, 1842 in Dixmont, Maine—Died June 14, 1917 in Weed, California
As early as 1891 logging operations were taking place in and around what is now the town of Weed, but it wasn't until 1897 that Weed began to show the first signs of what would later become a booming logging town.
The town inherited its unusual name from its founder, Abner Weed, who saw a vast potential in the area's lush timber and abundant water supplies and daily wind.
Because of its unique location at the base of Mt Shasta, Weed experiences almost a constant breeze. The wind ascends over Black Butte summit in a northward thrust. As it descends, the air current swirls around the hills with tremendous force, often causing a swirling patch of clouds over the peak of Mt. Shasta. Abner noticed this and saw that he could harness the wind for his lumber operations to help in drying the green lumber. He purchased a 280-acre site in the path of the wind in 1897.
By late 1902, the town included
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 4, 2021
3. Abner Weed statue in Centennial Plaza
a cookhouse, bunkhouse, a post office, two mills, a box factory, a boarding house, a mercantile building, and several homes. Shortly thereafter the Weed Hospital was built. By 1905, Weed was a busy growing community, and was referred to as a "company town". The payroll was large enough to entice investors into the area and by 1907 a new part of town emerged and became known as Shastina. (west of Division Street). At this time, Abner Weed sold the Weed Lumber Company to Long Bell Lumber Company. In 1956 Long Bell Lumber Company merged with International Paper Company. Weed was incorporated as a city in 1961.
Politically, Abner Weed was elected to the California State Senate, the 37th session in 1907 and the 38th session in 1909. It was from these sessions that he acquired the title of "Honorable" Senator Weed.
In 1915 a devastating fire destroyed Lumber Yard 3 and for a brief time threatened the very existence of the town. In 1918, fire was once again destructive to Weed. This time it started in the bakery and soon spread to the adjoining buildings. Almost the entire south side of Main Street was burned before the flames were finally extinguished. In 2015, another fire started on the southeast of town and destroyed about 150 buildings, about 130 were homes.
Location. 41° 25.631′ N, 122° 23.067′ W. Marker is in Weed, California, in Siskiyou County. Marker is on Main Street north of Elm Avenue, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 550 Main Street, Weed CA 96094, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 7, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 6, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 145 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on July 6, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
