Tulelake in Siskiyou County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Attracted to Water
Lava Beds National Monument
| | National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior | |
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, October 6, 2012
1. Attracted to Water Marker
“When I was a child I played around Tule Lake where the tules and grass grow thick We used to go out in the tall grass and look for chub fish and shoot at (them) with our arrows.”
Peter Schonchin, last surviving Modoc War warrior.
The original shoreline of Tule Lake lies just over the rise in front of you. Modoc Indians and settlers lived along the waters edge for generations. During the Modoc War and the era of the Civilian Conservation Corps, soldiers and enrollees lived here for a short time. Some even died here. Both the Modoc and settlers cherished the resources of Tule Lake, which ultimately created conflict.
In the decades after the Modoc War, National Park Service rangers lived and worked where Modoc children once played. Though todays lake is a fraction of its original size, visitors and residents alike continue to be attracted to this oasis in the high desert. To learn more, walk the short guided trail that begins ahead.
(Time Line Displayed at the bottom of the marker:)
Ancient Times to Westward Expansion:
Modoc camps dot the shoreline.
1850:
First white settlers come to Tule Lake area
1873
U.S. Army establishes Gillems Camp during the Modoc War
1908:
Draining of Tule
this page online
1933:
The Civilian Conservation Corps builds facilities for Lava Beds National Monument.
1933 to Today:
The National Park Service provides services to visitors exploring the lava beds.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Military • Wars, US Indian. In addition, it is included in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.
Location. 41° 49.458′ N, 121° 33.324′ W. Marker is in Tulelake, California, in Siskiyou County. It can be reached from Hill Road, on the left when traveling south. Marker is located within the boundaries of Lava Beds National Monument at the site of Gillems Camp. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Tulelake CA 96134, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on California’s Modoc Plateau, in the Shasta Cascade, and in the Klamath Mountains. It is also in the American Mountain West and specifically in the Pacific Northwest. Globally, it is in North America, in the Cascade Range, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: War in the Lava Beds (within shouting distance of this marker); Modoc War Casualties (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Canby Cross (approx. Ύ mile away); Last Meeting of the Peace Commission (approx. Ύ mile away);
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, October 6, 2012
2. Attracted to Water Marker
Another marker is no longer nearby. River of Rocks - The Devils Homestead Lava Flow (was approx. 2.2 miles away but has been confirmed missing).
Also see . . . Attracted to Water Marker Photos. waymarking.com post showing photos of both a full view of the marker and a wide area view. (Submitted on March 7, 2013.)
Photographed by Don Morfe, July 2, 2009
3. Gillems Camp-Self Guided Tour-.24 mi.
Start of the trail near the marker.
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, October 6, 2012
4. Attracted to Water Marker
View of Gillems Camp with Gillem Cemetery in the foreground and the historical marker in the distance.
April 10, 2008
5. Military Re-Inactors at Gillems Camp
April 10, 2008
6. Military Re-Inactors at Gillems Camp
Credits. This page was last revised on October 4, 2019. It was originally submitted on February 11, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 811 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 27, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. 3. submitted on February 11, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 4. submitted on January 27, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. 5, 6. submitted on March 7, 2013. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. • • Can you help?
