Site of pioneer cabin built by Thomas A. Denson in 1871
This Marker is dedicated to the pioneers of Modoc County by Alturas Parlor 159
Native Duaghters of the Golden West
September 21, 1932 — — Map (db m143470) HM
“Striking the river this morning I noticed a cluster of
singular shaped rocks sticking up in spires of a conical
shape 20 to 30 feet high” - Andrew Lopp Murphy, Sep 26, 1849 — — Map (db m113025) HM
On S Main St (U.S. 395), on the left when traveling south.
“We crossed the creek here running between high banks,
and drove a short distance down the north west side
and encamped” — Elijah Preston Howell, Sep 6, 1849 — — Map (db m113037)
Near East 4th Street near North B Street, on the right when traveling east.
Begun 1883
Completed 1910
Designated a National Historic Place by the United States Department of the Interior
in the Pontificate of Pope John Paul II
in the Episcopate of Bishop Francis Quinn
in the Pastorate of Reverend James Streets . . . — — Map (db m87844) HM
The first Euro-Americans arrived in 1870 when Presley A. Dorris, Henry Fitzhugh, and several other Dorris family members drove cattle and horses into the area. With land granted under the Homestead Act, the Dorris family established a livestock . . . — — Map (db m113039) HM
“My shoes are giving out and I have no others. Left one of
them and the other is barely on...At our noon camp I made
some moccasins of cloth” — Joseph Stuart, Sep. 28, 1849 — — Map (db m113024) HM
On Centerville Road (County Route 54) at County Route 175, on the left when traveling east on Centerville Road.
"We now call this cr. a river, but we do not know what it is. We begin to hear ... that we are near the Sacramento Valley" - Elijah Preston Howell, Sep 8, 1849 — — Map (db m147426) HM
On Pit River Road (County Route 84) near Turner Creek Road, on the right when traveling west.
"We were obliged to cross the stream quite a number of times, in consequence of the canons of rock which confine it to a narrow bed." - Amos Batchelder, Sep 29, 1849
Guidebook available
Trails West Inc., P.O. Box 12045, Reno, NV 89510 . . . — — Map (db m113659) HM
On County Route 54 at County Route 70, on the left when traveling east on County Route 54.
"A few hundred yards N. W. of our camp, a tall, symetrical [sic] butte, or isolated mountain, rises from the level plain, like a tent." - J. Goldsborough Bruff, Oct 6, 1849 — — Map (db m147884) HM
Near Center Street south of Townsend Street, on the right when traveling south.
The first building erected in Deep Creek settlement, now Cedarville, was built in 1865 as a trading post by James Townsend, who was killed in an indian fight it 1866.
Purchased by William T. Cressler and John H. Bonner in 1867, the building . . . — — Map (db m10245) HM
This is the location of the junction of the original 1846 route of the Applegate Trail and the 1853 realignment of the trail as laid out by road engineers from Siskiyou County. The original route goes due east from this point and its traces are no . . . — — Map (db m152261) HM
On Crowder Flat Rd (Forest Road 73), on the right when traveling south.
The 1846 Applegate Trail, also known as the South Road to Oregon, lies behind this sign and heads westward along the banks of Fletcher Creek. It leaves Fletcher Creek after about two miles and then swings around the southern flank of Blue Mountain. . . . — — Map (db m152283) HM
On Westside Road (County Route 11) at U.S. 395, on the right when traveling east on Westside Road.
... Decent [sic] to the lake ... Night brought us to the end of the lake ... We laid up on a mountain brook where the roads forked ... One branch going to Oregon, the other to California."
Alonzo Delano, August 28, 1849 — — Map (db m147424) HM
On U.S. 395 at milepost 50.6, on the right when traveling south.
"Traveled ... to Goose Lake. The descent ... is sidling and dangers. While we were nooning here 2 wagons of other trains were upset and mashed to atoms" - Simon Doyle, Sep 19 1849
Guidebook available
Trails West Inc., P.O. Box 12045, . . . — — Map (db m87849) HM
On County Route 133C, 0.3 miles south of South Willow Ranch Road (County Route 47), on the left when traveling south.
"Four miles to a beautiful little stream of pure cold water coming from the mountains to our left and emptying into Goose Lake ... Camped there ...Found plenty of ripe plums on the neighboring mountain sides." - Andrew Murphy, Sep 23, 1849 — — Map (db m147338) HM
On Westside Road (County Route 48) near U.S. 395, on the left when traveling west.
"We leave the old Lawson Road for the new road to Shasta Valley (Yreka) to day It seems as if the road is one stone pile We have to goe a foot in such places for fear of getting our heads nocked off" Sophroni Helen Stone, Sep 13 1852 . . . — — Map (db m87850) HM
On Fandango Pass Road (County Road 9) 4 miles west of Surprise Valley Road (County Road 1), on the right when traveling east.
This spot marks the convergence of two pioneer trails widely used by emigrants during the years 1846-1850. The Applegate Trail, established in 1846, led from the Humbolt River in Nevada to the Willamette Valley in Oregon. The Lassen Cut-Off, . . . — — Map (db m10174) HM
On Fandango Pass Road (County Route 9) 2.5 miles north of Surprise Valley Road, on the right when traveling north.
"We arrived at the foot of the summit ridge, the top of which lay one mile distant ... Up we ascended, slowly but surely, by the toilsome climbing of the teams and by lifting of the members. ... at the wheels." - William Swain, Oct 11, 1849 — — Map (db m147406) HM
On Fandango Pass Road, 3.8 miles north of Surprise Valley Road, on the left when traveling north.
"Passing over the summit, which is a very narrow ridge, a broad,deep valley ... presented itself to our view, far below us ... We immediately descended the mountain, which on this side, is fearfully steep" - Amos Batchelder, Sep 25, 1849 — — Map (db m147407) HM
On Forest Road 30, 2 miles south of County Route 133C, on the left when traveling south.
"Trees hundreds of feet high and 4-5-6 feet in diameter ... We can drive anywhere among the trees. Only the ground is covered with cobble stones" - E. W. Brooks, Sep 1, 1849 — — Map (db m147888) HM
On Bridge Street at Mail Street, on the left when traveling west on Bridge Street.
Monument marks site of old Fort Bidwell military post, established in August, 1865,
to protect pioneer settlers of this
vicinity from marauding bands of Indians.
Abandoned as an Army post in 1892. — — Map (db m240313) HM
On Fandango Pass Road, on the left when traveling west.
Southern Route to Oregon
In 1846, Jesse Applegate and fourteen others from near Dallas, Oregon, established a trail south from the Willamette Valley and east to Fort Hall. This route offered emigrants an alternative to the perilous . . . — — Map (db m87845) HM
On Old Alturas Highway (County Route 114) 1.1 miles north of County Route 101, on the left when traveling north.
"Over divide to Tule Lake, on Lost River, passed in sight of Bloody Point where a train of emigrants were cut off last year. This afternoon Geo. W. Ebey killed a brant on the lake. Oh, so good to eat." - James Henry Bascomb Royal, Oct 19, 1853. — — Map (db m147563) HM
"Camped at a magnificent spring of fresh cold water,
which we called Goff's Spring, in honor of the
newly elected lieutenant of the company."
-Levi Scott, South Road Exploring Party, 1846 — — Map (db m151903) HM
On California Route 139, on the left when traveling north.
Two Warm Springs Indians, acting
as scouts with the U.S. Army were
killed at the Battle of Dry Lake.
That final battle of the Modoc War
was fought about 10 miles S.E. of here,
May 10, 1873. They were brought to
the Peninsula Camp, just . . . — — Map (db m151905) HM
On California Route 139, 4.4 miles north of Clear Lake Road, on the right when traveling north.
This trail was blazed by Peter Burnett in 1848 from Oregon City, Oregon Territory to the California gold fields. The route followed the Applegate Trail south and eastward to Tule Lake. It then struck southward probably following an earlier trail . . . — — Map (db m147839) HM
On Old Alturas Highway (County Route 114) 1.1 miles north of County Route 101, on the left when traveling north.
"We followed the Applegate Route to Klamath Lake [Tule Lake], where we left that road and took a southern direction. Thomas McKay, myself, and five others ... Went on in advance of the wagons to discover the best route" - Peter Burnett, Oct 1848 — — Map (db m147564) HM
On Route 46N23, 0.1 miles east of California Route 139, on the left when traveling east.
"The water [at Copic Bay] being so bad, we drank very little, and left early next morning [over a prairie]." - Peter Burnett, Oct 1848 — — Map (db m147841) HM
On California Route 139,, 0.2 miles Glendale Street, on the right when traveling south.
General E.R.S. Canby was murdered here in April, 1873, while holding a peace parley under flag of truce with Captain Jack and Indian Chiefs. Rev. Eleazer Thomas, Peace Commissioner, was likewise treacherously slain. — — Map (db m154348) HM
On State Highway 139,, 0.2 miles south of Glendale Street, on the right when traveling south.
From this fortress Captain Jack and his Indian forces successfully resisted capture by U.S. Army troops from December 1, 1872 to April 18, 1873. Other nearby landmarks of the Modoc Indian War are Canby's Cross, No.110 and Guillam's Graveyard, No.13 — — Map (db m154347) HM
On County Road 126 (County Route 126), on the left when traveling south.
This steep cliff of nestholes and crevices overlooks the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Lava Beds National Monument — fruitful hunting ranges for hawks, falcons, owls, and other birds of prey.
A favorable environment here is . . . — — Map (db m151904) HM
On Emigrant Trails Scenic Byway (Route 139) at County Road 176, on the right when traveling north on Emigrant Trails Scenic Byway.
Tule Lake was one of ten American concentration camps established during World War II to incarcerate 110,000 persons of Japanese ancestry, of whom the majority were American citizens. Behind barbed wire and guard towers without charge, trial or . . . — — Map (db m10370) HM
On County Route 176 near California Route 139, on the left when traveling east.
World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument was established in 2008, in part to serve as a reminder of the grave injustices endured by Japanese Americans incarcerated at the Tule Lake Segregation Center. The Tule Lake Unit also preserves a . . . — — Map (db m87890) HM
On California Route 139 near County Route 122, on the left when traveling north.
Two Warm Springs Indians, acting as scouts with the U.S. Army were killed at the Battle of Dry Lake. That final battle of the Modoc War was fought about 10 miles S.E. of here May 10, 1873. They were brought to the Peninsula Camp, just south of here, . . . — — Map (db m87893) HM
Near Clear Lake Road, on the right when traveling west.
Burnett's Road - Hunters skirted the lava fields to the west as they headed southerly. They crossed dry lake, which had only scattered ponds of water, and entered an area of scattered brush and rocky ridges. — — Map (db m147844) HM
On Old Alturas Highway (County Route 140) at California Route 139, on the right when traveling north on Old Alturas Highway.
"We passed over ... smooth prairie for some distance. One evening we encamped at what was then called Goose Lake (at Copic Bay). It being late in the season, the water in the lake was very low, muddy, and almost putrid." Peter Burnett, Oct 1848 . . . — — Map (db m87851) HM
On Willow Ranch Road at South Willow Ranch Road on Willow Ranch Road.
This monument was erected in honor of all the people who were part of what once was a thriving community when the Crane Creek and Willow Ranch Lumber Companies were in operation here from 1929 to 1959. The land was given to Modoc County by the . . . — — Map (db m10367) HM
