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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (May 26, 1963)
Yreka's Forest House Ranch Subsides into Home of Early Day Vintage By J. O. McKINNEY Mail Tribune Correspondent Yreka-Forest House is a name given to a ranch five miles out of Yreka on the Ft. Jones road. Built 100 years ago, it was In its day one of the great show places of early Califor nia. Today it has subsided into a gracious home of early day vintage. But if its glor ious past was run on a screen today, H would outdraw any thriller ever to come out of Hollywood. Not only does Forest House lihow many thinss of the long ago, it shows attractions of today. Blooded stock Is there Too, there are evidences of 4-H clubs and Future Farm ers of America. A 100 years hence Forest House will be keeping step with the times, still reproducing as in the days of long ago. But it is inconceivable it will be producing the vari eties it did in the days of gold. Things today are more readily available where they may be produced at less ex pense. In 1850 there were no places to get many things save by making them one's self. Forest House once support ed a brick manufacturing plant, ice plant, lime kiln, fruit drying plant, packing house, and distillery. The lat ter was not the fly-by-night bootleg variety. It was at Forest House a bona fide li censed distillery where bran dies were manufactured, and sold under license number supplied by the U.S. The usual run of saw mill, box factory, and such articles that are made here today were also manu factured then. But old time folk did not have sources from which to secure other things. They made them at l . v. SSSsfiSy FOREST HOUSE This is the main build- from Yreka on the Ft. Jones rd. It was ing on Forest House, a ranch five miles once a stage station and hotel. Redden Says House Representative James A. Eedden (D-Medford) accused members of the House of Eepresentatives of "nit-picking" in finding excuses to vote against Senate Bill 10, providing for life imprison ment in cases of first degree murder rather than death. The bill passed the house find was sent to the Senate People Nit-Picking for concurrence to the amend ments. Redden pointed out that those opposed to the abolish ment of capital punishment need not find excuses, but should admit that they were opposed to the concept and not the bill. The bill passed the House 36-24. Subscribers To report improper or non delivery of the Mail Tribune in Medlord, phone 772-6141; Ash land call at 416 Bridge it, or phone 482-3002: Yreka, phone Victory 2-2808 before 6:45 p.m. daily and 10:30 a.m. Sunday. If regular delivery arrives shortly after you call please notify office, thus eliminating special messenger service. home. And Forest House sup plied all orders. This enterprising firm own ed by Messrs. Knight and Short built a toll road over the mountain that loomed be tween Yreka and Scott Val ley. They showed true enter prise and public spirit when paying to drive over the roadway became noxious to travelers, they collated $1,600 to a fund to buy out their own enterprise. Didn't Miss the Change. But they didn't miss the change. Theirs was the attrac tion for all dances, and big time entertainment. A log pen with a box-rype trapdoor was erected on their property in Moftett Creek Canyon for trapping bear. Grizzlies were plentiful. A bad bear was captured, taken to Forest House and put in a pen with a rampaging range bull. The spectators flocked to see the duel. It must have been an epic. Neither battler wanted to sell out. When it was over, each lay dead on the field of battle. But Forest House contrib uted more than entertain ment. The first car lot of produce shipped from Yreka over the Yrcka-Western Rail way was apples from Forest House. For years these were shipped fresh, dried, and can ned. Many trees that were among the thousands once bearing fruit are still stand ing, still producing, but now showing ravages of years and neglect. It is no longer thought of as a fruit center, but 100 years ago smudge fires burn ed at Forest House as they do today in Rogue valley. They were then crude affairs helped by shovels of dirt to regulate the fires. But times changed. The senior member of the firm, Horace Knight, sold his inter est to Brown. Brown's wife, a Presbyterian, disliked the distillery, and bar business. That went out. Traces of the old still remain, and the old bar is now a resting place for a grand collection of In dian baskets, other artifacts of the people who once called that region home. Baskets Collected These baskets were collect ed by Mrs. Burton, wife of Fred C. Burton, who now owns the ranch. When Brown and Short could no longer handle the stage business, and other activities of the ranch, Burton stepped in and has kept step with the times to where he has It under con trol. There Is room for the old businesses only in memory. He raises cattle, hogs, grain, and lets the other activities fol low the woodbine. So Forest House during its span of more than 100 years has seen many industrial changes, put few changes of ownership. From Knight and Short, to Short and Brown, to Burton, appears all that may come soon. When, the present owner, Fred Burton, steps down, still another Fred Burton is ready to take over. And the Burtons love the old ranch that has endured so long and made so much history. SECTION D PAGES 1 to 16 Medford WTribune MEDFORD, OREGON, SUNDAY, MAY 26, 1963 Geo. Grabow 1365 Kings Hwy., Medford Phone 772-8560 Ultrasonic Cleaning Electronic Timing Wl BUY Oi.t GOLD! 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