Collection: Books and Periodicals > Nevada County Historical Society Bulletins

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Title: Volume 030-3 - July 1976 Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Collection Name: Nevada County Historical Society Bulletins # of Pages: 12 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2014-04-19 11:47:16 OCR Software Version #: tesseract 5.4.1 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 04:05:34 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 04:05:34

Original Held At: Searls Historical Library Location: 161 Nevada City Hwy, Nevada City, CA 95959

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“Bug” Station A familiar sight to motorists on Interstate 80 is the quarantine station at Truckee. According to Charles H. Gray of the Bureau of Plant Quarantine, the alfalfa weevil prompted the enactment of Quarantine Order #14 on August 13, 1912. This order prohibited the entry into California of hay that originated from the state of Utah where the alfalfa weevil was doing extensive damage. Inspection of automobiles at the border was prompted by the finding in 1920 of an infestation of alfalfa weevil at Sparks, Nevada at an auto camp in an alfalfa field. This presented the danger of rolling live weevils or eggs in with tents or bedding and transporting them into California. A 1921 quarantine order allowed the inspection of gear carried by auto. Inspectors were placed at Reno (now Hallelujah) Junction, Doyle, State Line and Dog Valley. During that season, 3,495 autos were inspected. The Dog Valley station checked all vehicular traffic arriving in the state from Nevada via Truckee. It was manned by Earle Swift who operated from his auto. He patrolled the highway, inspecting inbound vehicles as he found them. In 1929 there were 23 border stations in California. This picture (courtesy Bernice Carter) was taken on February 12, 1929 and shows Sheriff George Carter in sled, other man in sled not known, and standing on the runner the one and only Scotty Allen, the greatest dog racer of all time. Once in Nome, Alaska, he tracked a fugitive for 3,000 miles on a sled and brought the prisoner in. A regular race to Scotty was perhaps 500 miles not the 15 miles of todays races. 8. On July 22 of that year, Swift established the first Dog Valley inspection station at the top of the grade. It was moved several times before being eliminated in 1938. The first actual Truckee Station four miles east of town was put into service in 1924. It was enlarged in 1929 to provide covered inspection areas and was replaced by a new facility in 1937. A new Truckee station was built in 1953 at the junction of State Route 89 and U.S. 40. This closed when the present Interstate 80 freeway station went into operation in January of 1960. The Truckee station is now one of the few ~™ that remain open 24 hours a day. Spot checks are still made on cars bearing anything but California or Nevada plates. Truckee Post Office Truckee Post Office, established on January 238, 1868. Postmasters Date of Appointment Isaac H. Gray January 23,1868 Robert Bell August 27, aoe December 4, 1871 November 4, 1879 March 26, 1887 February 14,1891 January 27, 1892 March 27, 1896 John F. Greeley David B. Towner Wyatt C. Durno Laura E. Edwards Laura E. Bucknam William A. Bucknam Walter M. Buckhalter April 12, 1900 Mary S. Rutherford December 8, 1903 (successor appointed after 1932) Modern Truckee A little over a decade ago the town was bypassed by Main Street America--Interstate 80. But due to the presence of the railroad, lumber mills and services to tourists and travelers, Truckee still prospers. TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA Located in Eastern Nevada County, California, on the Main Street of America Interstate 80 andon the Main line of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Altitude 5,800 feet. Average total precipitation 30 inches. Snow varies from 2to6 feet in depth. Average temperature 78 degrees. Average max. temperature 90 degrees summer. Average min. temperature 14 degrees winter. Average number of hours of sun daily, winter 9. Average number of hours sun daily, summer 12.