Collection: Books and Periodicals

About This Item:

Title: A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California (1891) Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Publisher: Lewis Publishing Company Published: 1891 Copyright: In the public domain or published before 1925 Source(s): Google Books # of Pages: 713 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2024-07-22 00:25:09 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 03:11:29 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 06:30:36

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

Page: of 713  

146 HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. 7 this party were Martin Hammack and family, Brice Hammack and wife, Woods Crawford and others. People then began to come in more thickly, but until about 1854 no real farming was done, cattle and stock-raising being the only employment. From 1854 on, however, the country was quickly settled up, presenting by 1860 much the same appearance it does to-day, so far as the farming community is concerned. The Mexican land grant in Lake County was that of Collayomi, of 8,242 acres, patented to Ritchie and Forbes in 1863. Lake Connty was set off from Napa County, of which it had till then formed a part, May 2, 1861, the first election for county officers being held in June of that year. Lakeport was chosen as the county-seat, and a two-story wooden court-house erected. This burned down February 15, 1867, with the loss of almost all the county records, probably the work of an incendiary. Then began a great fight for countyseat between Lower Lake and Lakeport, tie question of its removal from Lakeport having already been voted upon several times previously. After the fire the county-seat was tixed virtually at Lower Lake until 1870, when the contest definitely ended by a popular vote in favor of Lakeport, where it has since remained. As soon as the question was finally settled the erection of the present brick eourthouse and jail at a cost of about $20,000 was bugun, and in the same year carried to completion. But probably the most disturbing matter that has ever arisen in Lake County has been that of controlling and altering the level of the waters of Clear Lake. In 1865-’66 a company called the Clear Lake Water Company, a wealthy San Francisco corporation that had probably in view the carrying of the waters to that city, secured the passage of a legislative act which autnorized them to build a dam across Cache Creek (the vutlet), put up mills, ete. They built the dam and mills, and asa result the lake was raised several feet above the highest point ever known before. Sickness prevailed as a consequence and great indignation followed. Finally in November, 1868, an armed mob assembled, and after securing everyone who was considered friendly to the company, set fire to the flonr, planing and saw mills, and destroyed the dam. A heavy suit for damages was the reault, but this was finally compromised in 1871. The company, now the Spring Valley Water Cumpany of San Francisco, still owns large tracts of land in the county, upon which it has large vineyards and a complete winery. Lakeport was founded in 1858, the first honse being built on the site in the year preceding, it being astore for the business of Mr. A. Levy. It is now a prosperous and beautiful town, a good business point, and possessing several large and handeome hotels, which are well patronized by visitors during the summer season. It has a steam flour-mill, sash and door factories, and the various industries that usually spring upin towns of its size. It possesses alev au academy of high merit, excellent schools and churches of the leading denominations, two banks with ample capital, finding a good business. Lower Lake was founded at about the same time, and is following well in the wake of its larger sister on the pathway of progress, Its first house was built by E. Mitchell, in 1858. In the country surrounding Lower Lake are several large vineyards and fine fruit farms, and it seems probable that fruit-raising and winemaking will be the ultimate resource of this part of the county, if not of the whole. Middletown, in the lower end of the connty, is a town of much newer growth, being settled first in 1868, and making comparatively slow, yet a steady progress since. It is an important staging and business town, and possesses a flonring mill and brewery. Upper Lake began its history in 1865, when a store was opened and several families moved to it. A blacksmith shop had been built here as early, however, as 1856. It is a quiet little place, with a good dairy and farming country about it.