Last updated: August 16, 2021
Place
Museum - Lava Beds Exhibit
NPS Photo, Danny Ortiz
Quick Facts
Location:
800 Main St, Tulelake, Ca 96134
MANAGED BY:
First, you will notice what is believed to be shaman visions carved into rocks. These have been recreated from actual petroglyphs.
You are invited to visit Petroglyph Point, just southwest of the peninsula and about 10 miles south of Tulelake. Here is one of the largest panels of rock art in the United States.
Next, meet Modoc Indian Ivan Jackson, descendant of Captain Jack.
(Modoc language). Hello, how are you, my friend? My name is Ivan Jackson. The language I just spoke if of the ancient Modoc. Professional from all over the world, came here in the mid eighteen hundreds to study my people. Our real name in the Modoc dialect is (Modoc language) "The people of the ancient time". The language in the Basque country separates the Modoc culture from any other in the world. I welcome you to the world at the age of Modoc. (Modoc language)
Step forward to learn about the Lava Beds.
Known as the land of burnt out fires, the Lava Beds national monument occupies over forty six thousand acres on the northeast side of Medicine Lake Volcano. The landscape offers outstanding volcanic terrain and more than four hundred and thirty six lava tube caves. The greatest concentration in North America.
In addition to its geologic features, the monument encompasses Petroglyph Point and the main battlefields of the Modoc War.
Located about 12 miles southwest of here. The monument offers long and short hiking trails through very important geological and historical areas. Interpretive exhibits, lava tube caves and develop trails await your exploration. Further information is available in the museum's gift shop.
Please continue to the immigrant trails display where you will find a map and pages from an immigrant's journal.
It began as an unconnected series of trails used by Native Americans and was expanded in the eighteen twenties and thirties by fur traders. American explorations and westward migration began in the 40s in 1843. The first large wagon train made the five month journey on what was then known as the Oregon Road.
The Applegate family was part of that first large wagon train. Two of their children drowned when a raft overturned on the Columbia River, making the Applegate brothers determined to find a safer route.
The Applegate trail that followed the northern shore of Tulelake was blazed in 1846. It passed by Merrill, then across the southern shore of lower Klamath Lake and on to the Willamette Valley.
That area was settled as a direct result of the the Appalachian Trail. Most days, 10, 12 miles is what they would make per day. And they basically they went waterhole to waterholes. For one thing, most people walk. Most people think that they they rode the wagons, that the wagons were not the kind of stogel wagons that are portrayed in the movies. These were much smaller wagons. And, you know, the box might be six or eight feet long at the most length, four feet wide. And oftentimes they would carry feed inside those wagons. It would be stacked when they came across grasses. They would cut the grasses and place them inside the wagons. And of course, they had their possessions in there. They used oxen, no horses.
Move on to the display of the Modoc Indian War. You should now be standing in front of Gillems camp.
You are invited to visit Petroglyph Point, just southwest of the peninsula and about 10 miles south of Tulelake. Here is one of the largest panels of rock art in the United States.
Next, meet Modoc Indian Ivan Jackson, descendant of Captain Jack.
(Modoc language). Hello, how are you, my friend? My name is Ivan Jackson. The language I just spoke if of the ancient Modoc. Professional from all over the world, came here in the mid eighteen hundreds to study my people. Our real name in the Modoc dialect is (Modoc language) "The people of the ancient time". The language in the Basque country separates the Modoc culture from any other in the world. I welcome you to the world at the age of Modoc. (Modoc language)
Step forward to learn about the Lava Beds.
Known as the land of burnt out fires, the Lava Beds national monument occupies over forty six thousand acres on the northeast side of Medicine Lake Volcano. The landscape offers outstanding volcanic terrain and more than four hundred and thirty six lava tube caves. The greatest concentration in North America.
In addition to its geologic features, the monument encompasses Petroglyph Point and the main battlefields of the Modoc War.
Located about 12 miles southwest of here. The monument offers long and short hiking trails through very important geological and historical areas. Interpretive exhibits, lava tube caves and develop trails await your exploration. Further information is available in the museum's gift shop.
Please continue to the immigrant trails display where you will find a map and pages from an immigrant's journal.
It began as an unconnected series of trails used by Native Americans and was expanded in the eighteen twenties and thirties by fur traders. American explorations and westward migration began in the 40s in 1843. The first large wagon train made the five month journey on what was then known as the Oregon Road.
The Applegate family was part of that first large wagon train. Two of their children drowned when a raft overturned on the Columbia River, making the Applegate brothers determined to find a safer route.
The Applegate trail that followed the northern shore of Tulelake was blazed in 1846. It passed by Merrill, then across the southern shore of lower Klamath Lake and on to the Willamette Valley.
That area was settled as a direct result of the the Appalachian Trail. Most days, 10, 12 miles is what they would make per day. And they basically they went waterhole to waterholes. For one thing, most people walk. Most people think that they they rode the wagons, that the wagons were not the kind of stogel wagons that are portrayed in the movies. These were much smaller wagons. And, you know, the box might be six or eight feet long at the most length, four feet wide. And oftentimes they would carry feed inside those wagons. It would be stacked when they came across grasses. They would cut the grasses and place them inside the wagons. And of course, they had their possessions in there. They used oxen, no horses.
Move on to the display of the Modoc Indian War. You should now be standing in front of Gillems camp.