Last updated: August 16, 2021
Place
Museum - Merrill, Oregon Exhibit
Quick Facts
Location:
800 Main St, Tulelake, Ca 96134
MANAGED BY:
Amenities
2 listed
Audio Description, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
In 1891, Nathan and Nancy Merrill purchased one hundred and fifty two acres of land for three thousand dollars. They develop 80 of those acres into a town recruiting businesses. Soon the town flourished, and by 1909, Mel was known as the flower city because of its large flower mill.
A major fire in 1911 destroyed almost an entire block. New buildings soon replaced those lost cinders from Lava Beds were barged across Tulelake and up Lost River. The boats were tied at the town's docks and the cinders were spread on the streets of Merrill.
Another major fire struck in 1920.
Again, the town rebuilt.
By the 1930s, there were improvements to the town's volunteer fire department. But in 1949, the elementary school was lost to fire.
Two railroads by the early 1930s aided Merrill's economic growth. Today, Merrill remains a viable agricultural community. It's one hundred and thirty six foot flagpole memorializes American prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action. It represents a strong, patriotic commitment by the proud citizens of Merrill.
Continue stopping next at the section for Malin.
In 1909, a barren sagebrush covered land on the northeastern shore of Tulelake was shown to the three scouts from the Bohemian Colonization Club.
They saw past the rabbit infested sandy terrain that rimmed the Tule bordered late. Their insight, ambition and determination led the way for early pioneers who followed them to purchase land, grub the sagebrush, build homes and plant crops.
And they had rabbit drys, and that really turned out to be a pretty good thing because Klamath County was paying five cent bounty on jack rabbit ears on a pair of jack rabbit ears. And the first guy they killed over 2000 jackrabbits. Why, Frank Adams, he would loan him equipment, and they only record they kept was just on the back of the barn door. People would write up well such and such got this piece of equipment there that when it was brought back, it be scratched off. Yeah. Farmers way back in the early forties knew with all the ditches and stuff around, was worried about the young kids drowning without a chance to learn to swim. And so the farmers got around and they built the swimming pool at the land. That aside, why cut a tree down, we got all these trees in the park and so started putting lights on in the trees in the park, and first few years they put two or three on and then they were five or six and then people started buying the lights and putting them on. And it got up to where I think this last year, 80 some trees decorated in the park. But we always had a community spirit where the people were helping one another and working together instead of against one another.
And my dad always said my uncle said the same thing. They didn't speak the native tongue at home. They want to be good Americans. They had to learn English. And the children were learning at school, so they had to pass it on to them.
The dances were held in a Malin Broadway hall. And box killing, who also like to dance, was able to get some of the best dance bands. And I especially remember Phil Harris and his dance band. And we danced till 2:30 or 3 in the morning.
Next stop, Butte Valley.
This area of over a hundred and thirty square miles is located in north central Siskiyou County, in a high desert valley surrounded by mountains. Arid lands of sagebrush and blowing sand give way to lush timber, fertile green meadows and crystal clear creeks. Majestic Mt. Shasta towers above the area, creating a spectacular landscape.
Legendary Modoc chief Captain Jack is said to have been born at Jack Springs near the Oklahoma Flats. White men settled the region in the early sixties.
Many changes have occurred in Butte Valley, but the spirit of survival continues. The largest flagpole this side of the Mississippi, towers two hundred feet above the streets, greeting travelers with a show of patriotism.
Butte Valley is a fertile country and lots of different things, potatoes and alfalfa and things like that, and cattle are raised there. It's just a good place to live. I've lived here all my life. Sheepy Creek was named after Indian by the name Sheepy, and he had this property that press doors told him the government was wanting to buy the property and he offered him a dollar for it which Sheepy took. Captain Jack and his Modoc tribe wanted this as a home for their tribe. Captain Jack lived right at a spring at the head of Sheep Creek, and that is called Jack Spring. To this day, prosperous school was established in 1918 and Sheepy Creek.
A lot of your country and Western singers, you know, like Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, all the old country and Western singers, a lot of them would hit the Red Bar, you know, and come there. And it would be a great place, you know, to go and is also a good place to get in a fight. If you want to get in the fight.
Continue walking to the next town.
A major fire in 1911 destroyed almost an entire block. New buildings soon replaced those lost cinders from Lava Beds were barged across Tulelake and up Lost River. The boats were tied at the town's docks and the cinders were spread on the streets of Merrill.
Another major fire struck in 1920.
Again, the town rebuilt.
By the 1930s, there were improvements to the town's volunteer fire department. But in 1949, the elementary school was lost to fire.
Two railroads by the early 1930s aided Merrill's economic growth. Today, Merrill remains a viable agricultural community. It's one hundred and thirty six foot flagpole memorializes American prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action. It represents a strong, patriotic commitment by the proud citizens of Merrill.
Continue stopping next at the section for Malin.
In 1909, a barren sagebrush covered land on the northeastern shore of Tulelake was shown to the three scouts from the Bohemian Colonization Club.
They saw past the rabbit infested sandy terrain that rimmed the Tule bordered late. Their insight, ambition and determination led the way for early pioneers who followed them to purchase land, grub the sagebrush, build homes and plant crops.
And they had rabbit drys, and that really turned out to be a pretty good thing because Klamath County was paying five cent bounty on jack rabbit ears on a pair of jack rabbit ears. And the first guy they killed over 2000 jackrabbits. Why, Frank Adams, he would loan him equipment, and they only record they kept was just on the back of the barn door. People would write up well such and such got this piece of equipment there that when it was brought back, it be scratched off. Yeah. Farmers way back in the early forties knew with all the ditches and stuff around, was worried about the young kids drowning without a chance to learn to swim. And so the farmers got around and they built the swimming pool at the land. That aside, why cut a tree down, we got all these trees in the park and so started putting lights on in the trees in the park, and first few years they put two or three on and then they were five or six and then people started buying the lights and putting them on. And it got up to where I think this last year, 80 some trees decorated in the park. But we always had a community spirit where the people were helping one another and working together instead of against one another.
And my dad always said my uncle said the same thing. They didn't speak the native tongue at home. They want to be good Americans. They had to learn English. And the children were learning at school, so they had to pass it on to them.
The dances were held in a Malin Broadway hall. And box killing, who also like to dance, was able to get some of the best dance bands. And I especially remember Phil Harris and his dance band. And we danced till 2:30 or 3 in the morning.
Next stop, Butte Valley.
This area of over a hundred and thirty square miles is located in north central Siskiyou County, in a high desert valley surrounded by mountains. Arid lands of sagebrush and blowing sand give way to lush timber, fertile green meadows and crystal clear creeks. Majestic Mt. Shasta towers above the area, creating a spectacular landscape.
Legendary Modoc chief Captain Jack is said to have been born at Jack Springs near the Oklahoma Flats. White men settled the region in the early sixties.
Many changes have occurred in Butte Valley, but the spirit of survival continues. The largest flagpole this side of the Mississippi, towers two hundred feet above the streets, greeting travelers with a show of patriotism.
Butte Valley is a fertile country and lots of different things, potatoes and alfalfa and things like that, and cattle are raised there. It's just a good place to live. I've lived here all my life. Sheepy Creek was named after Indian by the name Sheepy, and he had this property that press doors told him the government was wanting to buy the property and he offered him a dollar for it which Sheepy took. Captain Jack and his Modoc tribe wanted this as a home for their tribe. Captain Jack lived right at a spring at the head of Sheep Creek, and that is called Jack Spring. To this day, prosperous school was established in 1918 and Sheepy Creek.
A lot of your country and Western singers, you know, like Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, all the old country and Western singers, a lot of them would hit the Red Bar, you know, and come there. And it would be a great place, you know, to go and is also a good place to get in a fight. If you want to get in the fight.
Continue walking to the next town.