History Archives

Jan- 2022 -

13 January

And Just Like That, Shasta Lake’s Historic Train Tunnel is Underwater Once Again

The summer and fall on Shasta Lake was a somewhat depressing time. The lake’s water dropped to extremely low levels…

12 January

These Stagecoach Drivers Were the Rock Stars of California in the 1800’s

Mark Twain tried, but no matter how good a storyteller you are, you just can’t make this stuff up. Historic…

Dec- 2021 -

20 December

NorCal Nerds: What Did Northern California Look Like Millions of Years Ago?

One of Active NorCal’s priorities is inspiring people to get out there and get active, to get off the couch…

6 December

Famed Pioneer Stephen Meek Arrived in Northern California in the 1800’s. He Was Probably Just Lost.

When Christopher Columbus discovered the “New World,” (Cuba and the Bahamas, really) he was convinced he had landed on the…

Nov- 2021 -

22 November

Who Was Jim Beckwourth? A Life as Big as America

How do you take the measure of a man? It usually begins with facts documented and witnessed by credible sources.…

9 November

Historic Covered Bridge Reopens Over the Yuba River for the First Time in 10 Years

Following a 10-year restoration project, the historic Bridgeport Covered Bridge at the South Yuba State Park has reopened to pedestrians,…

Oct- 2021 -

25 October

Historic California Ghost Town Transforms into a Winter Wonderland

The popular Bodie State Historic Park is a fun destination in the Eastern Sierra to learn about the history of…

22 October

Remembering the Great Flood that Put Northern California Under 30 Feet of Water

If you take a look at Northern California on a map, it will show a large valley right down the…

18 October

Remembering the Deadly 75-Foot Tidal Wave that Leveled Crescent City in 1964

Beginning in Northern California and running all the way up to Alaska in the Pacific Ocean sits multiple fault lines…

18 October

Historic Train Tunnel Now Fully Exposed on Shasta Lake

The abysmal water levels throughout Northern California currently sit at their lowest for 2021, with incoming storms bringing the prospect…

Sep- 2021 -

28 September

On This Day in History: President John F. Kennedy Dedicates the Whiskeytown Dam

On November 22, 1963, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated as his motorcade drove through Dallas, Texas. Less than two…

19 September

Mysterious Sunken Boat Revealed on the Low Shore of Shasta Lake

There have been plenty of historic structures revealed on Northern California reservoirs as water continues to shrink down to historically…

13 September

How the Grizzly Bear Became the Symbol of California

The California Bear Flag (the official state flag of California) hardly gets any love despite flying over virtually every government…

Aug- 2021 -

16 August

Are There Frozen Bodies at the Bottom of Lake Tahoe?

Sitting at 6,225 feet elevation as the largest alpine lake in North America, there is plenty to be fascinated with…

9 August

Jedediah Smith’s Travels Through Northern California – Part 2: Strong Was His Middle Name

Every time he visited California he got arrested. When a grizzly bear chewed off his hair and ear, he had…

1 August

Jedediah Smith’s Travels Through Northern California – Part 1: The First White Settlers of NorCal

There is little doubt the standards have changed for what it means to qualify as a “bad dude.” NorCal has…

Jul- 2021 -

19 July

Remembering the Deadly 1996 Rockfall that Sent 90,000 Tons of Rock into Yosemite Valley

July 19, 2021 marked the 25th anniversary of the 1996 Happy Isles rockfall in Yosemite National Park. The deadly incident…

19 July

S**** Valley Alpine Meadows to Host Washoe Cultural Tours

SVAM is excited to announce a new on-mountain summer experience: the Washoe Cultural Tour, beginning Monday, July 12. Not only is…

Jun- 2021 -

3 June

9 Fascinating Historical Gems to Visit in Siskiyou County

Brought to you by Discover Siskiyou Photo by Richard Lee When gold was discovered in the American River in the 1800’s,…

May- 2021 -

18 May

Wildfire Unearths Hidden Bunker in the Big Basin Redwoods

Photo: Julie Horner/SLVPost When the devastating CZU Fire blazed through the Big Basin Redwoods, it destroyed much of the state…

10 May

This Northern California Town is the Closest to ‘Shangri-La’ According to the Author Who Coined the Term

Photo: California Outdoor Propoerties Shangri-la is a fictional place featured in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon written by British author…

Apr- 2021 -

15 April

Ishi: The Last California ‘Wild Indian’ We Never Really Knew

Ishi making a wood harpoon in Deer Creek in 1914 Most California school kids have heard the story of Ishi,…

Mar- 2021 -

22 March

How ‘Euro-Nymphing’ Originated in Northern California

Joe Kimsey was a fishing legend on the Upper Sacramanto River If you refer to that fly rod as a…

9 March

Getting High on Mount Shasta with John Muir

“If I were you,” he said as he passed by, “I’d head back down the mountain. Storm’s brewing.” His words…

Feb- 2021 -

23 February

The Mystery Behind Rattlesnake Dick’s Lost Treasure in the Trinity Mountains

Richard Barter AKA “Rattlesnake Dick” Richard Barter lived a life of crime in the Gold Rush era of the 1800’s…

18 February

Shame and Redemption: The History of Captain Jack’s Skull

Captain Jack The 1870s were turbulent, bloody times in Northern California. Tensions between Indigenous Peoples and the U.S. Army who…

16 February

The Bizarre Story of the Horse that Summited Mount Shasta in 1903

Photo by Sébastien Goldberg Who isn’t fascinated with standing on top of NorCal’s premier active volcano, the formidable Mt. Shasta? Beyond…

5 February

Getting High on Mount Shasta with John Muir – Part 3 Finale

Read Part 1 Read Part 2 Lightning, heavy winds, hail and deepening snow pummeled intrepid mountaineers John Muir and Jerome…

2 February

Getting High on Mount Shasta with John Muir – Part 2

John Muir and Jerome Fay made it to the summit by 7:30am on that fateful day in 1875. That’s right…

Jan- 2021 -

19 January

Potter Creek Cave: the Coolest Northern California Cave You Can’t Visit

It’s larger than Shasta Caverns. Extinct ground sloths were found there, the first ever in California. Sharp-faced bears, the most…

Dec- 2020 -

11 December

The Legend of Captain Dick – The Hermit of Lake Tahoe’s Emerald Bay

Emerald Bay’s Fannette Island was once the home of Captain Dick. Photo by Patrick Minero. In the mid-1800’s, there weren’t many…

4 December

Ski A Volcano: The History of the Lassen Ski Area

Large groups of skier in Lassen – 1936. PHOTO BY JERVIE HENRY EASTMAN, COURTESY DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, GENERALLIBRARY, UNIVERSITY…

Oct- 2020 -

27 October

72 Bars on One Road? The Legend of Mount Shasta’s Whiskey Row

The stories of Siskiyou County during the Gold Rush are like something out of a Wild West movie. The town…

22 October

An Oral History of the Cantara Chemical Spill on the Sacramento River

Northern California is no stranger to disasters. Over time we’ve lived through earthquakes, volcanos, firenados, floods, mudslides and avalanches. Would…

Aug- 2020 -

12 August

8 Must-See Historic Gems Near Redding, California

While Redding, California is known to be the home of the some of the most beautiful wilderness in the western…

Jun- 2020 -

22 June

Why Are There Old Train Tracks Going Into Lake Tahoe?

If you’ve ever explored the breathtaking beaches of Lake Tahoe, you may have noticed a rare sight of railroad tracks…

5 June

1906 Film of San Francisco Upgraded to 4K is Absolutely Stunning

It was on April 14, 1906 when Harry Miles, a motion-picture pioneer in California, took to a cable car and…

May- 2020 -

22 May

On This Day in History: The Lassen Peak Eruption of 1915

It was the late-afternoon of May 22, 1915 when Lassen Peak exploded in a powerful eruption that blasted rock fragments…

20 May

Ancient ‘Donut-Shaped’ Rock Found in Rural Northern California. What the Heck is it?

An interesting rock was discovered in the rural town of Termo this week, bringing many questions about how it was…

2 May

A Northern California Couple Found Historic Coins Buried in their Backyard. The Discovery Landed Them $10 Million.

In 2013, a couple was walking their dog on their rural Northern California property when they discovered an unusual scene.…

Apr- 2020 -

9 April

Historic Video Footage Shows Scenes Around Tahoe in the Early 1900’s

Northern California was much different 100 years ago. The developed roads and landmarks we know so well today are just…

Feb- 2020 -

13 February

Stay Overnight at a Historic Northern California Lighthouse

There are so many great adventures to be had in Northern California, but there may be none as relaxing and…

6 February

The Story Behind the Secret JFK – Marilyn Monroe Rendezvous in Castella, California

You may have passed Castella, California while driving on Interstate 5 just south of Mount Shasta, although it’s difficult to…

Jan- 2020 -

31 January

This Man is the Namesake of Lassen Volcanic National Park. His Murder Remains a Mystery.

You’ve surely seen the name Lassen plastered throughout Northern California, but behind the name sits a wild west murder mystery.…

13 January

The Story of the Donner Party: Deadly Mistakes Over the Snowy Sierra

Photo of James F. and Margaret Reed, who were members of the Donner Party I could have died so many…

Dec- 2019 -

28 December

The Adventures of Mark Twain in California – Part 4: The Stand Up Comedian

While it might be a stretch to describe Mark Twain’s ascent to literary rock-stardom as luck, he truly did not expect…

27 December

How this Man’s ‘Hell’ Became One of Northern California’s Most Popular Destinations

Bumpass Hell is a popular destination for people traveling through Lassen Volcanic National Park. Lassen is chock-full of hydrothermal activity,…

23 December

The Adventures of Mark Twain in California – Part 3: Jackass Hill and Jumping Frogs

Who knew that Mark Twain, beloved American author and humorist, creator of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer, spent seven wild…

18 December

This Waterfall Was Once the Hideout of NorCal’s Most Notorious Stagecoach Robber

Hedge Creek Falls. Photo: Flickr/Eric Leslie Every bandit needs a hideout, and it just so happens that one of the…

18 December

These Brothers Were Hanged in Redding in 1892. Their Hidden Treasure was Never Found.

On July 24th, 1892, a group of masked men stormed the Redding, California jail and dragged out two men accused…

13 December

Rediscovered Film Takes a Trip Through San Francisco in Ruins Following 1906 Earthquake

On April 18, 1906, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit San Francisco, killing 3,000 people and destroying 80 percent of the…

12 December

This 1952 News Reel Shows Passenger Train Buried in Tahoe’s Worst Blizzard in 50 Years

In January of 1952, the worst blizzard seen in 50 years slammed the Tahoe area, closing the pass over Donner…

10 December

The NorCal Town Named ‘Rough and Ready’ Once Seceded from the United States

The only way you’ve probably heard of Rough and Ready, California is if you’ve driven on Highway 20 between Yuba…

3 December

The Legends and Mysteries of Siskiyou County

It’s well documented that the areas surrounding Mount Shasta are full of legends and mysteries. From paranormal encounters to treasures…

3 December

Remembering the Time it Rained 6,000 Pounds of Marijuana on Yosemite

Photo: Rick Schloss In 1977, Yosemite National Park was a much different place. Rock climbers traveled the world over to…

Nov- 2019 -

26 November

The Chronicles of Mark Twain in California – Part 2: Getting Fired in San Francisco

San Francisco’s Cliff House in the 1800’s By the time Mark Twain (formerly Sam Clemens) made it to San Francisco…

25 November

Remembering President JFK’s Trip to Northern California Just Weeks Before His Assassination

On November 22, 1963, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated as his motorcade drove through Dallas, Texas. Less than two…

22 November

Before the Fall: Stories of Conflict and Discovery in Northern California History

Like stepping off a bar stool after swilling shots of whiskey, nudging my canoe into Fall River catches me off-guard.…

18 November

The Chronicles of Mark Twain in California – Part 1: The Stories Behind the Pen Name

People dream of coming to California to become the next Meryl Streep or Tom Hanks, but hardly the “father of…

5 November

The Legend of Old Shavehead – The Lassen Native American Known for Murdering Samuel Burney

As written in the book California’s Best Fly Fishing Old Shavehead. Photo: California State University, Chico While geologists estimate that…

Oct- 2019 -

31 October

Take a Walk Through History in this Ghost Town just Outside Redding, California

Brought to you by Visit Redding Shasta State Historic Park. Photo: Visit Redding In the mid-1800’s, the town of Shasta…

28 October

City of Eureka Transfers Indian Island Back to Wiyot Tribe in Historic Ceremony

Facebook/ Wiyot Tribe In December of 2018, the Eureka City Council unanimously voted to return Tuluwat, or Indian Island, back…

16 October

This Popular Northern California Destination was Once the Scene of a Bloody Battle in 1855

We know Castle Crags as the beautiful Northern California wilderness area settled just between Shasta Lake and Mount Shasta, with stunning rock formations and bountiful…

Sep- 2019 -

4 September

Video Explores the Human History of Lassen Volcanic National Park

In an installment of Lassen NPS’s video newsletter, Lassen Peek, they give a brief introduction to the human history of the…

3 September

This Beautiful Northern California Site was Once a World War II Internment Camp

When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, 1941, it started World War II, sending the United…

Aug- 2019 -

28 August

The History of the McCloud River and its World-Famous Fish

Photo: California Trout It’s the strangest feeling. I can be standing for hours in a rushing trout stream totally absorbed…

7 August

Take a Historical Audio Tour Through the Modoc War

In the 1870’s, the national headlines set there eyes on the Modoc War, a bloody battle between the army and…

Jul- 2019 -

23 July

Eat a Historic Burger and Fries at Redding’s Damburger

In 1938, 18-year-old Bud Pennington had the idea to sell hamburgers to the thousands of construction workers building Shasta Dam.…

Apr- 2019 -

11 April

A Piece of NorCal History: Redding’s Diestelhorst Bridge

Considering its place adjacent to the recently added Lake Redding Bridge, you might overlook Redding’s storied Diestelhorst Bridge. Without scanning…

5 April

NorCal History will Come Alive at Lava Beds’ Living History Event

Photo: NPS/Angela Sutton Press release provided from Lava Beds National Monument: History will come alive on Saturday, May 11th, during…

Mar- 2019 -

13 March

The Legend of Snowshoe Thompson: The Founder of California Skiing

Animated depiction of John Albert Thompson, also known as Snowshoe Thompson In the 1800’s, traveling across the Sierra Nevada in…

6 March

Remembering the Deadly Flood of 1955 that Put a NorCal Town Under 20 Feet of Water

Overhead view of Yuba City. Photo: Sacramento Bee It was just minutes past midnight of Christmas Eve 1955 when the…

Jan- 2019 -

26 January

Wiyot Tribe Reclaims “Sacred” Indian Island in Humboldt Bay

Located off the shore of Eureka in Humboldt Bay sits an island called Duluwat, better know as Indian Island, which…

16 January

The Fascinating History of Redding Rancheria

The Wintu Tribe of Northern California When I am outdoors visiting our beautiful NorCal landmarks, curiosity always slips into my head…

15 January

Did the Real-Life Tarzan Dive Off Burney Falls?

BThe story was well known to me, but we at Active NorCal always check our sources. If you Google “Tarzan,…

Dec- 2018 -

21 December

Remembering Babe Ruth’s 1924 Exhibition Game in Dunsmuir, California

Photo by Paul J. Standar The Babe. The Sultan of Swat. The Great Bambino. The legend of Babe Ruth has…

8 December

The Conflicted History of the Lava Beds National Monument

By Ryan Loughrey This past summer, we visited the desolate and beautiful Lava Beds National Monument to try to escape…

8 December

This Northern California Town is Responsible for America’s First Bike Lane

The ever-popular bike lanes you see all around the country are a pretty new phenomenon. San Francisco received its first…

Nov- 2018 -

17 November

History Reduced to Rubble: Remembering the Honey Run Covered Bridge

The Camp Fire took many victims as it spread through Butte County on November 8th, the most significant being lost…

Oct- 2018 -

17 October

Digging for Answers-Where Did The 60-Foot Hole in the Side of Mt. Shasta Come From?

Around 10 years ago, a 60-foot hole mysteriously appeared in the side of Mount Shasta. Even with its incredible size,…

15 October

A History of Yosemite Park in Photos

Yosemite National Park, filled with flush meadows, epic rock faces and mesmerizing waterfalls, is one of the most popular parks…

9 October

Bulls vs. Bears: Northern California’s Bloody Spectator Sport of the 19th Century

In the 1800’s, when Spanish conquistadors and early gold rush optimists flocked to the newly settled areas of Northern California,…

9 October

The Lockhart Ferry Massacre: Northern California’s Bloody War of the 1850’s

Peering into the lives of the first non-Native people in Northern California, dreams, imaginings and real history clash in a…

Sep- 2018 -

24 September

Rare Collection of Ansel Adams Photography Donated to the Yosemite Museum in Yosemite National Park

A rare collection of 45 photographs by acclaimed 20th century photographer Ansel Adams (1902-1984) has been donated to the Yosemite Museum in Yosemite National…

12 September

A Beacon Of Northern California History: The Battery Point Lighthouse

A D.C. socialite, the Gold Rush, shipping lines, San Francisco, Crescent City and Battery Point Lighthouse intertwine in history to…

9 September

A History Behind Shasta Dam’s Essential Role in California Water

In 1938, thousands of hardworking people arrived in rural Shasta County to build a dam and a dream. Shasta Dam…

Aug- 2018 -

8 August

Explorers Study Ancient Underwater Forests with a Submarine at Fallen Leaf Lake

Mapping out the history of our the outdoors can be a difficult task, one that requires time, money, and maybe…

Jul- 2018 -

17 July

This Northern California Ghost Town is Cursed, According to its Visitors

The workers at the Bodie State Historic Park are used to receiving letters in the mail talking about the “Bodie…

15 July

How Redding Got its Name – A Tale of Two Men With Nearly the Same Name

Redding, California sits center stage in Northern California, nestled comfortably in the middle of the beautifully distinct areas all across…

9 July

Exploring the Car Graveyard of Mt. Shasta

By Ryan Loughrey Walking through the car graveyard felt like walking through an ancient time. Even though the cars couldn’t…

9 July

The Turbulent History of Mt. Shasta’s Old Ski Bowl

It was in 1959 when ambitious developers leased land from the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and opened a two-person chairlift on the…

Jun- 2018 -

26 June

Watch President JFK Dedicate the Whiskeytown Bridge Weeks Before his Assassination

We know that our area holds significant landmarks for the state as well as the country, and no event signifies…

22 June

Remembering the Devastating Chemical Spill that Killed All the Wildlife on the Upper Sacramento River

It was July 14th, 1991 when a Southern Pacific tank car spilled 19,000 gallons of the soil fumigant metam sodium…

19 June

How Did Weed, CA Get It’s Name? A Story of Achieving the American Dream in the Wild West

You see many people snicker when you bring up Weed, California. After all, it seems to be named after Cheech and Chong’s…

14 June

Capturing History: 10 Mind-Blowing Photos from the Lassen Peak Eruption

When Lassen Peak Erupted in 1914, there were no advanced photographical instruments. There were no DSLR’s or drones or GoPro’s,…

11 June

What’s in a Name? The Story Behind Hat Creek

Names almost always make for a good story, and Hat Creek is no exception. Of course, not everyone may agree that…

6 June

A History of Lassen Park in Photos

Lassen Volcanic National Park’s history is fascinating, from the eruption of Lassen Peak to the naming of Hat Creek to…

5 June

The Story of Lassen’s Ishi – The Last “Wild” Native American

It was August 19, 1911, when an unknown, “wild’ man emerged from the wilderness near Lassen Peak and into the…

2 June

A History of Bigfoot Sightings in Northern California

Stories and legends of Bigfoot and similar creatures pervade the history of the Pacific Northwest. In Teddy Roosevelt’s book, The…

2 June

How Did Whiskeytown Get Its Name?

Whiskeytown began much like most other 1849 Gold Rush mining communities – as a modest collection of shabby tents. Young…