Introduction
They say there are three things that once gone never come back: The first is time, the second is words, and the third is opportunity. So I am going to take this opportunity to try and write this book on Indian Valley for all to enjoy.
Before the first white man came into the valley, it was occupied only by the mountain Maidu. As history tells it, they were here for over 1,000 years. The Maidus were a very peaceful people who mainly were hunters and gatherers of food. Sometimes they were nicknamed "Diggers" because they also dug for food. The valley was full of game and many wild berries. It also had the black oaks that produce a lot of acorns, which were the main staple for the Native Americans. The acorns were ground and easily stored so they had food all winter, even in the harshest winters, which were not uncommon.
(Continued)
First
in the Valley (page 11)
The mountain range in the background is called Indian Head. Look closely and one can see a Native American lying peacefully on the valley floor facing the sky with his headdress to the right; then his eyebrow, nose, and lips; his hands folded on stomach; and his toes up toward the sky. It is said that the Native American was out measuring the depths of the lakes. Apparently he was so tired after he measured Homer Lake, he decided to lay down to rest but fell into a deep sleep and has never awoken.
Taylorsville
(page 13)
Soon buildings were going up all around town. Most were made of lumber that was cut from the sawmill in town but four or five were made of bricks; there were a couple of brick mills outside of town. Most of the logs rolling into town for milling were brought by ox and wagon or horse and wagon.
Greenville
(page 39)
This photograph looks down Main Street more toward the east. On the left is the first building that burned, in 1881. The taller building down the street is No. 5 on the map and is now the Way Station. On the right, the taller building is the old hotel (No. 42 on the map), and on the other corner is No. 17 on the map, now the Village Drug.
Crescent
Mils (page 49)
Crescent Mils, when it was first developing, had a crude dirt road
through the town. This road connected many different places. To the north is Greenville and across the valley by the main stagecoach line is the Sierra Valley and Nevada. Travelers went through Greenville and Humbug Valley on their way to the Sacramento Valley. Now the road is a major route, Highway 89.
Indian
Falls (page 55)
Pictured here is Thundering Falls, now known as Indian Falls. The Native Americans named it Thundering Falls and thought it had something evil about it. They said it looked like a lovely lady sitting on a rock, and the falls were her hair draping over the rock and down into the pool below. If people got too close, she would snare them and pull them into the pool to drown.
Genesee
(page 64)
The old ranch house across the road from the store was bought by Edwin D. Hosselkus in 1862. It was built out of bricks that were made right in the valley. This ranch stayed in the Hosselkus family for many years, all the way up to the late 1940s. It is now owned by the Neff family. It is called Genesee Home and is used as a pastor's retreat.
Largest
Copper Mines (page 75)
The earliest known photograph of Engels or Lower Camp along Lights Creek was taken in 1905. Henry A. Engels and his family settled here in 1880. Henry Engels Sr. was the manager of the Pacific Brass and Lock Foundry in San Francisco. His copper came from the Lake Superior region and cost him
35¢ to 60¢. a pound. He first came to the Plumas Copper Belt because of his interest in the metal from a manufacturer's standpoint. The photograph shows the Engels brothers, Charles and William, with their sister Emily Engels Cook standing in front of their parents' home. Note the butter firkins stacked outside their carpenter shop at left and the American flag at right. The Engels' butter firkins were their only means of support for many years. The picture was taken to facilitate the sale of shares of Engels Copper Mining Company for the construction of a 100-ton blast furnace to smelt medium-grade carbonate copper ores from the Engels Mine. The Engels brothers had incorporated the Engels Copper Mining Company in California on June 19, 1901. (Courtesy of Norm Lamb.)
After
the Mines Weakened: Logging and Ranching (page 95)
