WHISKEYTOWN Historic Resource Study

Record Book R, p. 330:

Land Claim
S. V. Tripp

January 1, 1855 for agricultural and grazing purposes

Beginning at an oak stump standing about 200 yards south of Clear Creek and about half-way between Blue Gulch and Boulder Creek and near the foot of a Hill. Said stump being blazed . . . and about three miles from the town of Shasta in a Southwest course from said Town . . . not more than 160 acres.

Record Book R, p. 356:

Land Claim
Benjamin Mix

March 14, 1855 for agricultural, grazing and corralling purposes

Beginning at a pine tree marked with a cross and standing on the east bank of Whiskey Creek a short distance below the crossing of the road leading from Whiskey Town or Franklin to Shasta. Running from said tree in a westerly course up and along Main or Principal Street in said Whiskey Town about . . . 135 yards to the corner of the old Bennett cabin on the said street from thence back in a Northerly Course about 193 feet to a post cross x marked . . . westerly course about 115 feet . . . northerly course about 212 yards to a stake or post near a gulch . . . easterly course down said gulch . . . to the mouth of same about 299 yards thence down the channel of said Whiskey Creek about 250 yards to the aforesaid place of beginning.

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*Not intended as a complete list, but a representative example of land claims and secondary references which resulted from this research. Agricultural land claims are registered in deed books by date of entry and name of the individual claiming land, and thus, without prior knowledge of a name associated with ranching or farming, these occupations are difficult to trace. The above record citations have been condensed and edited by the writer and do not represent the exact text.

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Record Book R, p. 428:

Land Claim
William Taggert

October 11, 1855 for agricultural and grazing purposes

Situated on the road running from Shasta City to Oak Bottom the East line running about 3/4 of a mile west of Whisky Creek and more particularly described by commencing at a small white oak tree in a small gulch above Clear Creek water ditch thence running south 80 yards to a small white oak tree near the road thence west 320 rods to a black oak tree thence 80 rods to a pine tree thence east 320 rods to the beginning. [or 160 acres]

Record Book R, p. 499:

C. J. Gooch & Brother
      to
J. S. Powers

November 2, 1859 sale of 1/6 interest in Boulder Creek Ranch and Ice Business

Situated on Boulder Creek (near the Oak Bottom Ranch) being about 2-1/2 miles from the confluence of said Boulder Creek with Clear Creek and commencing at a large blazed pine tree about 50 yards below the lower bridge, on said Boulder Creek, and running in a North West direction up said Creek to a blazed Spruce tree about one mile, thence in A South Westerly direction about 1/4 of a mile, to a large Blazed pine tree thence North East across said creek to place of beginning about 1/4 of a mile. Together with 1/6 interest in 3 mules, 1 wagon and one harness and buildings on said premises and 1/6 interest in the Ice business for the sum of $350.

Miscellaneous Record Book I, p. 459:

Water Claim
Timothy Desmond

February 19, 1879

Water flowing in the right hand fork of Boulder Creek . . . at a point about 3/4 of a mile above the mouth of said fork to divert same by dam ditch flume for irrigation purposes at and on a Ranch or piece of land situated on the right-hand bank . . . about three miles from Oak Bottom.

Shasta Courier, February 27, 1869:

[Tower House Sale Advertisement:] "about Two Acres of Orchard and Garden."

Pen Pictures, (1891), p. 647:

[Hugh H. Shuffleton brought dairy stock from the East and conducted a dairy business, receiving 75¢ per gallon for milk making about $500 per month.]

To accomodate his increasing herds, he removed to the southwest of Shasta, in 1859, purchased a claim of 160 acres of land, and took 300 head of cattle there. All the lands in that vicinity were then free pastures and he had full scope for his stock. On that property he has since resided and continued the cattle business, not always with success, for in 1862, the hardest winter known here, he lost 200 cattle. He is now also raising hogs, sheep and horses. In speaking of the productions of his soil, he says he has 12 acres of alfalfa which he irrigates and gets [?] four crops per year, getting from it 60 tons of hay. Without irrigation he raises large crops of corn.

[A Shasta County planning commission property ownership map in the park files (no date) shows H. H. Shuffleton Jr. as a land owner in two sections of the general vicinity described above.]