Steam & Excursion > Memories Of Railroading In Weed, CA At This Sad Time!

The news from the small Northern California town of Weed the week was grim to say the least. An afternoon fire on Monday raced through the central part of the town destroying homes, a church and part of the towns biggest employer, the Roseburg Lumber Mill.

Founded at the beginning of the Century by Abner Weed as the home of his new lumber milling operation, he chose this spot because of the constant winds that blow off the surrounding hills. Abner Weed decided that he would use these winds to his advantage since they would act to dry his fresh cut lumber in the drying yards at a more rapid rate. Unfortunately, it was these same winds that would fan several devastating fires in Weed over the years, including the one this week.

Abner Weed sold out to the Long-Bell Lumber Co. in 1905 and the logging expanded to the Northwest of Weed. The Southern Pacific had built to and finally through Weed on it's way to Klamath Falls, Oregon. Part of the SP route North of Weed used old sections of the Weed Lumber Co. logging railroad right of way.

By the 1920's when the photo was taken, the log loads were being picked up by the SP at the connection with the Long-Bell railroad system at Leaf, California and hauled by the SP to the big mill in Weed. Here we see SP #2333 at the mill log pond in Weed ready to drop another trainload of logs in to the pond.

Weed has a long and rich logging history. She has survived many fires over the years and let's hope she will come back again from this terrible event.


Martin



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/14 03:44 by LoggerHogger.

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My thoughts too as am glad the company store is still intact along with most of the mill. I was very fortunate about two years ago as a good friend took me on a tour of the town. He worked in the large building across the tracks from the store. Many stories about different parts of town also and nick names am sure you know also. Some history was lost some still remains as want to visit again.

Is this the mill pond that is still exiting next to the wye, not far from the General Store? The buildings around the pond were removed a couple of years ago, all activity was moved to the newer Mill buildings. I've never figured out who owned what in that area.

Looking at the maps in Signor's book of the older logging routes, a loaded train would have come down the old mainline straight into the pond area, what a thought. Which turns around the whole track plan as we see it today.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/14 10:01 by TCnR.

Since we're on the subject of Weed's history, I was on a summer road trip with my grandparents in the late 70's and we pulled of the highway in Weed to get an ice cream and cool off. We ended up in an old fashioned drug store/soda fountain. It was a long narrow building with a counter along the left (east) wall (if I remember correctly, the front of the store faced north). I'm sure the business is long gone but does anybody know of the place or if the building still stands?

I should add that this was a nineteenth century (maybe early 20th) building with false facade and, if memory serves, was built of cut stone.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/14 13:26 by crackerjackhoghead.

My wife and I often stopped in Weed on our many trips back and forth on I-5 to visit family. What a terrible tragedy for the town this time, so much property destroyed.

Jim,

It looks like the Museum survived intact. If you have not visited that you should on your next trip. It is wonderful.

Martin

I've seen at least one building like that on the main street. You may try 'walking' down the street using Google Street view. I might add that I was in Weed Sunday morning for coffee and a quick drive around checking out the Mill and the 'CORP' locomotive.

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> Since we're on the subject of Weed's history, I
> was on a summer road trip with my grandparents in
> the late 70's and we pulled of the highway in Weed
> to get an ice cream and cool off. We ended up in
> an old fashioned drug store/soda fountain. It was
> a long narrow building with a counter along the
> left (east) wall (if I remember correctly, the
> front of the store faced north). I'm sure the
> business is long gone but does anybody know of the
> place or if the building still stands?
>
> I should add that this was a nineteenth century
> (maybe early 20th) building with false facade and,
> if memory serves, was built of cut stone.

I am curious of what that concrete block in your picture was used for? Is it still there?

The concrete block is the "brow log" which was used to roll the logs off the cars into the water. I dooubt it is still there as the log pond was abandoned years ago.

Martin