Because We Live Here

BY LANCE WALDREN

Pioneer Press

Fort Jones , CA

530-468-5355

mailto:pioneerp@sisqtel.net

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Page E11, Column 4

What an amazing place that we live.  From my home in Merrill, I can take a short drive down one road in the southern end of the basin and see what I consider to be, some of the most beautiful and interesting country in the world.

I grew up near here and have always loved the area south and east of Tulelake. The road
on the way to the Lava Beds National Park is not only full of history but in a very short time travels through some the most extremes you can ever see in the landscape.

There are many stories to be told from this one short stretch of rural country road. You will drive through the homesteaded farms and ranches near Tulelake.

I always think about the veterans who fought for us in WWI and WWII. How they were rewarded by our government by being allowed to enter the lottery drawings for farm
land. Now many of the descendants of these original homesteaders are still feeding this
nation.

Not to far up Hill Road , you will see the remaining buildings left from the old Civilian
Conservation Corp (CCC) camp, which were built during the depression.

These barracks had a fascinating history I think only a few in the basin realize.

During WWII, a Japanese internment camp was established near Newell. There was a small group of Japanese which were labeled as trouble makers and sent from Newell
to live in and rebuild these buildings.

Later in the war, the CCC camp was turned into a prisoner of war facility and housed 150
Italian officers and 900 German officers. The prisoners were used during the war to work
on the farms since most of the American farmers were fighting elsewhere.

As you continue south you enter the Tulelake Wildlife refuge. The road skirts the edge of
Tulelake Lake and then into the wetlands and agricultural lease lands owned by the refuge.

This area is full of wildlife overlooks and even has blinds set up for viewing or photographing the abundant wildlife.

Continue on a little bit farther and the lush acreage of the refuge turns into the rocky and
harsh volcanic landscape of the Lava Beds National Park . The viewpoints change from
overlooking wildlife to viewpoints called "The Devils Homestead."

The lava beds is another place you can spend days and still not see all it has to offer or
be able to fully comprehend the historical significance of this area.

The Modoc Indian war took place in these fields of lava rock.  You can walk the trails
and stand where the Indians fought. You can sit in the caves the families of these warriors
lived in the winter of 1872. You learn the names and stories of those who fought on
both sides of this war.

Then continue up the road a little farther to the Lava Beds headquarters to receive your
free rental of flashlights and hard hats to explore the hundreds of lava tube caves in the park.

This one stretch of country road is in our own backyard. It is also just one of many
areas in the basin with great stories to tell.

So, get out and take a drive this weekend. Take the time to stop, look around and remember  why we live here.

(Permission to post from the publisher.)