Westwood celebrates its Centennial
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Men move logs in the Mill Pond near the lumber mill during the era the Red River Lumber Company operated in Westwood. Photo submitted
estwood, on the western boundary of Lassen County, has a rich history, and this year residents are celebrating the town’s centennial. Tucked within the Lassen National Forest, Westwood was built at the height of the logging industry in Northern California. The first unit of the mill for the Red River Lumber Company was constructed in 1913, 100 years ago. Plans for the town of Westwood and plant that created lumber, plywood, box shook and venetian blind slats were drawn up in the Red River office in Minneapolis. Westwood was a company town, built by Thomas Barlow Walker for employees of the Red River Lumber Company and the workers’ families. The mill was completed in 1914 stretching about a mile between Westwood and Pinetown. It was operated by Walker’s son, Fletcher. Accompanying Fletcher to Westwood were his wife, Eveline, and their four sons, Theodore, Fletcher Jr., Kenneth and Norman. Their family home is now operated as a café and bed and
breakfast named, “The Walker Mansion Inn.” The Walkers operated the mill for about 30 years before selling the property, the town and timberland to Fruit Growers Supply Company in 1944. This company sold its holdings in 1957. Information about the early days of Westwood was recorded in a book written by resident Lois Heinz, titled, “Red River Goes West.” The Red River Lumber Company had a daily capacity of 450 million board feet of lumber. The log pond had a capacity of 20 million feet of logs. She wrote, “Out in the woods the logging operation required seven working locomotives and 300 flat cars. The largest haul for one day at that time was 1,000,900 feet of logs.” The mill was operated by its own power plant. Although the town has a fraction of the population it had during the mill days, those who live there enjoy many of the amenities the early residents did such as easy access to outdoor activities. ❖
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Lassen County Visitors Guide 2013-14