Salt is not only a seasoning, but it is used for many industrial purposes such as tanning leather, dying fabrics and the farming and dairy industries. Salting is also an ancient form of food preservation.

As emigrants streamed into northeastern California and settled the area, they naturally looked for a supply of this important mineral.

In 1864, as a five-pound sack of salt was selling for $.62 in Lassen County, Marion Lawrence and Frank Murphy claimed the land surrounding the Buffalo Salt Marsh in Nevada.

The marsh, on the northwest edge of the Smoke Creek Desert, was a bonanza of salt. The playa was covered in places with a layer of sodium sulfate, which was several feet deep.

This sodium sulfate was not ‘table salt’ but a form of sodium used for industrial purposes. By pumping the saline water and letting it dry in pools, the salt could be collected. It was ground into different grades and a small amount of fine table salt was recovered.

Through the years, the Buffalo Springs Salt Marsh was owned by numerous entrepreneurs who improved the site, and by the 1870’s it was in ‘full swing’. By 1880, B. F. Murphy oversaw the business. He employed five men and shipped over 350,000 pounds of salt ninety miles to Reno.

By 1896, when work began to wane, the marsh was producing about 250 tons of salt each year.

Buffalo Springs was a booming place. Stage travel to and from Reno cost $9.00, and the stage left Reno every morning about 7:00 a.m., except Sundays. Mail was brought to nearby Sheepshead Station, and then delivered to Buffalo Springs.

In Susanville, sixty-two miles away, Samuel R. Hall was operating the Buffalo Springs headquarters. He advertised the finest pure white salt available anywhere, and at a lower price!

By the end of the 19th century, the Buffalo Springs Salt Works had mostly ceased operations, and lay decaying on the marsh. But well into the early 20th century, residents as far away as the Madeline Plains would take wagons and trek to the marsh to obtain their supply of this most essential mineral.

CASA’s mission is to provide specially selected and trained community volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children in Lassen County’s juvenile dependency system. The group works as a non-profit program under the umbrella agency of Lassen Family Services, in collaboration with key agencies, legal counsel and community resources to ensure that each child’s best interests are protected.

Event entry and concessions will be by a donation and organizers suggest that you bring pillows and blankets for the family.

Please contact the CASA program at 1.530.257.4599 with any questions.

If you had your pictures taken during picture retake day, your pictures are in in the library for pick up.

There will be an Assembly on Friday. For the Winterfest assembly the schedule will be a 30-minute advocacy. Students will report to the large gym during their advocacy class.

Softball open gyms have started and will be each Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:30p.m.

Click here to sign up online beginning this Saturday.

The Fruit Growers Supply Company, starting January 17, went on a 48-hour week basis instead of the former 54 hours.

The mill will work from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., six days a week, the change being due to winter conditions.

In the six days ending January 12, the local branch of the company shipped to southern California, 60 carloads of box shook, setting up a weekly record.