Wednesday, August 09, 2006 Looking Back is a regular feature of the Modoc Record, a weekly newspaper, published in Alturas, California. The following is transcribed from the August 3, 2006 issue. Looking Back 112 Years Ago –1894 YESTERDA A merry party of married ladies and their children went out to John Wall’s ranch at Pine Creek for a day’s recreation and pleasure. No men were allowed on the trip and spent the day , gathering berries and swatting mosquitoes. They proved to be good fisher ladies, returning with several buggies filled with mountain trout to 14 inches in length. 92 Years Ago – 1914 A STPRY on the life of Christ is presently at the Empress Theatre. Also, the ,pvoe “ M<illion Dollar Mystery” is playing in serial form and much speculation is about these days guessing who is the murderer. This type of movie seems sure to catch on in future years…. The only ones traveling about the county these days are politicians seeking election. Everyone here seems to be busy with summer chores…. A mail service has been designated between Cedarville and Lake City. It was a service that was discontinued and only through strenuous efforts of Congressman Raker has is been reestablished…. Range horses are reported running at large in the streets of New Pine Creek. 72 Years Ago – 1934 AN 18-HOLE miniature golf course is now in full swing on the corner of Court and First Streets. It was opened the first of July by Mrs. May Yates and is managed by her brother, Harry Lighty. It’s called the “Grove”…. The Bieber Mountain forest fire, was brought under control this week with 1,000 firefighters…. More than 1,000 head of Montana cattle are arriving in Modoc this week to be fed on local ranges and escape the drought condition of the northwest…. Wild Modoc plums are early on the market this year and are selling at seven cents a pound…. Two-thirds of the business district of Dorris, CA and 150 acres were destroyed by fire before it was brought under control this week…. Carol Kober will succeed Mitchell Tillotson in charge of the liquidation of the closed Modoc County Bank. 52 Years Ago – 1954 ALTURAS BIGGEST rodeo-ever is slated here next week. Candidates for 1954 Modoc Fair queen are Mitzi Yamagata, Virgie Simpson, Maxine Rose Miura, Jeanne McHugh and Marie Coughran…. Fruitgrowers have ended their operation at Susanville…. Neal Rahm has named timber as the biggest single industry in the county with, by far, the largest payrolls. Agriculture, he said, is second and recreation is third. 32 Years Ago – 1974 IN MODOC County the proportion of women in the labor force is greater than ever. The latest government figures show that no less than 1,090 local women out of a total female population of 12,680 over the age of 16 are employed or are seeking employment. The proportion, 40.7 percent, is well above the 33.5 percent reported in 1960. Of the local male population above 16, approximately 76.5 percent are in the labor force…. Final construction of a long proposed vocational building complex at Modoc High School has been scheduled for completion before the start of the 1975 school year, the district office. (sic) The miniature golf course was not successful. It had to close down in a few months after its opening. Several years later our Boy Scout Troop decided to renovate the course and open it again as a fund raiser. With the approval of Mrs. Yates, we put in many hours of labor and had a grand opening. I believe that we stayed open only a few days and went bust; so we closed it for the final time. It was a good idea that was not so good in Modoc County. In the 52 years ago column the name Jeanne McHugh jumped out at me. Jeanne was a petite little red head when I last saw her. She was a good many years younger tan me; however she had an amazing talent for playing anything on the piano; by ear only. She was only ablaut 4-5 years old when I observed this talent of hers. I often wonder what ever happened to Jeanne and her talent with the piano. See you all again next week, I hope. Ron Morgan

It was written in the SURPRISE VALLEY RECORD, CEDARVILLE, MODOC COUNTY, CAL, THURSDAY MARCH 5, 1936 in the New Pine Creek notes.... "Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Dibble and son Terance, returned Saturday evening from a trip to San Francisco, where they went to bring home Bill Oakleman, who has been in a hospital for several weeks with an injured knee cap. He has fully recovered from the injury." If anyone has any genealogical information regarding this family, please contact me off-list. I have the name Dibble in the background of the Davis family and I'd like to be able to establish connections. Thanks so much. Liz JAY Davis North Bend, WA