KETTLE ROCK
Plumas County - Plumas National Forest
1912: Kettle Rock established and a lookout structure erected.
October 15, 1914: "Mr. and Mrs. Edson Sr., came in from the forest lookout station at Kettle Lake Friday." (Plumas National-Bulletin)
September 28, 1922: "P.J. Hardgrave is hauling lumber from the Greenville saw mill to Kettle Rock to build a new lookout and cabin combined at that point." (The Plumas National-Bulletin)
November 2, 1922: "R.A. Thompson, who has been at the lookout station at Kettle Rock during the summer, returned home Friday."
"Clarence Taylor returned home Friday from Kettle Rock, where he has been erecting a new lookout station." (The Plumas National-Bulletin)
"Clarence Taylor returned home Friday from Kettle Rock, where he has been erecting a new lookout station." (The Plumas National-Bulletin)
October 11, 1923: "Anton Madison, who has been packing supplies to the Kettle Rock, Mt. Hough and Mt. Engels lookout stations, this summer, was at Quincy this week visiting with friends. Madison has finished his work with the Forest Service, for this year, and is preparing to pass the winter at Mohawk." (Plumas National-Bulletin)
May 22, 1924: "Kettle Rock lookout station will be manned before June 1, although no one has been appointed." (Feather River Bulletin)
October 16, 1924: "C. Fischer, of Oakland, who has been at the lookout station on Kettle Rock during the summer, moved out Thursday." (The Plumas National-Bulletin)
June 18, 1925: "Mr. and Mrs. Gene Bouchard and three children arrive Wednesday from Susanville. They will visit a few days with relatives here before going to the lookout station at Kettle Rock for the summer." (The Plumas National-Bulletin)
September 17, 1925: "Willa Buchard from the Lookout Station at Kettle Rock came down yesterday to stay with her aunt Mrs. J.A. Hardgrave and attend school." (Plumas Independent)
June 10, 1926: "Frank Bear came from Canyon Dam Saturday. He will take a position with the Forest Service as lookout on Kettle Rock." (Feather River Bulletin)
July 1, 1926: "Sunday Fire Chief J.R. Edwards, of the Plumas National Forest office at Quincy, installed as lookout on Kettle Rock, near Genesee, Frank Bare, of Crescent Mills. Mrs. Bare will pass the summer with her husband at the lookout station. Mr. Bare is an overseas veteran, who, returning to his native land, brought with him a foreign wife." (Plumas National Bulletin)
October 21, 1926: "Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bear are home from Kettle Rock, where Mr. Bear was lookout for the Forest Service during the summer months. They reported seven inches of snow there when they came away." (Plumas National-Bulletin)
June 23, 1927: "The Forest Service department is placing its men at the different Lookout stations. Robert Thompson has been stationed at Kettle Rock for the season." (Plumas Independent)
June 23, 1927: "Robert Thompson has been employed by the Forest Service as lookout man at Kettle Rock for the summer." (Feather River Bulletin)
October 20, 1927: "Robert Thompson came down from the Lookout station on Kettle Rock Monday, where he has been acting as fire guard this summer." (Feather River Bulletin)
May 30, 1929: "Mr. Foster has been doing some work on the road to Crystal Lake the past week for the Forest Service. He expects to be Lookout Man at Kettle Rock this season." (Feather River Bulletin)
October 2, 1930: J.F. Wickham, of Reno, was the victim of his own gun fire Sunday when he stumbled and fell, shooting himself through the abdomen, while a guest of Bert Terrell at Kettlerock lookout.
Wickham had been at Kettlerock for several days on vacation. When the accident occured, he and Terrell were climbing to the lookout, Terrell being in the lead by some 20 feet. Terrell, hearing a shot, turned in time to see Wickham crumpling to the ground. Wickham expired about 20 minutes later." (Feather River Bulletin)
October 13, 1932: "The lightning rods on the Kettle Rock lookout station were struck three times by lightning during the electrical storm last week. Bert Terrell was on duty at the station. No material damage resulted from the lightning, but Terrell averred that it was ticklish business to have the electrical bombs taking potshots at the station." (Indian Valley Record)
June 15, 1933: "Herbert Terrell was in town Saturday making preparations for his job as lookout man at Kettle Rock." (Indian Valley Record)
November 9, 1933: "Bert Terrell, who acted as lookout at the Kettle Rock ranger station in the Greenville district during the summer, spent the latter part of the week here on a visit to his sister." (Plumas Independent)
May 17, 1934: "Herbert Terrill, lookout at the Kettle Rock station, is in Greenville this week. He states that he expects to be called to his station soon." (Indian Valley Record)
December 19, 1935: "Bert Terrill, lookout at Kettle Rock station, has moved down to his cabin at Genesee." (Indian Valley Record)
October 14, 1937: "Bert Terrell, Plumas National Forest lookout at the Kettle Rock station, came down last week following the rains, and expects to spend the winter in Greenville. Terrell stated that he came out over four or five inches of snow." (Indian Valley Record)
August 21, 1941: "Bert Terrill was in Greenville Friday and Saturday from the lookout station at Kettle Rock. Victor Hake was in charge of the station during Terrill's absence." (Indian Valley Record)
November 5, 1942: "Herbert Terrill, lookout on Kettle Rock, was in town Sunday." (Indian Valley Record)
August 31, 1944: "Gene Leichter, Plumas National Forest lookout, stationed on Kettle Rock east of Greenville in Plumas country, left his station one evening early this week to check the station water pump located a quarter-mile down the mountain. Returning to a point two hundred yards below the lookout just before dark, Leichter was startled to see two large black bears in the trail.
Leichter, an experienced mountaineer, declared he had seen many bear, but none as big as the two facing him, and he became concerned when Mr. and Mrs. Bruin refused to leave or show fright from his yells and gestulations. It was quite the reverse, said Leichter, when the larger of the two beasts stood on his hind legs to survey the situation, Leichter took that as a direct challenge, and ducked with alacrity into the forest for a hurried detour to the safety of his lookout. "I was alone without a gun or club, and those bears looked awful big," Leichter said." (Reno Evening Gazette)
Leichter, an experienced mountaineer, declared he had seen many bear, but none as big as the two facing him, and he became concerned when Mr. and Mrs. Bruin refused to leave or show fright from his yells and gestulations. It was quite the reverse, said Leichter, when the larger of the two beasts stood on his hind legs to survey the situation, Leichter took that as a direct challenge, and ducked with alacrity into the forest for a hurried detour to the safety of his lookout. "I was alone without a gun or club, and those bears looked awful big," Leichter said." (Reno Evening Gazette)
June 3, 1948: "Ed Johnson of Orland, who has been appointed as forest patrolman for the summer, has moved up to Round Valley Lake where he will be on duty and is making his home in a trailer. He was formerly a lookout at Kettlerock Mountain." (Indian Valley Record)
September 8, 1952: "Kettle Rock lookout in the Plumas National Forest built first in 1912 and reconstructed in 1920 was determined by forest building engineers early this year as no longer usable.
According to Ranger Harold Turner of Greenville the thirty year old structure has been dismantled and in its place a new standard 14x14 lookout building is now under construction. It will be completed the latter part of September.
Turner said all forest lookout buildings suffer tremendously from wind and extreme weather, but that old Kettle Rock structure was reduced considerably also by porcupines gnawing on the foundation and floor.
Lookouts manning the Kettle Rock post this season are Mr. and Mrs. Frank G. Clark." (Reno Evening Gazette)
According to Ranger Harold Turner of Greenville the thirty year old structure has been dismantled and in its place a new standard 14x14 lookout building is now under construction. It will be completed the latter part of September.
Turner said all forest lookout buildings suffer tremendously from wind and extreme weather, but that old Kettle Rock structure was reduced considerably also by porcupines gnawing on the foundation and floor.
Lookouts manning the Kettle Rock post this season are Mr. and Mrs. Frank G. Clark." (Reno Evening Gazette)
July 10, 1958: "Violet Hawson writes from Kettle Rock Lookout inviting all of her friends up to see her. She reports the scenery is beautiful."
"Amy Haron spent four days with her friend Dorothy Hawson on Kettle Rock Lookout recently." (Indian Valley Record)
October 9, 1958: "Among recent visitors with Mr. and Mrs. William Hawson at Kettle Rock Lookout was a friend, Mrs. Smith, 84 years old, who climbed up the steep road to enjoy the splendid view from the mountain top." (Indian Valley Record)
July 9, 1959: "An almost impossible--but necessary--30 mile drive down a barely passable mountain road in the middle of the night was accomplished recently by a 15-year-old Greenville girl who has had only a minimum of driving experience.
The trip was made from Kettle Rock lookout by Dorothy Hawson, after her father, Bill Hawson, suffered a heart attack and had to be taken into Greenville for immediate medical attention.
Mrs. Hawson was also at the lookout but remained to man the post until a relief was sent by the Forest Service.
Dorothy made the trip down the mountain with her father in a pickup truck, leaving the lookout about 2:30 in the morning. She broke down at the conclusion of the trying journey and suffered screaming nightmares throughout the following night. The effective treatment for her condition was being forced to make the trip again the following day in the daylight.
Local residents claim that the trip is almost impossible to make with an ordinary auto or unloaded pickup.
The teenager probably would have been unable to make the drive had she not received driver's training at school, according to friends who reported that she is not yet s licensed driver and has had only limited experience.
Mr. Hawson was treated at Greenville and transferred to the Veterans Hospital in Reno, where he is reported as progressing nicely." (The Record)
July 16, 1959: "Bill Hawson, who suffered a heart attack recently at Kettle Rock lookout, is a patient at the Veterans Hospital in Reno, where his condition was reported improved late last week. He will be forced to remain flat on his back for the next 6 or 7 weeks. Hawson will appreciate friends here; he can receive visitors." (The Record)
July 16, 1959: "Mrs. Violet Hawson spent the weekend in Reno visiting her husband Bill in the hospital. She has given up her lookout post at Kettle Rock Lookout." (The Record)
July 23, 1959: "First report on the fire came from Kettle Rock Lookout to the north, where Blanche Le Fluer had been on duty since only four days earlier. (Mrs. Le Fluer took over the post after Mrs. Bill Hawson was forced to quit the position by the illness of her husband." (The Record)