Upper Soda Springs / Tauhindauli Park

Notable Events

1. 1841The United States Exploring Expedition logged that its members drank from the soda springs just across Upper Soda Springs Road from today's park. friends-of-tpark.org
2. 1852The Lockhart brothers built a small log cabin where travelers could stop and spend the night; they later sold the land and building to Ross McCloud. web.archive.org
3. 1855A toll bridge crossing the Sacramento River was built on the site by pioneers Ross McCloud and Mary Campbell McCloud. en.wikipedia.org
4. 1857Ross McCloud surveyed, organized, and built the first commercial trail up the Sacramento River Canyon, the route followed by today's Interstate-5. web.archive.org
5. 1857As more travelers spent the night, Ross and Mary McCloud expanded the inn, adding a new two-story building to the original log cabin. web.archive.org
6. 1858The north-south stage road through the Sacramento River canyon opened circa 1858, and Upper Soda Springs sat beside it on the edge of the river as a stage stop where drivers and riders ate and rested. gailjenner.com
7. 1864A new long one-story building added a kitchen, dining room and guest rooms; Ross and Mary brought in business partners Isaac Fry and Richard Mannon, who added stables, coops, trees and gardens. web.archive.org
8. 1880sThe Central Pacific Railroad was completed, easing access and transportation, and Upper Soda Springs was used as a resort for tourists coming in on the train. tauhindaulipark.org
9. 1886The arrival of the Central Pacific railroad heralded still further expansion of the inn. en.wikipedia.org
10. 1915The new Pacific Highway (later US99) was routed on a concrete bridge high above the river, cutting off easy access to Upper Soda Springs; the resort survived only a few more years. gailjenner.com
11. 1916The highway was improved with two lanes and a bridge across the river; tourists passed by and the resort lost business. tauhindaulipark.org
12. 1920The Resort finally closed after the arrival of the automobile and new fashions and habits in taking vacations. web.archive.org
13. 1963The heart of the resort was sold to Harry and Patricia Chappell. tauhindaulipark.org
14. 1990sBeginning in the late 1990s, public and private efforts acquired riverside parcels of the historic resort property and dedicated them to park land. en.wikipedia.org
15. 2000The State of California acquired the central parcels of what has become the Park, using money from the Cantara Spill settlement. friends-of-tpark.org
16. 2002The Rhinesmiths sold the property with the wish that the land be used for the benefit of the people of Dunsmuir. tauhindaulipark.org

People

• Elda McCloud, Daughter of Ross and Mary McCloud who first gave the name Dolly Varden trout to the colorful local fish species.
• Harry and Patricia Chappell, Bought the heart of the resort in 1963.
• Harry and Samuel Lockhart, First permanent settlers of the canyon area; built the inn used by mule riders and sold the site to the McClouds (settled in 1852).
• William and Patricia Rhinesmith, Later owners who sold the property in 2002 wishing it be used for the benefit of the people of Dunsmuir.
• William Tauhindauli, Wintu of the family fleeing Trinity River mining attacks who moved to Upper Soda Springs.
• Elda McCloud Masson, Young woman of Dunsmuir who named the Dolly Varden trout for the trout's solid red spots, which reminded her of Dolly Varden dresses then in fashion (around 1872).
• Grant Tau-hin-dauli, Last chief of the Trinity River Wintu tribe and a renowned mountain guide who worked at the Upper Soda Springs resort on the Sacramento River (1873-1963).
• Grant Towendolly, Son of Old Bill; born at the resort and worked there as a handyman, gardener, and guide; told the Trinity River Wintu legends to Marcelle Masson (born at Upper Soda Springs on October 29, 1873).
• Isaac Fry, Business partner of Ross and Mary McCloud at the expanded inn.
• Marcelle Masson, Granddaughter-in-law of Ross and Mary McCloud who interviewed Grant Towendolly at length and assembled the book A Bag of Bones from his Trinity River Wintu legends and religious stories (lived on the Upper Soda Springs property until the 1960's).
• Mary Campbell McCloud, Ross McCloud's wife; joined him in California and expanded the inn with him (joined him in California in 1855).
• Old Bill (Wi-Ca-we-ha), Headman of the Tauhindauli family who worked at Upper Soda Springs as a handyman, gardener, and guide for the guests.
• Richard Mannon, Business partner of Ross and Mary McCloud at the expanded inn.
• Ross McCloud, Pioneer, professional surveyor and entrepreneur who located the inn site on the Sacramento River, bought the Lockhart cabin and land, and built the inn into the resort (arrived in Northern California in 1851).

Sources

1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_Soda_Springs
2. friends-of-tpark.org
3. dunsmuirparks.org/welcome-to-the-tauhindauli-park-self-guided-tour
4. commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Upper_Soda_Springs_Resort.jpg
5. friends-of-tpark.org/news-and-updates
6. tauhindaulipark.org
7. tauhindaulipark.org/history.htm
8. web.archive.org/web/20231201170224/https://www.dunsmuirparks.org/self-guided-tour-sign-1-who-lived-here
9. tfaoi.org/aa/9aa/9aa316.htm
10. gailjenner.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/FSCM-newsletterWinter2021finalpdf.pdf
11. friends-of-tpark.org/news-and-updates
12. dunsmuirparks.org/self-guided-tour-sign-4-upper-soda-springs
13. dunsmuirparks.org/self-guided-tour-sign-5-the-early-inn-at-upper-soda-springs
14. livinggoldpress.com/TakingtheWaters.htm
15. hmdb.org/m.asp?m=89120
16. tauhindaulipark.org/archrept.htm