Sharp's Mill Teepee Burner ~ Yreka

Sharp's Mill Teepee Wood Burner, Sharp's Road, Yreka, CA


At the end of Sharps Road in Yreka, near the Siskiyou Fairgrounds, stands one of the two remaining Teepee (wood) Burner's left in the Yreka area. At one time there were as many as 13 lumber mills in our area. It is likely that this is part of what is left of the J. F. Sharp Lumber Company that thrived in Yreka for Many years. At one time it seemed that every single lumber mill had some sort of burner to help rid the mill of waste. Today we hardly think of waste as a major consideration to lumber mills as all the wood by-products (sawdust, chips, etc.) are used in such a wide variety of ways from presto-logs to strand board. But, back in the day, only about 50% of most trees were utilized in lumber products and the rest, was ~ well, waste. The teepee type metal burners were a Northwest invention and came about during World War I. This kind of wood burner was actually a new improved safety measure from the open pit burning that once occurred. These wood burners were used until the passage of the clean air act in 1970 and were eventually phased out during the next 10 years.

At one time Highway 99 passed nearby Sharp's Mill and the burner; recollections abound as a kid riding in the car at night ~ it was always an event to see the Teepee burners! They were like their own little Fourth of July display! Upwards from the Teepee one could see sparks and embers churning out into the night sky and floating upwards. Naturally, one could see the display during the day, but oh, at night ~ it was awesome to an 8 year old in the 1950's. It seemed completely magical, and the imagination of a child could find pictures in the smoke and embers, or fly high above riding on the heat waves.

These rusty and generally abandoned burners are still found sitting near roads if one keeps a keen eye out while riding along vintage routes in the Northwest. For those of you that have a copy of our book, Yreka, Images of America Series an aerial view of Teepee burners and mills on Sharps and Oberlin Roads from the 1940's appears on page 98.

Copyright: Claudia A. East, 2009

Fairgrounds and Yreka City Park

Photos by Claudia East, Copyright 2008.

The current Yreka City Park at the corner of Miner and Gold Streets in Yreka has a delightful, and perhaps to some, a surprising history! Originally this parcel of land was used as the "Fairgrounds" when fairs and similar events were held in Yreka. Viewing old fire maps it can be seen that around 1900 there were corrals located just about where the park entrance is seen above. In addition, during that time, empty store fronts would also be used for displays of fair entries. Estimated to have been in 1910, a large Agricultural Hall was built at the corner of Center and Fourth Street (currently where the parking lot is for Siskiyou Title) and displays were also shown there.

Later in the 1920s the county set aside money to have the fairgrounds at the current site of the Siskiyou Golden Fair. There was a horse race track in the area and it was a HUGE event to have horse races for many, many years. It was one of the highlights of the "fair"! At the time the Fairgrounds known to this generation was underway, the "Fairgrounds" on Gold and Miner Streets turned into Yreka's Athletic Park. (The stories of the fund raising for the city park is another story...)

However, it was on August 10, 1921 that an article appears in the Yreka Journal explaining about an "Archway Going Up for Fair Ground" ~ this archway is what we see in this photo. The Journal description does give some information that was in the original design, but the actual finished item was a bit less in overall size. Below is a portion of the article written about this archway. Please read on, there are some very interesting facts!

An excerpt from the Yreka Journal, page 1, August 10, 1921:

"The fair ground entrance on the corner of Gold and Miner is progressing nicely. It will be in the form of a quarter circle, with a cobble stone wall three feet high, and a lawn fence wire four feet higher, and two cobble stones at each side of the center arch, the arch to be made of the building stone exhibited in an arch at the Panama Pacific Exposition in 1915. The stone having been gotten out in the Marble Mountain country and various sections of the county by Mr. J. B. Russell; who also polished the stone and went to San Francisco and built the notable arch that attracted universal attention and took the gold medal for the largest and best stone exhibit from any state or county. It is made up of marble, gray and black granite, onyx, jade, red rock sandstone, rhodennite, and various other stone....The first top stone will be engraved "SISKIYOU," above this is a coping and above that is a top pile on which will be chiseled, "YREKA PARK 1921."

The next time a visit to the park is in order, be sure and stop and an examine this interesting structure and think about the history behind its origins! It is actually made up of stones from throughout the county of Siskiyou! For those that have a copy of our book, Yreka, Images of America you can view a photo of the J. B. Russell Marble and Granite Works that was once located at 404 Second Street (now Broadway) on page 34, and another image of the archway on page 89.

Claudia A. East, Copyright, 2008.