Yreka Historic Preservation

The Yreka Carnegie Library Building
during construction
1915

The City of Yreka is known as the city where "History Lives On"... and much of the history available is due to the wonderful archives at the Siskiyou County Museum (located in Yreka, the county seat) as well as a multitude of local authors who have thoroughly researched and written books, articles, pamphlets and produced videos about the past and its people and the news of the day. Within many of the organizations and activities that have promoted Yreka and Siskiyou County History have been two names that, in the past, have been most prominent: Fred J. Meamber and his wife, R. Bernice Soule' Meamber. These two individuals were influential in the founding of a number of local historical groups including the Siskiyou County Historical Society (1948), the Symposium Group of Historical Societies of Northern California and Southern Oregon (1952), and the Yreka Committee for Historic Preservation Corporation, founded in 1972.

Today the Yreka Historic Preservation Corporation continues and is actively recruiting new members interested in Yreka History and Preservation! In the past they have been involved in many activities in town and nearby areas to promote historic preservation to list just a few of their accomplishments: helped fund restoration of the Carnegie Library Building, provided funding for the Randolph Collier statue at the Siskiyou County Courthouse (Collier was a local State Senator from Yreka that served Siskiyou for many years), they also helped fund restoration efforts of the Montague Train Station, and placed historic signs throughout Yreka's residential districts that show the original owner of the home and year built.



Sample of a residential home marker/sign.


The Yreka Historic Preservation Corporation holds their main purpose as "to promote the protection, enhancement and perpetuation of historical buildings within the City of Yreka". They also host on their website a photo tour of historic homes and buildings that are still standing, as well as a photo tour of vintage images. For folks that are genealogists and are researching Yreka, you will also find a listing of the homes with historic signs and information at the website.

As an aficionado of local history, preservation ~ and the author of Yreka History I encourage you to consider joining the Yreka Historic Preservation Corporation ~ your dues will help preserve our fascinating history!
Claudia East

The Bottling Works

Photo copyright: Claudia East, 2009


Viewed above is an image of the current Bottling Works Mall along Main Street in Yreka. This structure has played an important role in the life of Yrekans, and has been known as the "bottling works" for nearly 75 years. It all started when...

By the spring of 1935 the Yreka Bottling Works had already been in operation for 37 years and owned by Fred Meamber ~ the Siskiyou News ran an article about the bottling works as they moved into their "new" quarters at 412 South Main Street, Yreka (aka, Hwy. 99). Prior to the bottling plant moving to this location the building was occupied by the McNair garage.

The news article explained that the building not only housed the Coca-Cola bottling plant, but areas for all of their beverage business. They constructed a wine room near the front of the building, in the back of the building a new cold storage room was built for beer with a capacity to handle three carloads of keg beer at a time! At the writing in 1935 the Bottling Works were the exclusive distributors in Siskiyou County for Matevista wines, Beringer Brothers Wines, Buffalo, Acme, Golden Glow and Rainier beers; Coca-Cola, Hires Root Beer, Orange Crush, and 7-Up!

It was originally around 1898-1900 that Fred Meamber and his brother George purchased the Yreka Bottling Works. The plant moved in 1912 into quarters near the train depot until the present move (1935). A photo of the building near the depot in 1913 can be found in the 1976 Siskiyou Pioneer on page 63, published by the Siskiyou County Historical Society. (Reprints of this issue may still be available at the Siskiyou County Museum.)

Today one can roam through the shops in the "mall" or lunch at Nature's Kitchen and enjoy viewing the building that still has a feel similar to 1935. Parking is located in the rear just across Yreka Creek. It is another great way to enjoy our wonderful history!

*Information gleaned from The Siskiyou News, April 4, 1935, page 1 and several issues of the Siskiyou Pioneer. Copyright, Claudia East, 2009.

"The Journal Residence" Robert Nixon Home Circa 1860

Research notes on the exact building date of this Yreka home is uncertain. The property on which it stands was owned by at least 2 different persons prior to Robert Nixon purchasing the property and other structures may have been on this ground. The house as viewed above is a current view of the home, and the original structure was likely built between 1856 and 1860.

It was in 1866 that the home became the property of Robert Nixon, Jr. and it remained in his family for the next 47 years as reported in the book, Houses That Talk by Fred and Bernice Meamber, published in 1986.

Robert Nixon, Jr. is reportedly a direct ancestor of former President Richard M. Nixon, but specific information about this relationship has not been researched by this author. However, Robert Nixon arrived in Yreka in 1855 and worked for a local printer, he left and moved to Oregon and San Francisco returning to Yreka permanently in 1861. He purchased the Yreka Journal (newspaper) and published the first Republican paper north of Marysville according to Wells' History of Siskiyou County, published in 1881. Nixon was very civic and politically minded and was always eager to refute views by his Democratic counterparts. Robert Nixon, Jr. died in 1908. He is buried at the Yreka Evergreen Cemetery.

The home has changed over the years, but if Nixon were alive today, he would likely recognize it! Originally the window in the second story at the front of the house was pointed in the gothic style and the front windows below were flush with the walls. Rennovations were made according to Meamber research in 1889 and the bay windows on the sides of the home were added in 1895. The home has had an unusual number of residents from owners to renters, but it still stands as a symbol of the early days of Yreka. This proud home stands in the National Historic District at 325 Third Street, Yreka, California.
Copyright: Claudia A. East 2008