Thursday, October 28, 2021
Friday, September 6, 2019
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
US Plywood McCloud, Ca. Black Pioneers
The friends of Mr. AD
Grant ran the US plywood in McCloud. Mr. Grant also worked for US
Plywood
McCloud Railroad was sold
to US Plywood which later merged with Champion.
At one time US Plywood
owned all of McCloud, Ca.
Once a year they would
have a Lumberjack Fiesta.
Robert and his family enjoyed the fiesta every year and interacting with people from Siskiyou Country and those who came from out of the area.
Robert and his family enjoyed the fiesta every year and interacting with people from Siskiyou Country and those who came from out of the area.
Mr. Grant worked for 3
mills: US. Plywood, Mt. Shasta Mill, and the Mill in weed. He may
have worked at a mill in Dunsmuir, Ca. also.
Robert Grant worked at US
Plywood in McCloud and n the 1970's. He was living with a black
family in little Africa, McCloud Ca. Whose names were Loris and Dave.
Loris and Dave lived near
the Murphy family, and the Jones' in McCloud. Ca. At the age of 23
Robert left the area to live in San Jose, and got married there. He
came back in 1970's with his wife and children, and worked for US
Plywood pulling green-chain.
At the age of 18 Robert
worked for the US Forest Service in Mt. Shasta; fighting fires and
stocking the Sacramento River with fish.
U.S. Army and Air Force Base
I was born in 1950 to Bertie Lee Grant and Mr. Alford. Alford Grant was one of the men who opened up the interstate in Northern California. at the time the interstate was only one or two lanes. He would take us up to the county fair in Yreka, and it could taken an hour or two to come up or go back because there were so many cars.
Our family was asked to host the airmen who were stationed at the base in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Our family provided the food and entertainment. People came from Redding, Weed, Mt. Shasta and Dunsmuir, California to our home to dance and socialize and so, we would also meet at the White Front in Weed and the Black Hawk. We got to see Ike and Tina Turner.
Alfred Grant Sr. Pioneer 9-3-19 NWBKA
Alfred Grant Sr.
Pioneer
Southern Pacific Railroad Black
Families of Northern Calfornia.
Siskiyou County pioneer Alfred Grant
Sr. came from Louisiana looking for work. He stopped in Dunsmuir Ca.
When there was a bad storm that stopped the train from moving north.
He was asked by the railroad if he would like to work for them. He
said yes and that was how the family came to live in Dunsmuir. His
job involved cleaning the train engines at the round table. (The
Round table turned trains around to go North or South on different
tracks) His son Al Grant was the first black engineer to drive train
for Southern Pacific Railroad. Alfreds wife Birdie lee supported her
husband at home by raising the children, cooking wonderful meals and
caring for their home.
Together, Alfred and Birdie owned many
houses, apartments and duplexes as well as fine lady's clothing
store. She traveled to places such as San Francisco, New York and
many other places to buy the latest new fashions, First class all the
way. It was said that she was a millionaire.
The Family worked together to take care
of their gardens and orchard of peach, plum, apple, apricot and
Cherry trees. Birdie grew beautiful roses and Iris, and they raised
vegetable and Blackberries as well. There was a large patch of sage
that flavored thanksgiving dinners. The Grandmother would travel to
be there for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The family also loved to
travel to Steard Springs and other places in California.
Once a year the railroad would have a
barbecue at the Headwaters in Mount Shasta for their employees. It
was always well attended and it felt like one big family.
I want to thank the railroad for all
the steak dinners and all the trimmings that they provided. As the
son of Mr. Grant Sr.
Robert Grant.
Thursday, May 10, 2018
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