July 27, 2011

Friday Night Dinner at the Art Center. Yes! Alan Crockett has announced a very special menu for Friday night July 29th. ‘…Hey, just wait till you hear the menu for the next dinner…
Jon Grunbaum is whipping up the tastiest Spaghetti and Meatball dinner this side of Sicily (with a veggie option of course). With loads of Jon’s life changing Garlic Bread and a Garden Fresh Green Salad to boot!
Oh yeah, We’ve just got a great selection of drinks to try and a sensational music mix if I do say so myself.
Here’s hoping you can make it. ‘ Don’t forget that when you enjoy the special menu Friday night, that you are also helping to support the Art Center! For more inforation, go to the Art Center information (with a photo of the Crockett’s and Michael Hentz) on Happy Camp News Art & Entertainment page!

New stories on Happy Camp News include more photos also!

Check out the calendar and let us know new events to put on the Happy Camp Calendar, please.

Community page has new pictures of the 15th Annual KARUK REUNION last Saturday! New business in town, and one that moved to Highway 96 to a new place also got their pictures in the paper.

On the Opinion Page is a Perspective by Pete on the Art & Treasure Weekend!

Art & Entertainment has more photos of Rockin the Klamath in July.

Children’s page has photos of those youngsters who took their flight into adult world at Graduation from HAPPY CAMP HIGH SCHOOL June 11th. Also, did you see the winners of the Fishing Derby there?

Church News has anniversary news from the Happy Camp Bible Church.

There will soon be the addition of the Bigfoot Jamboree page so keep an eye open for it!!

Thank you, dear readers, for your interest in Happy Camp and all the activity and all our neighbors along the beautiful, wild Klamath River!!
I thank you sincerely!
Judy Bushy, editor

Cheerful servers offered good things to eat while rockin the Klamath

May 4, 2008

It’s that time again! The 11th annual Chili Cook off will be held Saturday, June 14th at the beautiful Happy Camp River Park under the Pavilion. As in the past, we will be preparing chili at the park, so tables will be set up at 9:30 A. M.  You can begin to cook anyting after that. Judging will start about 12:30 or as soon as all the contestants are ready.

There will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd place cash prizes.

There will also be the 4th annual Salsa Contest, separately from the Chili Contest.

Contestants will be voting for the best chili and Salsa. All entries must be received by June 9th so we are able to make arrangements for prizes. Rules are available at the Happy Camp Branch of the Scott Valley Bank,  Highway 96 in Happy Camp.

October 23, 2007

Patrons of National Public Radio’s show, “California Gold!” saw a familiar face on the streets of Happy Camp. Huell Howser was visiting our area, Scott Valley, Yreka and Happy Camp especially, and then continued down the Bigfoot Scenic Byway to Willow Creek and out to the coast.

Television viewers in Los Angeles have already seen the television program in their homes. For those in our area, it won’t be broadcast until sometime in January. Thanks to James Buchner of Klamath River Resort Inn for inviting and providing the river side hospitality to the celebrity and his cameraman.

Huell also visited with Montine Blevins from the New 49er’s Prospecting Club, Wayne Scott of Bigfoot Towing across the street from the statue, and Rita Manley-King.  Just goes to show! Never know who you will see in the friendly little town of Happy Camp, at the top of California!!

October 9, 2007

Each summer, visitors from far and wide come to the Klamath River. Since 1852 many of those travelers are looking for gold. They also have a wonderful outdoor recreation time with family and friends. The Dredgers are facing new regulations that would lead to sharp curtailment of the prospecting activity on the River. They’d appreciate your help right now in sending a letter, fax or email to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, asking him to please veto this bill.

Dave McCracken has sent word to all those interested in prospecting for gold and similar recreation on the river that Assembly Bill 1032 has passed through the California legislature and is now on its way to Governor Schwarzenegger for his signature. AB 1032 is a bill that is intended to modify Section 5353 of the California Fish & Game Code to allow the Department of Fish & Game to arbitrarily close and/or curtail suction dredge activity along numerous waterways in California, which would no doubt include the Klamath River that we love.

For liberty for the dredgers to pursue their recreation on the Klamath, the concen is that they must encourage the Governor to kill this bill right now, or suffer the consequences later. Further information and help with this can be found at the following link: http://www.goldgold.com/legal/1032actionalert_governor.htm

Liberty to keep the Klamath open to recreational prospecting is dependent on the outcome of this bill.

April 1, 2001

By Debbie Wilkinson

This speech was given at the opening ceremony for the Bigfoot Scenic Byway on April 1, 2001

Hello. For those who do not know me, I am Debbie Wilkinson, President of the Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce. We wish to welcome you to today’s celebration. After a couple of short speeches we will have a ceremonial ribbon cutting to dedicate and officially open the Happy Camp end of the Bigfoot Scenic Byway. The ribbon cutting will be followed by a parade, food, fun and games. We will have balloon shaving, an egg toss and an egg carry race, as well as music by Happy Camp’s own Genuine Draft band. So stay around for the fun.

Today will mark the beginning of a summer of celebration, for this July will mark 150 years since the first group of miners stopped at the mouth of Indian Creek, approximately ½ mile from here, and found more than enough gold to stay on. In the years following, our little town has fluctuated in both prosperity and population. We have seen boom and bust, flood and firestorms, and we have survived it all.

Though Happy Camp has survived a great many trials and world changes in its first century and a half, the face of our home has changed little where it matters most: the heart and soul of our town, the people who have chosen to make it their home. Lets give ourselves a hand — we deserve it for despite those who would say otherwise, we have survived and we will continue to survive… I fully expect that in another 150 years yet another generation will gather here in Happy Camp to celebrate Happy Camp’s 300th anniversary. There will be new faces and new names, but we will still be here, in our little valley, with new stories that tell the world –We have survived.

As I said, today will kick off a summer of celebration. The festivities will continue in July with our first Annual River Run Bike Rally, which will be held at the River Park on the 6th, 7th and 8th. The summer will end with Happy Camp’s Annual Bigfoot Jamboree on Labor Day weekend. Any body or group who wishes to participate in either event should contact the Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce or the Happy Camp Coordinating Council. As always, new faces and new ideas are always welcomed.

Today is about history, and Bigfoot has been with us from the first. Along with mining tales and the other stories that have added color to our history, this legendary creature has helped to shape our image. Here with a short history of Bigfoot is a man that everybody knows, Karuk Tribal Council Vice-Chairman and Chamber of Commerce Past President, Harvey Shinar. Harvey…

[At this point, Harvey Shinar gave his speech about Bigfoot legends and the inspiration for the Bigfoot Scenic Byway. --ed.]

Thank You Harvey.

Today is also about the blending of modern travel with that history. Today’s family often chooses to forgo the joys of the destination resorts such as Disney Land, in favor of trips into the wilds of America. This interest prompted different levels of government to institute several scenic byway programs. The State of Jefferson Scenic Byway and The newly designated Bigfoot Scenic Byway are both part of the US forest Service’s programs. Here to tell us some more is the Klamath National Forest Supervisor, Peg Boland… Peg…

[Peg Boland spoke about the development and completion of the Bigfoot Scenic Byway. --ed.]

Thank You Peg…

Today’s Celebration is not just happening here in Happy Camp. In a couple of minutes, at 1:00 sharp, in Orleans, in Hoopa and here in Happy Camp this Red Ribbon will be cut. This ribbon cutting will not only celebrate our newest scenic byway, but will also celebrate a new beginning for our river communities: The beginning of a new, river long, collaboration of communities and governments. Separate, our voices are small, together we can move mountains. Together we can be a power to recon with.

Now for the event of the day: Perhaps Mike can give us a drum roll as we prepare to cut the ribbon.

[At this point, we turned our attention to the red ribbon held across Highway 96 in front of the bank's parking lot. --ed.]

Related Articles
Opening of the Bigfoot Scenic Byway

Bigfoot is said to be
a local resident

By Linda Martin

April 1, 2001 – Hailed as “a new beginning for river communities”, the Bigfoot Scenic Byway is now open, forging a special bond for river towns from Happy Camp to Willow Creek. Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce’s celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony was a great success, with some of the most colorful and exciting citizens of the town participating, including Bigfoot himself.

The celebration kicks off a summer of community activity commemorating the 150th year since the time when John Titus and James Camp came to the banks of Indian Creek and named the town.

Debbie Wilkinson served as master of ceremonies for the day, giving a wonderful speech on behalf of the Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce. This ribbon-cutting celebration was being simultaneously held in four communities: Willow Creek, Hoopa, Orleans, and of course in our home town of Happy Camp.

Harvey Shinar, Vice-President of the Karuk Tribal Council spoke on the history of Bigfoot sightings in our area. In 1852, he said, Bigfoot was sighted by a Chinese miner in the area of Thompson Creek. More recently, hair samples found nearby in Oregon were proven to be of unknown origin, possibly true evidence of Bigfoot’s presence in our forests.

According to Shinar, the idea for the Bigfoot Scenic Byway came from the Hoopa Valley Tribe. They shared their inspiration with the US Forest Service and now the plan has come to fruition.

The speeches included a few words from Peg Boland of Yreka, Klamath Forest Supervisor in charge of completing the project. Afterwards, the ribbon cutting ceremony took place in the center of Highway 96 in front of the bank’s parking lot, and a short parade was led by Bigfoot.

It is time to look for the new highway signs with Bigfoot’s picture. Hopefully these will be somewhat easier to find than Bigfoot himself.

Tourists: to find the Bigfoot Scenic Byway, direct your cars to Highway 96, from Willow Creek to Happy Camp. When you get here, you can take the Jefferson Scenic Byway north to Oregon, or east to Yreka.

Providing entertainment, the Genuine Draft Band kept the crowd hopping most of the afternoon, their rock sound filling the entire town with music and excitement. (If only Titus and Camp could see us now!)

The children were entertained with contests: balloon shaving, an egg toss and a spoon race (running while holding an egg in a spoon). Winners for each contest were honored by presentations of appropriate plaques: the golden razor, the golden egg, and the golden spoon.

More information on the summer celebrations will be forthcoming. If you can’t wait to hear more, try contacting the Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce.
Related Articles
Happy Camp will be 150 years old in July

Related Websites
Bigfoot Sightings
Great American Bigfoot Research Organization