Siskiyou Pioneer 2021 is Out!!

by Judy E. Bushy

2021 Siskiyou Pioneer

What a joy to receive the brand new, hot off the press publication! Siskiyou County and its MONUMENTS is the name of the latest publication of the Siskiyou County Historical Society.

The unique cover announces that this covers memorials, pillars, plaques, columns, obelisks, cairns, signs and monoliths, and besides that two buildings in Happy Camp are celebrated!

Delighted Despite Delay
You may be wondering why the 2021 book is just coming out, but it should be no surprise to anyone that the Covid and other unforeseen problems impacted the publication, No worried, it was worth waiting for! (Incidentally if you haven’t renewed your membership for 2022 to get the new book for this year, be sure and do so as soon as you can!!

Log High School
The information on the Happy Camp Area starts with the Log High School on E Street and 4th Avenue in Happy Camp. As most old timers in Happy Camp know, the Log High School was “built in 1933 with donated labor and material by the people of Happy Camp on land given by L.H..Newton. Supervised by the High School Building Committee: W.B. Mason, G,R. Humphreys and P.M Toleman.

Karuk People’s Museum
Another site is the Karuk 54256 Second Avenue in Happy Camp. People’s Center Museum (and Gift Shop) in Happy Camp.

Brick Building

1860 Brick Building

Another Building is the J. Camp, Titus and Heil Camp Mercantile and Drug Store. The most notable thing about this building, which is one of the first buildings built in Happy Camp was that it is made of local bricks. That’s why it is usually called “the Brick Building,” by locals. In recent years it has been used by the Evans Mercantile next door. which is closed at present.

Some persons persist in the rumor that John Titus reported that James Camp had the nickname, “Happy” and when he came to Happy Camp he named it after himself. However, anyone careful about history accuracy would know that prospectors coming to “Murderer’s Bar” area in 1951 camped on the Klamath River beside Indian Creek and changed the name to “Happy Camp.”

Until at least 1854, James Camp and his brother were still back in Virginia where the family had moved from New Brunswick. It was in 1857 that Richard Humphries and Lewis Barnes sold their ferry and buildings at Ferry Point to James Camp and John Titus.

J. Camp & Company Came to Happy Camp
Later, the Waldo or Gasquet Trail became more prominent than the Kelsey Trail at Ferry Point they moved to Happy Camp. Henry Doolittle, first postmaster of Happy Camp sold the hotel on Main Street and Bridge Street to Martin Cuddihy. Cuddihy sold a lot across from the hotel to James Camp and Co where they built the Brick Building in 1860.

There are very many interesting Monuments of different sorts in this new Siskiyou Pioneer. There are others that have disappeared, and some yet to be put up. There are many to explore, and you may discover others. Let us know!!

Little Campers & Rockets March for Kindness

by Judy E. Bushy
The Little Camper’s Child Care Center has a happy bunch of kids playing, learning and growing all the time. Recently they had a special Kindness March together with the Rockets Afterschool program for the Happy Camp Elementary School students.

The little tykes have had Snow Fun for January learning (and experiencing} winter, Arctic animals and hibernation. They exercise their artistic skills, practice learning to spell their name, and counting!

Fun didn’t end with February beginning! They recently learned a lot about kindness which led to the Kindness March. So, given the nice warm (for winter) sunny day, what could be better than, together with Rockets program’ March for Kindness!!
After the March, they gathered for a special snack. The Karuk Tribe provided popcorn for a snack for the children, parents, staff and all the community members that helped make it all possible.

Little Campers Child Care Director, Abigail Eadie Towers said they appreciated the Happy Camp Fire and Volunteer Ambulance staff who provided the safety escort on the March up to Bigfoot Corner on Highway 96. Towers also expressed that “We are so thankful for our community and the support for our amazing students!! Thank you!!”

After the last licensed Child Care Center in Happy Camp closed in June of 1991, it filled a great need when the Little Camper’s Child Care Centered opened in the Happy Camp Community Center at 38 Park Way in Happy Camp. Parents were much in need of a quality care facility for their children while they worked!

Be Kind To All

Little Camper’s Kindness March


Next week will be what we used to celebrate as President’s day on February 21st but Happy Camp High School will be enjoying a President’s week. February 6th is President Ronald Reagan’s birthday, February 9th is President William Harrison’s birthday, February 12th is President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, and George Washington, our first President was born on February 22nd. Lots of birthdays, but more presidents were born in October.

Happy Camp Chamber Annual Meeting

by Judy E Bushy
First Tuesday, March 1st is the TRADITIONAL date for annual meeting of the Happy Camp Chamber of commerce. Last year we couldn’t meet due to Covid. This year must be postponed a bit. This is also time for the election of members to the Chamber Board. Active volunteers to fill the positions of president and treasurer are needed. Members should get nominations in as soon as possible.

In early 1991, our representatives had a conference with Representative Brian Dahl. Another Chamber participating said they had promised their members that no one would be taken off the membership list during the pandemic for not paying fees! Our Chamber voted to extend this grace to our members as well.

Recently the events, Rollin’ on the River, Music Festivals and others haven’t been able to be held.

The Happy Camp Directory needs to be reprinted as updated! That’s another reason to get your investment in quickly! We want it up to date and we want to be sure your Happy Camp business will be well represented! Also, information on Happy Camp, recreations, food and lodging opportunities is sent to tourists who inquire and we need to keep these up to date and add new literature.

There are historic plaques that need placing. The Native Sons of the Golden West found that Happy Camp is the oldest continuous American Settlement in Siskiyou County and gave us a plaque. We are awaiting permission to install a plaque at “Dear Mad’ms” cabin site too!

Many have requested celebrating Stella Walthall Patterson’s book, “Dear Mad’m” again. Even though Naturegaph Publishers was burned and the inventory of books destroyed, Naturegraph has been able to resume publishing of the book “Dear Mad’m” by Stella Patterson and we are very grateful.

Editing Happy Camp Story for publishing is also going on.Compiling the writings of many Happy Campers has been a joy, and we only wish we could include more. This project began when residents lost so many pictures and keepsakes of Happy Camp. We wanted to give them a memento with memories.

Your suggestions are always welcome as well. A new event or ribbon cutting for new business would be wonderful. Many hands make light work and all willing hands are welcome.

Eunice Pauline (Jensen) McCann

Former Happy Camp Resident, Eunice (Jensen) McCann


Happy Camp OBITUARY Eunice Pauline (Jensen) McCann
Eunice Pauline McCann, 90, passed away on August 15, 2021, in Klamath Falls, Ore. She was able to enjoy a special 90th birthday party earlier in the summer.

Eunice was born on June 13, 1931 in Hungry Horse, Montana, the second child of Jay and Edna May (McFarland) King. She grew up in the Monroe and Corvallis, Oregon area where she met Warren Ted Jensen. They were married in Corvallis on Aug. 26, 1949.

They raised their two sons, David and Donald, in Happy Camp, Calif. where they ran a logging company. As the boys neared high school age, they moved to Medford, Ore., returning to Happy Camp weekends, holidays and for the summers. Ted passed away in 1973

Eunice later married Jay McCann. Together they ran a boat shop and enjoyed boating and snowmobiling. Later, Eunice oversaw the Medford branch of Jefferson State Pumping and helped care for her many great nieces and nephews. Eunice lived for a short time in Napa, Calif. with her granddaughter, Shawna, then returned to her beloved Rogue Valley before entering in hospice in Klamath Falls.

Eunice had a gift for bringing people together. For decades she hosted large Thanksgiving gatherings at her home in Medford. She was independent and strong-willed; she never held back on her love, laughter, and enjoyment of life. She especially enjoyed her family time and her church, as well as cooking, gardening, and playing cards.
Eunice was preceded in death by her parents, husbands Ted Jensen and Jay McCann, brother, Don King, son, Don Jensen, granddaughter, Kathy Jensen and daughter-in-law, Patty Jensen. She leaves behind her sister Joyce Oshel, son Dave Jensen, daughter-in-law, Rose Jensen, many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the many people who loved and cared for Eunice over the years. In order to allow for the safety and health of all, a memorial service for Eunice may be scheduled for a later time.

Condolences may be expressed online at www.cascadecremations.com.

Our Personal Reason for Thanks Giving!

by Judy E. Bushy
November is such a happy time for Thanksgiving. We have so many blessings that one day won’t hold it all, the whole month overflows with Thanks! Thanks for our neighbors and friends who come over and pick us up when we fall. Those secret angels who surprise us so many times.

Thursday November 4th, our family was especially grateful for a little bundle of JOY! Actually a little 7 pound 3 ounce bundle of JOY! A little boy, Gustav Erwin Bushy, was born on that morning. His Mom and Dad, Geneva and Stephen Bushy, have been blessed with this little boy.

I’m so happy that he joins Ethan, Gavin and Makenzi as Dan and my grandchildren.

Our new little blessing went home the day after delivery, but had to go back to the hospital the following Sunday. We are so very grateful that they were near the hospital, that he got expert care, and that so many of our friends and neighbors, in Happy Camp and elsewhere have been praying that he will be in good healthy soon.

Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers!!

Happy Camp Loves Our Veterans!


byJudy E. Bushy
Veterans Day
The next big day coming up is the Veterans Day a week from Thursday. The committee to put on a Veteran’s Appreciation Dinner on that evening is in full swing and going well. If you know a Veteran from our home area along the Klamath River, please let us know so they can receive our appreciation and an invitation to the dinner. Dinner will be served at the Happy Camp Elementary School.

Do you have photos of Happy Camp or area veterans who are serving, or have served? Happy Camp loves our Veterans is the Facebook page where you’ll find out more about the Veterans Appreciation efforts. Please give a call to Lisa Bousfield if you have names of veterans of our area that we can invite. Don’t want to miss any! Veterans, please R.S.V.P.Call Robin 530-598-2035 with names and number. We’d appreciate your help!

The committee is so very grateful to the Karuk Tribe, Bob and Trista Parry of Kingfisher Market, NAPA Auto Supply of Happy Camp, Marble Mountain Hardware, Scott River Builders, Connor Card Lock, Rick Jones of Seiad Valley Store, Pepsi Cola of Mt Shasta for drinks and Partner’s Deli. Thanks to all the Happy Camp businesses that will be putting up American flags for Veterans Day as well.

Thanks to the individuals who have donated their time and resources, worked on the committee and “Ms Muffin’s” Cupcakes…My how I’ve missed them recently as there’s no more Farmer’s Market this year. Glad that Leona McLaughlin has a kitchen as her new home was one of the first in the Indian Meadow’s to be replaced following the disaster of the Slater Fire last year.
We have much to be grateful for since the 2020 event, sad though that was!!It’s wonderful to see the community working together, helping each other out and coming back stronger than ever!

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