Hudson Bay Co. trappers worked the Trinity Valley as early as 1826. A tenuous peace existed between the trappers and the Wintu Indians. Miners invaded the valley in 1850. In 1851, Moses Chadbourne built a trading post, by the same name, on his ranch close to the Trinity River. By 1853, the settlement was moved back from the river due to flooding and quickly became the supply center on the Calif.-Ore. Trail. Stage roads were completed from Shasta to Yreka by 1860. Mining and logging were the main industries for more than a century. The 1,000 acre Bloss-McClary hydraulic mine, and the shaft mines, Bonanza King, Headligh and Five Pines were but a few. Bucket line dredges began as early as 1912, with the Alta Bert dredge. The huge Estabrook dredge worked the Trinity Center area. All the dredges were electric, supplied by the Calif.-Ore. Power Co., also bringing electricity to the town by 1916. With the advent of Trinity Dam and Lake, Ed Scott developed and sold at cost, 73 lots in the new town. By the end of 1959, most of the homes and buildings in old Trinity Center had been moved to the new location. In 1959, the largest employer, R & G Lumber Co. closed both sawmills. The end of an era came to Trinity Valley. The great ranches including the Trinity Farm and Cattle Co. and so many of the historic sites on the river were covered by the waters of Trinity Lake.
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