JunctionCity

Junction City, California

Junction City historically was not only a small village, but also a community covering the region along the Trinity River from Dutch Creek to Lime Point. Even to this day Junction City covers many miles of territory. There are only a few remaining original buildings and the cemetery is about two or three miles away from Main Street.
    In the early 1850's the settlement at the mouth of Canyon Creek had a gold rush and then for a period of time apparently declined. In 1852 there were two or three cabins, the Henry Seelye and Dowle sawmill, a trading post, one blacksmith shop, one butcher shop and a hotel. The town originally was nicknamed Milltown due to having a mill, but in 1861 the town offically was named Junction City.
    It was during the 1860's that Junction City's most famous hotel, the Carter House, was erected by John W. Carter. It was located on a site in the upper part of the town just beyond the building now known as the Enos House.
    In 1867 it was observed that there were more good-paying mining claims in the vicinity of Junction City than in any other place in the country.

In 1876 a young man named Edgar L. Reed came from New Hampshire to Junction City, and for the next 30 years until his death was a leading figure of the town. He first started ranching with John Whitmore, but in 1878 this business dissolved. Next they purchased the mercantile business of Kuper and Karsky Company in Junction City. Next to the store stood the Edgar Reed house. It was the most comfotable and fashionable house ever erected in the town. The old store still stands today and is known as the old Junction City Hotel building. The Reed house no longer exists.

Edgar L. Reed for a time operated the mercantile business in Junction City under his own name. With S. L. Blake he founded the firm of Blake and Reed Company, which was incorporated on May 7, 1895.

In the 1920's C. W. Mead changed the mercantile store into a hotel and operated it until the 1940's. The addition of highway 299 passing by Junction City to Eureka brought the hotel to a close.

It was during the 1860's that Junction City's most famous hotel, the Carter House, was erected by John W. Carter. It was located on a site in the upper part of the town just beyond the building now known as the Enos House. Among the owners were Gottlieb Baumgartner and Gustav Thede; Richard M. Stone; C. W. Day and G. W. Todd; John C. Wallace; and Josephus Bradbury. The hotel burned downed in September of 1897 when the upper third of the town caught fire.

The Enos House was built in 1897 and was originally the Cummings Store. C. W. Day owned the building after he had sold the Carter House Hotel. Day died in 1899 and Robert F. Cummings was the co-executor of his estate. The Junction City property was sold at auction to C. W. Smith in 1900 and was bought by Cummings in 1901. Cummings operated a cash only business until 1938 when he moved to Illinois and eventually died. In 1945 Marvin and Esther Enos aquired the property, and even though they sold it in 1972 the name still remains The Enos House.

James E. Given was the local butcher in Junction City. He and his wife now are laid to rest in the nearby Helena cemetery.

The Junction City Cemetery is located about two or three miles away from the main street of town. This cemetery is the resting place of many old Junction City residents, among them James A. Carter, C. W. Day, Cushman Given and his family, and members of the Chapman, Dawson and Wolf families.

On Sunday, May 8th, 2005, the Junction City Hotel burned down to the ground. It was the last remaining building in Junction City from the gold rush era.

In 2002 the Enos House was torn down.

Mrs. Raab was married to Loius Raab. He was one of the owners of the general store. This building eventually became the Junction City Hotel building.

C.W.Day - Born Dec 27, 1836 Died Sep. 13, 1899
He came to Trinity County in 1852 and mined on Canyon Creek for nine years. Later he engaged in an express business between Junction City and Canyon City. In 1876 he became a partner with G.W. Todd as owners of the Carter House. In 1897 he erected a building for his general merchandise store. This building eventually was called the Enos House.

George Chapman came from a prominant mining family in the Junction City area.

Mr. Bradbury built a hotel in Junction City known as the Bradbury Hotel. This building was located near the Eno House. In 1908 this hotel burned down alomg with many other town buildings.

Nicolas Wolf lived in Canyon City then later relocated to Oregon Gulch near Oregon Mountain. He had a ranch in this area and raised his children there. He was of German descent. Some of his children are buried in the Canyon City Cemetery, but no headstones mark their buriel sites due to vandals.
The marker reads: Nicholas 1827 - 1903 Christina 1845 - 1930 George 1872 - 1936 William 1880 - 1923.

William Cushman Given had a mining partnership with brother-in-law, George P. Chapman. During the 1870's the hillside at the South end of Junction City was mined. Their mining tailings are now land found under the present day elementary school, North Fork Grange, and U.S. Forst Service buildings.

Carrie Given Flowers Born April 30, 1875 Died Jan. 2, 1897

George C. Given 1873 - 1925 Mina A. Given - 1937