All Things Silverthorne Part I

The name Silverthorn is synonymous with boating and summer getaways (as in the Silverthorn Resort) on Shasta Lake (California). But the name is also a nugget of our county’s history.

The name was originally spelled Silverthorne, as in Dr (J.E.) George. Dr. Silverthorne came to northern California in 1852. Early on, he married a full-blooded Indian who took the name Lucy. She lived to be 105 years old.

A real entrepreneur, one of his very lucrative businesses was mining in Shasta County. Dr. Silverthorne was a major stockholder in a large gold, silver and copper mine, along with Major Pearson B. Reading (one of the two namesakes for the town of Redding, California). He also had a successful vineyard and winery on Silverthorne Mountain (who knew we had wineries then?). But his best-known venture was the Silverthorne Ferry.

The first (and the last) of its kind in the area, the ferry was run by four generations of Silverthornes. With mining so prolific on the Pit River, Dr. Silverthorne quickly saw a need he could fill. His ferry – a large, flat, rectangular barge – ran on a wire cable, carrying men and wagons to the nearby mining town of Copper City. It also ferried sheep and cattle herds across the river, though only in small groups. Fees for these runs, set by the Board of Supervisors, ran as high as four to six dollars, a large sum in those days!

The river was dangerous, especially in winter. Accidents happened regularly, tipping terrified people and horses into the swollen raging river. Silverthorne and his daughter would then have to make daring rescues in the treacherous waters. Still, his ferry was the mainstay for travelers and miners all year round.