The Whiskeytown National Recreation Area near Redding turns 50 in November. A few thousand well-wishers were there Saturday night for a birthday celebration.
The evening began with a traditional native blessing followed by a rare outdoor performance of the Shasta Symphony.
Superintendent Jim Milestone says that Whiskeytown, which was dedicated by President Kennedy in 1963, two years before the park opened officially, has a sordid history. It actually got its name from a miner who was carrying several barrels of whiskey across a creek.
“The barrels fell off and cracked open, and all the miners dove into the creek to try to drink the whiskey,” he said. “And they called that Whiskey Creek and that town because of the gold there sprung up and it was active for a couple of years, and finally about a couple hundred residents just hung out there until it was flooded in 1963.”
Today the park is dedicated to the preservation of the lake and its surrounding 39,000 acres.
Historian Dr. William Tweed unveiled a plaque dedicated to Stephen Mather, the first director of the National Park Service.
“At the time of his death, clear back in 1930, plaques were established in the National Parks so that he would be remembered,” Tweed said. “Now we have arrived at the 50th anniversary of this national park unit, Whiskeytown, here in Shasta County, the folks here the staff here decided it would be appropriate to add a plaque to this park.”
The event also featured a lighted boat parade, floating luminaries, and the burial of a time capsule, which will be opened at the 100th anniversary of the park.