I’ve never heard of Shasta Retreat, California, until I found a postcard with a picture of the railroad stop on it. A caption under the photos says: Train Arriving At Depot. Shasta Retreat, California. A steam locomotive is pulling up with passengers ready to board.
Shasta Retreat was a place that a person named Annie was visiting. I make this judgment based on a short letter written on the back of the card by her.
“Shasta Retreat 6/26/1911
Dear Will,
Re’cd Ma’s and Henry’s postels. Tell ma not to worry about the river for swimming, it’s out of the question. Send me ten dollars by Wells Fargo that is a money order. Address it to Shasta Retreat, Siskiyou Co. Cal. I can cash it at the post office here. Having fine time!
With love from
Annie”
The card was addressed to:
Mr. Will Nickel
912 Potrero Avenue
San Francisco
Calif
It took me a bit of sleuthing to find out who the Nickels were. They hailed from Germany, moving there from Oregon, and then to San Francisco, where the head of the household, Henry J. Nickel, was a cabinetmaker. Johanna was his wife, while William E. and Henry Jr. were Annie’s brothers.
One of the young men, William, worked as a machinist. Henry Jr. took up cabinetmaking like his father. In Annie’s mentioning Henry in the postcard, this person was undoubtedly her younger brother and not her father.
Ten dollars in 1911 is equivalent to $340.05 today, so Annie was asking for a substantial amount of cash. She worked as a dressmaker, so it seems reasonable that money was no problem.
I assume she was staying at some resort or getaway in Shasta. The river that Annie’s mom was so concerned about was most likely the Shasta River. It was a popular swimming spot at that time.
Henry Nickel Sr. passed away in 1922. Oddly enough, his gravestone says: Henry Nickels. Perhaps the stone maker made a mistake? His wife, Johanna, died on August 8, 1945, at the age of 90. She was living with her daughter and a son.
William E. Nickel died in 1969 at the age of 85. Anna “Annie” lived to be 87, dying in 1974. Henry Jr., the youngest, died in 1973. I could not find that Annie, Henry Jr., or William E. Nickel ever married.
This family, like most German people were back then, was hardworking, industrious, and very close to each other. The old English saying, “Blood is thicker than water!” seems to hold true for Henry Nickel Sr., Johanna, and their children.
I could not find that Shasta Retreat still exists. Perhaps it too faded off into eternity!
I like to write junk... 