Warner Valley
As early as the 1860s, sheep and cattle ranching operations along with dairy farming became prominent enterprises in the local economy. Ranchers used the grasslands in the high meadows on the north and east sides of Lassen Peak, near Battle Creek and the Warner Valley to graze livestock. In addition to mining and ranching, tourism was also a growing activity in the Lassen Peak region, leading to the development of some of the earliest communities in the area. By 1865, Tehama County residents were traveling to the area around Battle Creek Meadows to hunt, fish, and escape the summer heat of the Sacramento Valley. The Tehama County Wagon Road provided good access to the area, making these recreational excursions by valley residents possible.
Perhaps the most significant change to the operations at Drakesbad brought on by WWII was the Siffords’ entry into beef production beginning in 1942. A wartime shortage of meat and an increase in demand for beef presented an economic and operational opportunity for the Siffords, which Alexander Sifford quickly recognized. He advised his son Roy that “we have all that feed in our valley going to waste, we better get some cattle and raise what meat we can.” In 1942, the Siffords purchased 100 head of cattle from the Nye Ranch in Honey Lake Valley, south of Susanville. They branded the herd with their newly registered S-Bar brand and let the cattle graze on their Drakesbad property and surrounding lands. The Siffords maintained an active cattle operation for almost 10 years, between 1942 and 1951.
