The Fall River Valley was first occupied by the Native Americans of the Achomawi (Pit River) Tribe. Sam and Jim Lockhart were twin brothers who started a ferry across the Fall River in the 1850’s as a link in the first wagon road from Yreka to Red Bluff. The Lockhart Ferry crossed below the confluence of the Fall and Pit Rivers. Fort Crook was established on July 1, 1857, to protect travelers on the Shasta – Yreka Road and the Lockhart Ferries. By June 2, 1859 Fort Crook had grown to approximately 28 structures comprising officers and soldier’s quarters, hospital, quartermaster’s store, commissary store, general store, bakery, laundries, granaries, stables, storehouses, guardhouse, blacksmith shop, and carpenter shop. For recreation Fort Crook featured a bowling alley and a library.
Fort Crook was officially abandoned in June 1869, soon after the end of the Civil War. The Fort Crook Historical society was founded in 1934 and is dedicated to collecting, preserving and presenting the history of the Intermountain area. www.fortcrook.com.
Capt. William Henry Winters came through the area on a cattle drive and saw the potential power of The Fall River that got its name from a series of rapids and falls just above where it met with the Pit River. In 1872 Winters bought 650 acres at the confluence of the Pit and Fall Rivers and proceeded to build a sawmill, flour mill, planning mill, bought and improved a toll road, then built a bridge across the Fall River. In 1920 the town was renamed Fall River Mills.
The area was supported by timber, agriculture and the emerging hydroelectric energy production. The Pit River project consisted of a number of dams and associated powerhouses. A large pipeline was constructed to move the water several additional miles downstream to the powerhouse.
Today in the Fall River Valley agriculture still plays an important part of the economy and lifestyle of the area.