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| Bluff Creek Company Store, in 2009. Photo by Steven Streufert |
(10-22-15, UPDATES BELOW)
The BLUFF CREEK PROJECT page on Facebook just received notice from a friend that the historic spot at the bottom of the Bluff Creek watershed, once known as the Bluff Creek Company and lately known as the Bluff Creek Resort, has been purchased by the Yurok Tribe next door in Weitchpec, and is going to be redone for modern times. Unfortunately, the old store where Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin stopped for supplies, along with all the early Bigfooters, will be demolished. In the last few years the building has lost all of its historic signage and has begun to collapse in on itself.
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| The Resort store as it appeared after gas pumps were added in 1976. Photo from Phil Smith, Sr. via Roger Knights. |
Rollie Nelson, Jun 20th, 10:45pm
"Update bluff creek resort has been sold to the Yurok Tribe.
Expect improvements in services soon.
The resort greatly will be improved over the next few years to meet a greater number of needs for the locals and the guests of the resort.
This will include but is not limited to:
improved river access via boat ramp.
Interpretative trails. Guided river tours. Rafting. Possible Ziplines. Fishing and bait supplies. Small engine repair basic service auto shop with tire changer. Fuel.
The store: The original structure of the historic bluff creek store is sadly a total loss due to years of neglect. Yurok tribe plans to demolish the old store and build a new store in its place. Heart breaking I know but too many years of neglect has made to structure totally unsalvagable.
The resort just changed hands on the eighteenth so please be patient with us and we will get bluff creek back on the map."
Our reply:
Bluff Creek Project, Sent by Steven Streufert, Jun 21st, 4:21pm
Rollie, thanks for the updates! We're pleased to hear that Mr. Smith has finally found a buyer, and a great local one at that. It's sad to hear about the final fate of the old historical store, though. If you have any more or any links you could share that would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks! Steve, Bigfoot Books, Willow Creek.
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More photos from 2009. Keep in mind that the store structure has since fallen into total decreptitude. All photos following by Steven Streufert, save as noted. |
| Myself with the poor old store, 2009, photo snapped by Craig Woolheater with my camera. |
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| Another angle of view. |
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| The old gas pump platform with the now tall cedar tree Phil Smith's wife planted back in 1976. |
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| The Resort office, building still in nice shape. |
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| Ruins of the part of the old Greasy Spoon Restaurant, behind the store building. |
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| Members of the Believe-It Tour, Michael Esordi and Craig Woolheater, speak with the owner. |
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| Here is the Company Store in 2010, missing its signs, and starting to collapse in the middle. I'll try to get you a current photo of it, as its condition is much worse today in 2015. |
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| Here is the location, "X" marking the spot of the BCCS. Just north is the Bluff Creek Road. Right at where the bridge crosses Bluff at top one may see the now closed old, wiggly Bluff Creek Road segment that the old-timers used. |
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View Roger Knights' Photobucket collection of old photos, along with notes from Phil Smith Sr., the owner of the Bluff Creek Resort at its end, here:
http://s7.photobucket.com/user/RogerKni/library/BF%20BCCS%20Photos?sort=6&page=1
http://s7.photobucket.com/user/RogerKni/library/BF%20BCCS%20Photos?sort=6&page=1
See my previous blog posts about the BLUFF CREEK COMPANY here:
http://bigfootbooksblog.blogspot.com/search?q=bluff+creek+company
UPDATES, 10-22-15!!
"Rollie Nelson 6:32pm Jun 21
I'm pushing to have the new store at least appear simular to the old store.
I've got a little support in this due to the simple fact that we want the business to succeed.
P.S. I think you might actually know the new manager at bluff creek. He is Ross Nelson formerly of the "Ray's" butcher shop in Hoopa.
Rollie Nelson 6:48pm Jun 21
The facilities at the resort are quite a bit dilapidated. That being said the tribe will need time in the resort will have to be rebuilt almost in it's entirety we are planning on doing this in stages so that the long term residents that are staying will not gave there lives totally disrupted.
There are security issues that need to be addressed.
The f---ing electric system is a f---ing nightmare.
The gas system needs inspection.
There are two individuals that have lived there eight years and they are fighting eviction. They have tons of tweaker junk piles in the old store the old shop and the small house between the shop and the store. They are slinging meth right in front of the resort. These things are just a few of the issues working against us at Another update...
Rollie Nelson June 21 at 10:05pm
Ross Nelson my brother is the new manager he does not have internet yet but that should change as soon as physically possible. The tribal website has not been updated and I don't know when that will happen. While there are a few issues to be resolved the resort is currently open. We have great hope for the new Bluff Creek resort. And we hope you all enjoy the improvements to come.". Rollie Nelson 6:50pm Jun 21
Internet will be up at Bluff Creek soon and then my sister in law will be all about the facebook updates
Rollie Nelson, June 21 at 10:05pm
Ross Nelson my brother is the new manager he does not have internet yet but that should change as soon as physically possible. The tribal website has not been updated and I don't know when that will happen. While there are a few issues to be resolved the resort is currently open. We have great hope for the new bluff creek resort. And we hope you all enjoy the improvements to come."
Tweakers at Bluff Creek?? Uh oh!
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Happy Summer Solstice to All!****************************************************
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