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1876
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Sierra Flume and Lumber Co. formed. This company used 1563 miles of flume to transport lumber to the valley.
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1878
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Sierra Flume reorganized under the name of Sierra Lumber Company.
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1881
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The Barber Match Co. of Ohio had joined with 11 other match companies to form a conglomerate, Diamond Match Company.
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1901
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John Heard Comstock, an employee of Diamond Match, arrived in Chico in June to appraise timberland for the company. Diamond Match purchases approximately 70,000 acres of timberland from Sierra Lumber Company and other sources.
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1902
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Fred M. Clough, Diamond’s first Pacific Coast manager, selected a site for a sawmill twelve miles above Paradise (present Stirling City). Clough named the town “Stirling City” for The Stirling City Company, and Ohio based boiler manufacturing firm controlled by O.C. Barber. This company furnished the boilers for the sawmill powerhouse. In October, Diamond purchased 241 acres south of Chico for development of manufacturing plant. The Chico facility was named Barber in honor of O.C. Barber.
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1903
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Construction begins on the railroad line connecting Barber to Magalia. Butte County Railroad Company formed. On April 20, construction of the sawmill and town building at Stirling City begins.
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1904
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Railroad line reaches Stirling City. Stirling City Sawmill begins operations.
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1906
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Match factory completed and in operation at Barber facility.
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1907
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Diamond Match Co. purchases the remaining 93,000 acres and Red Bluff mill from Sierra Lumber Co.
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1908
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Veneer plant completed and in operation at Barber plant. Diamond becomes the first manufacturer of Plywood in California.
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1909
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Edward R. Stettinius succeed O.C. Barber as president of Diamond Match Co.
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1910
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In ten years, Chico’s population increases by 7000 to 11,775 due to expansion by Diamond Match Company.
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1915
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Butte County Railroad operation turned over to Southern Pacific Railroad. William Fairburns succeed Stettinius as president of Diamond Match Co.
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1922
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Frank A. “Comp” Comption becomes logging and sawmill superintendent at Stirling City sawmill.
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1929
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Richard A. “Dick” Colgan becomes logging and sawmill superintendent at Stirling City sawmill.
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1931
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Fire ravages three square blocks in Stirling City.
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1932
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Diamond starts trucking lumber directly from Stirling City to Chico.
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1942
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Production and output increases the World War 11 needs.
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1953
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Lyman Springs Mill completed and in operation.
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1957
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Red Bluff mill completed and in operation. Diamond Match Company merged with Gardner Board and Carlton Company Changing the corporate name to diamond Gardner Corporation.
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1958
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Stirling City Mill closes on January 31. Logging superintendent Dana Bailey retires.
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1959
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Stirling City Mill lost to fire during demolition. Diamond Gardner and Unites States Printing & Lithograph company merge to form the Diamond Nation Corporation.
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1964
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Small electric sawmill (stud mill) completed and in operation in Stirling City. Diamond was organized into a holding company and named Diamond International Corporation.
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1974
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Stud Mill closed in Stirling City.
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1975
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Chico Match factory closes
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1977
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Dana Bailey Plantation established in Stirling City. Diamond commits to intensive tree planting program in burned over areas.
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1980
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Sir James Goldsmith purchased Diamond International and names the company Diamond Lands Corporation.
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1985
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Domestic water flume system for Stirling city was decommissioned.
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1988
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Roseburg Resource Company (Roseburg, Oregon) purchased Diamond Lands Corporation.
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1992
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Sierra Pacific Industries (Anderson, CA) purchased Diamond Lands Corporation from Roseburg Resource Company.
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2003
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Stirling City turns 100 years old.
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Sources:
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Matches, Flumes and Rails – by : Kent Stephens, 1977
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Stirling & Lassen District Employees 1978-2003, Sierra Pacific Industries
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