Fred Meamber Starts Yreka History Preservation

Yreka, California’s historical preservation has its roots in the work of Frederick Joseph Meamber Jr. [ME-amber].
Born in Yreka in 1913, Meamber was the grandson of Siskiyou County pioneer and rancher Augustus Meamber, who ran a large pack string that delivered supplies to area miners.
Frederick married Rae Bernice Soulé [SUE-lay] in 1940, was drafted into the 84th Infantry Division, and fought in World War II’s Battle of the Bulge.  After the war, he and his brother partnered with their father in a soft drink bottling plant until it was sold in 1971.
Meamber served two terms as president of the Siskiyou County Historical Society, and was an editor of the annual publication, The Siskiyou Pioneer. His research provided information for signs now posted on Yreka’s old homes. Fred and Bernice coauthored a book on the homes in 1986 titled Houses That Talk.
They were charter members of the Symposium Group of Historical Societies of Northern California and Southern Oregon. Meamber helped organize the Yreka Historic Preservation Corporation and worked to get Yreka’s Miner Street listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Meamber’s research into old newspapers and other publications provided groundwork for keeping Yreka’s history alive.
Today’s episode of As It Was was written by Gail Fiorini [FEE-o-ree-nee] Jenner, the program producer is Raymond Scully.  I’m Shirley Patton.  As It Was is a co-production of JPR and the Southern Oregon Historical Society.  To share stories or to learn more about the series, visit asitwas – dot.org.
Source: Internet, “Frederick J. Meamber Jr.” California Historian.  Conference of California Historical Societies. Claremont, Calif.