This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE.

           Who was George T. Baldwin?

           Over the weekend the Baldwin Hotel was re-dedicated after a century of existence.  It was 28 years ago that the Board of Commissioners saved the structure for the community.

While the structure was the center of attention, it is important that we take a historic look at the man who built it….George Baldwin and family.

In the first place a member of the Baldwin family actually was in this area ten to eleven years before George Nurse ever set up his trading post on the banks of Link River.

George’s half brother, Wallace Baldwin, brought a herd of horses to this area back in 1853 and later a herd of cattle in 1856.  He tended them on the West Side of the Link River, and at one time spent almost nine months in the area with his stock.   He apparently had a friendly relationship with the local Indians.

Wallace took up a homestead in Talent in 1856 with his sister, Harriet.

His influence was responsible for the Baldwin family moving to the Ashland area in 1872,  There George attended the Academy, the forerunner of the Current college there.  He learn ed the tinsmith trade.

He married Josie Nail there before moving to Linkville in 1875.

A town of about a hundred people, Linkville was then in Lake County.

George hammered out tin utensils for people in the area, and when business was lagging, he contracted for a mail run that took him on horseback from Redding to Linkville and on to Fort Klamath. 

He was to reside in this area for the next forty five years.  The Baldwin family was to include three boys and one girl.

He added hardware to his tin shop and built it into a successful business.  In 1882 when Klamath County was officially named, he was named the Treasurer.

Over the years he teamed with Evan Reams in several business  opportunities including his hardware store.  He was a great promoter of education. In 1902 he supported the move to build a County High School.  The bill was approved by the people and was built at a cost of $25,900.  At the same election, George was elected County Judge.

Unfortunately he was defeated in the n ext election by his school opponents.

           Earlier in 1901 he proposed raising $100,000 to bring a railroad to Klamath Falls from Pokegama...but the effort failed  Along with Evan Reames and the two Moore brothers, and H.V. Gates they established the Klamath Light and Power Company which brought water and electricity to the community...it was a forerunner of Copco which became Pacific Power and Light.  

He was also one of the founders of one of the first banks of the area, the State and Savings Bank.  Earlier he had helped start what has become the First National Bank. 

Always a promoter in the area for better roads and schools, he was elected State Senator in 1916. 

The Baldwin story was also filled with tragedy.  Suffering from a kidney disease, George Baldwin died June 4, 1920.

His wife, Josie, became a total invalid and daughter  Maude had the responsibility of taking care of her.   She ran the Baldwin hotel for several years.   In the meantime, the Baldwin Hardware had undergone hardships an d went into bankruptcy proceedings.   Ed bell who had managed the business for several years purchased the store and moved it to its present location on Main Street, now known as Bell’s Hardware.

After his death daughter Maude, who had developed into quite a photographer,  left a note saying she thought she was going insane and walked into Lake Ewauna to her death.   Mrs. Baldwin moved to a California hospital where she died in 1929.

Half brother Wallace moved to Klamath Falls in 1881 and joined his father in a harness shop.  He also participated in the political area, serving a .  number of terms on the city council.  He was also a school director. 

He died in Klamath Falls December l, 1916.

The Baldwins…..a very important family in the early life of this community.

This is Floyd Wynne and that’s THE VIEW FROM HERE.