“Extruded at the foot of Shastina,” that’s how Black Butte came to be. This cluster of overlapping dacite lava domes holds stories within its rocky facade. Black Butte, formerly known as Wintoon Butte, Cone Mountain, Sugar Loaf and Muir’s Peak, stands tall as a satellite cone of Mount Shasta.
Imagine this: It’s about 9,500 years ago. The major eruptions of Shastina have just ended. Lava flows, creating the unique shape we see today at Black Butte.
Now, fast forward to the early 1930s. A fire lookout tower is built on the summit of Black Butte. It offers sweeping views. Sadly, the Columbus Day Storm of 1962 destroys it. But a new lookout rises in 1963. It serves until 1973. In 1975, the building is moved. Only the concrete foundation remains now.
A 2.5-mile trail invites hikers to Black Butte’s summit. The reward? Views. Shasta and Shastina dominate the foreground. On clear days, Mount McLoughlin is visible. It lies 70 miles to the north in Oregon. Lassen Peak can be seen roughly 80 miles to the south.
Black Butte has a railroad history too. From 1887 to 1911, Black Butte Summit was a station. It was located on the Southern Pacific Siskiyou Line near Summit Lake.
In the mid-1920s, the Natron Cutoff rerouted the line. A small rail yard and train orders office were constructed at Black Butte. The station officially opened in September 1926. The early 1940s saw the station move. It went to the opposite side of the tracks. The yard expanded. A water tank and housing for railroad workers were added. The water tank still stands.
Southern Pacific workers lived here with their families. They maintained railway signals. They called Black Butte home until the early 1970s.
Centralized traffic control replaced the train orders operator in 1966. A derailing freight train destroyed the train orders office in 1970.
Southern Pacific suspended operations on the Siskiyou line in 1992. They favored the Cascade Line. In 1995, Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad leased the Siskiyou Line. Union Pacific took over Southern Pacific in 1996.
An Amtrak Coast Starlight train derailed here in December 2000. The Black Butte Subdivision is a key route. It runs from Klamath Falls to Dunsmuir.
Today, Black Butte is home to the Black Butte Center for Railroad Culture. It is a reminder of its rich railroad history.
Black Butte stands not only as a geological landmark. It is a testament to human endeavor. From fire lookouts to railroad stations, its story continues. Black Butte’s legacy is etched in the landscape.