Lassen County Times, Westwood PinePress Tuesday, March 27, 2012 3B Rediscovering a bit of Thompson Peak history Jordan Clary Staff Writer jclary@lassennews.corn A piece of history sits on the crest of Thompson Peak overlooking Janesville and it may become a crown jewel of the small community if all goes as the Janesville Town Council hopes. The Janesville gap filler annex was an Aircraft Con- trol and Warning (AC&W) site that utilized ground based radar developed during WWlI. It played a role in our national defense during The Cold War years, and aside from the occasional hiker or wild animal, has been aban- doned since about 19701 Now the .gap filler annex may begin a new incarnation. Approval for the Plumas Na- tional Forest, on whose land the annex sits, to conduct an archeological study to deter- ,mine the national and/or statewide •historical signifi- cance of the site has just been received. Austin Meinert, a member of the Janesville Town Coun- cil, said this survey is the first hurdle in transforming the old annex into an inter- pretive center that will give insight into the annex's role in The Cold War, a little- known period of U.S. history and national defense, as well as offer information on the area's natural surroundings. "I've been hiking up there for a long time," said Mein- ert. "I love the area and the building really intrigued me. The concept has been build- ing with me for a 10ng time as I watch these old places being restored -- lighthouses, trap- per cabins, firewatcher tow- ers, etc. to make them recre- ational areas. Once I began to research the history of the gap filler annex, I began to see its potential and how it could benefit the communi- ty." Another Janesville Town Council member, Dave Par- que, agreed that turning the annex into,an: interpretive center held m ay possibili- ties. "It cod be a great op- portunity for an Eagle Scout project or just as a place to observe raptors or watch the night skies," he said. "Right now •we're really trying to get feedback from the community,'! said Mein- ert. "We want them to know that we have a town council that's doing something for the community and we really need to hear from them as to what they feeI is important." A recently completed ac- tion plan included priorities such as controlled growth, a good area plan and youth pro- grams. Both Meinert and Parque hope the gap filler annex be- comes part of a potentially larger network of trails that will wind through the area. The view, which includes the Great Basin and Feather River watersheds, is a prime attraction of the site. Meinert said he feels devel- oping the annex as a focal point along a trail "Woulcl be of interest to radar defense • veterans-as well as others in- terested in local history." Among the hoped-for trails is a walking path down Janesville's Main Street. However, local residents should be aware the actual building of a footpath is still several years down the road. Larry Millar, the county's Austin Meinert, of Janesville, has been .pursuing the steps necessary to someday restore the gap filler annex for the past five years. Photo by Jordan Clary • Reasonable :i:: CSpecial Event RentalS TKesa: able " argers, Flatware '{ e, Glassware, Tents ..:. ..... • canopies • Dance Floor • Staging !::!: ;5 Dellek: wedding Items,Bar EquipmentR :'¢ 5 Dr., Portola 530-_32-5455. i!!ii UPSTATE HEARING !, WORKS AS HARD AS ii YOU DO TO BE.. ii A GOOD LISTENER iili  . , iiii ' i Monday, April 2 nd llMonday, April 1 iii i Northeastern Health Center li 1850 Spring Ridge ! Susanville iEii ii ii;i Stacy L. Garcia ii Hearing Aid Dispenser " i Lic: #7440 UPSTATE ltEARII1C INSTRUrlINTS " 1640 Tehama St. Suite B Bedding 90001 upstatehearing.com 243-7307 800-843-4271 One of the strongest draws for restoring the gap filler annex is the natural beauty around Thompson Peak. Photo by Brian Taylor director of public works said the idea of a walking path down Main Street in Janesville has been in the works for at least 20 years. "Funding has been a big problem," Millar said. "But we do hope in 2013 to have some funding to begin an ini- tial study." He stressed, how- ever, that the project is still a good seven to 10 years out be- fore it might ever be complet- ed. Already a number of other entities are involved in the possible restoration of the gap filler annex. The Plumas National Forest will conduct the survey. The Bureau of Land Management, Lassen National Forest and The Beckwourth Ranger District have all indicated their best wishes for the project. 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