Gest, California facts for kids

Gest was once a small community, or "settlement," located in Lassen County, California. It was about 8 kilometers (or 5 miles) north of a place called Chats. Even though it's not there anymore, its name tells a little story about the past.

What Was Gest?

Gest was a place where people lived and worked for a short time. These kinds of small settlements often grew up around important services or industries, like a railway or a mine. Gest was likely a very small collection of buildings, perhaps a few homes and a business or two.

A Busy Post Office

One important part of the Gest settlement was its post office. A post office is where people send and receive letters and packages. The post office in Gest was open from 1893 to 1895. It even moved once in 1894, which shows that the community might have been changing or growing, even if only for a little while.

Who Was Erasmus Gest?

The settlement of Gest was named after a man named Erasmus Gest. He was an important official who worked for the Nevada–California–Oregon Railway. Railways were very important in the late 1800s because they helped people travel and move goods across long distances. Naming a place after someone important, like a railway official, was a common way to honor them back then.

What Happened to Gest?

Like many small settlements from that time, Gest eventually faded away. When the railway lines changed, or if the local industry that supported the community disappeared, people would often move to other places. This is why Gest is now known as a "former settlement" – a place that once existed but is no longer there.