George Tinsdale Albro was born May 24, 1862 to Stephen L. and Mary Exley Albro. His father, Stephen came to Shasta County from New York about 1852. His mother was born in England and arrived in Buckeye, Shasta County in1853; five years later in 1858 they were married and settled in Quartz Hill where George vas born.

Quartz Hill was literally that; Albro said, 'It is my favorite memory, good old Quartz Hill; just a mountain of quartz 800 to 1000 feet high, gold bearing to some extent, but to me it symbolizes a happy childhood: father, mother, brother and sisters and thrilling pioneer days.'

Some time before George was six the family moved to Buckeye where his Grandfather Exley established a bake shop. The baking was done in a large Dutch oven built of rock. Pies sold for $1.00 each. Years later he and some relatives located the family home because they could find this oven.

Growing up in Buckeye was exciting; George told of throwing rocks at an Indian and being threatened with scalping, of seeing a murder, and of panning for gold to buy a pair of shoes.

When George was eight the family moved to Shasta and George began haunting the courthouse: at eleven he started doing odd jobs, helping the County Officials clean their offices and even helping the Sheriff build and prepare the scaffolds for a double hanging. In 1880, George was eighteen and was officially hired as custodian.

When the Courthouse was moved to Redding, George moved with it. He served as custodian, night watchman, maintenance man, gardener, and jailor before he retired. Both Courthouses were HIS. He was upset when trees he had planted were cut down to make way for the present courthouse and when the Shasta Courthouse was abandoned he salvaged many items which are, now, in the Albro Collection at the Courthouse/Museum in Old Shasta.

During one of the World War II scrap drives someone suggested that the large bronze statue of justice on top of the dome might be taken down for scrap. 'No, sir,' said George, 'that's my girl. I want to win the war and will help in any way I can but they can't take my girl.'

George loved everybody: prisoners, office holders, just people. With his affection for young people, he contributed to more than one term paper in history.

George officially retired as Shasta County Employee in 1949, but he never quit; he was always available with advice or information about the two Courthouses he had served officially and the current Courthouse which he supervised. George Albro died in Redding, October 28, 1955 at the age of ninety-three; one sister, Mary Albro survived him.

Source: Shasta Historical Society