Lake Almanor was constructed by Great Western Power Company in 1914. The name ALMANOR was coined by Guy C. Earl, Vice-president of Great Western Power Company, who combined the names of his three daughters Alice, Martha, and Elinor. Great Western Power Company later became Pacific Gas & Electric. They further developed the lake, building the present dam in 1926. The lake stores approximately 790,000 acre-feet of water and is 13 miles long and 6 miles wide (52 square miles of crystal clear water and beautiful scenery).
The town of Prattville was founded by Dr. Willard Pratt in 1867. Located on the southwest of Big Meadows (where the Wilson's Camp marina is today), Prattville boasted three general merchandise stores, one wagon shop, a blacksmith shop, saloon, resident physician, and first-class hotel. Prattville was then, as is today, a resort destination location.
Wilson's Camp Prattville Resort was established in 1928 by Frank and Nettie Wilson, both Plumas County residents. They leased and later purchased 33 acres along the shores of Lake Almanor and established the resort. When Nettie retired at age 83 in 1972, her son Kenneth D. Wilson and wife Carol began their management. Then, in 1999, Kenneth A. Wilson Jr., his wife Debbie, and their three sons Kenny, Cody, and Calvin began operations, continuing a tradition of family ownership for over 94 years.
