The barn was destroyed by fire the night of June 16, 2015. A transient caused the fire from a cigarette, thought to be extinguished, but that was not the case.
Routinely, when I am out and about someone will ask me a question about this or that. In many instances, I am able to provide an answer. Every now and then I get stumped with a doozey. In this particular instant, it was the old barn at the east end of Susanville, just past McDonald’s.
The barn sits like a lone sentinal these days. There used to be a small white painted caretaker’s house there, occupied for a number of years by Grant and Lena Trumbull. One of the oddities about the barn is it is far removed from any ranch. After extensive sleuthing it was built in 1920/21 for the Fruit Growers Supply Company, who were in the midst of constructing their new sawmill/box factory nearby.
Okay, one may ponder what does a sawmill have to do with a hay barn? In this era, a tremendous amount of logging was done with horses and big wheels. Of course, winter pasture was needed for the horses. It should be noted that, Fruit Growers had originally purchased what is known today as Susanville Ranch Park. It was their intention to winter pasture the horses there. Instead that property was converted into a dairy. Since Fruit Growers had abundant acreage adjoining the plant, it was decided to pasture the horses there, hence the need of a hay barn to provide feed during the winter months. Improvements were rapidly being made in the logging operations with motorized tractors, and by 1927, Fruit Growers phased out the use of horses.
Such a wonderful story about the barn and its life. We knew the Trumbells & they were such lovely people. So sad that now all that is left of the barn, are the memories. This is a great write up Tim Purdy. Thank you!
A little fact unknown to many, was that Sierra Pacific had given some consideration to dismantle the barn a few years ago. It was their intention to put in a small solar plant there. However, they could never reach an agreed on price for the kw with PG&E.
I knew the Trumbell’s too, went to school with their son GV, he was Franklin Peterson’s cousin we used to ride his horse Sara from Monrovia St to this old barn and when Sara could see the barn you better hang on!!! Both boys were in the Class of 1959 or 60 I think.
It’s Sad that it has passed on back to the earth for it was a staple coming and going from town for YEARS! I can remember coming to onto town back on the early 70’s when we had three mills bit that old barn always stood tall.
How sad that the barn burned! There are so few barns left in this country. More should have been preserved because they are part of our history.
My name is Christi Trumbull, my grandparents were Grant & Lena Trumbull, my father G.V., I spent every Easter vacation and others at that ranch, it was a full blown country home, cows,pigs,lambs, horses,chickens etc etc, my sister ,cousins and I would swing from the butcher hooks onto hay bales in that very barn!! So many great memories there.