On January 29, 1912 a contract was signed in San Francisco that would forever change Lassen County. On that historic date, T.B. Walker signed an agreement with the Southern Pacific for the construction of the Fernley & Lassen Railroad.
T.B. Walker with his need for a railroad transformed Lassen County in countless ways. It brought an era prosperity that has seen before or since. The huge influx of population provided a huge market for the local farmers and ranchers. Take for instance, there was not a single dairy, by 1920 there fifteen.
Of course, if opened the door to the timber industry, and transformed Susanville in a major lumber manufacturing center. What was thought with sustained yield and other forestry practices it was believed that it would remain the dominant industry for well over a hundred years if not more. Within fifty years, the writing was on the wall, and Lassen County’s citizens sought a new industry—prisons.
In future posts we will explore those exciting times, as well as T.B. Walker.