For nearly seventy years, Marion’s Bar on South Weatherlow Street, Susanville was a favorite gathering places for many. Numerous patrons of that former establishment may not be aware of the history of the back bar. The bar was originally in the Amedee Hotel, first operated by the Brubeck family.
In 1925, Jim Humphrey became the sole-owner of the Amedee Hotel and most of the Amedee properties. Amedee’s heyday had been gone for a long time. However, people would still go there to soak in the hot springs. Humphrey, of course, by necessity hired a caretaker to oversee the properties. One could spend a night in the hotel if so desired, though the building was showing its age. The third story had been closed, and the second story balcony removed.
In June 1931, a strange thing happened, the bar from the hotel was stolen. Of course, law enforcement officials were intrigued with this development, it being prohibition. A month later, the bar appeared in Chester, Plumas County. Chester resident, O.D. Irwin, had plans to use the wood from the bar to make furniture. He was charged with a misdemeanor, paid a $50 fine and was ordered to return the bar to Jim Humphrey. When the story made news, Marion Larrea who at the time was operating a pool hall in Susanville, contacted Humphrey, purchased the bar and put in his establishment.
In the either 1996 or ’97 Marion’s closed and the building eventually sold.* In 2001, the bar was removed from the building and made the journey back to Chester where it was restored. The bar is in peril and needs a new home by the end of the year.
*If anyone knows when it closed, please let me know, so I can update this.
is the bar still for sale and if so who would one contact?
What a great story. To the best of my knowledge, jack and Margaret Humphrey bought the town of Amadee on the 1950’s for back taxes Did Jim Humphrey own the town or just the hotel? And who didn’t keep the taxes paid?
In 1916, the McKissick Cattle Company bought the hotel and all the surrounding properties, and Jim Humphrey controlled one-third of it. In 1925, Jim took over the Amedee property from the McKissick Cattle Company. When he died in 1943, Lucille received the Secret Valley Ranch, while Jack received the Milford and Amedee properties. In 1950, there was a delinquent for 643 Amedee town lots that Jack and Margaret Humphrey paid a nickel per lot.
Thanks for the story, Tim. I left Susanville before Marions, on Weatherlow, closed. Great memories of times past. Hope somebody brings the back bar “home.”