Shirley’s was a bar on the north end of Hall Street, the current site of the Juniper Apartments. Established in the 1930s after the repeal of prohibition, by Jean “Shirley” Tilton, and its distance from town on a road heading to points northward was similar to the roadhouses between Susanville and Westwood. *
It was quite the interesting watering hole, “Shirley” a former nurse, was confined to a wheel chair, but remembered for her generosity. She was also a madam, and cabins behind her establishment took care of certain needs of her clientele. Then there was her friend, gay piano man, and member of Sacred Heart Church’s choir, that assisted her, until he committed suicide in 1938. When she died in 1954, Gene Garayoa and Steve Arainty transformed it into the Juniper Inn.
*Ash Street, was not in existence.
Thanks again Tim for your bits of interesting history. This one must have a story behind the story, about the “gay piano man”. There have been some changes for the good since then.
Martin