A Main Street Problem

Main Street, 1909
Main Street looking west from Lassen High before the fill, circa 1909. Courtesy of the A.J. Mathews family.

In 1914 Susanville’s uptown business district went through a major transformation when such buildings as the Del Mar and the Star Hotel were constructed along with other properties. There was a byproduct from this construction. The buildings had basements and the problem was what to do with all the dirt piling up in the streets. It should be duly noted that the city ended at Weatherlow Street. In the winter months it could be rather hazardous to get to the east entrance. This was due to the fact that between Weatherlow and Grand it was mainly bottom land where Piute Creek flowed. At least for pedestrians an elevated wooden plank bridge spanned the creek crossing. So all the excess dirt from the excavations was used as a fill for that segment of Main Street.

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