It was on this day in 1864 that saw the creation of Lassen County. It was not quite supposed to happen in the way it was originally intended. It was Plumas County Assemblyman Richard A. Clark who introduced the legislation to create the new county. Clark proposed the name Byers County, after James D. Byers, a Plumas County Deputy Sheriff during the Sagebrush War. It was that event that led to the creation of the new county. Byers objected and suggested it be named after the late Peter Lassen, one of the original settlers of the Honey Lake Valley.
It was only fitting that later that year, on Halloween Nevada was granted statehood. Also on Halloween in 1800, Peter Lassen was born. Another of these notable dates, Susanville’s founder, Isaac Roop died on Valentines Day 1869, at the age of 47.
