In 1880, San Joaquin County native, Frank Cady, purchased a ranch in Big Valley, Lassen County. Nine years later he relocated to Susanville. In 1896, an opportunity arose for Cady to purchase the Susanville Water Works from Harry Cain who was going through a messy divorce with the former Stella Stiles.

At that time, the water supply came from Big Springs three miles west of Susanville in the Susan River Canyon.  In 1900, Cady had three-quarters of mile of pipe laid from the water tanks going westward, with the goal of replacing the open ditch with pipe.  In 1930, when Cady sold the water works to the Republic Electric Power Company, only three-eights of mile of the ditch was still open near the springs, that eventually became known as Cady Springs.

Subscribe!