Category Archives: History

History

Lassen Lumber & Box No. 25

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Lassen Lumber & Box Company No. 25—-Tom Armstrong

Something a bit different, but over the course of time we will explore the various locomotives in the railroad logging operations of the region. Lassen Lumber & Box was a relatively small operation when compared to it neighbors Fruit Growers and Red River. In addition, its railroad logging operation only lasted a decade starting in the 1919 season.

In 1923, Lassen Lumber purchased a brand new Baldwin locomotive they numbered the 25. It seemed only fitting to have this go with their new logging camp Lasco on the north side of Peg Leg Mountain. But the good times did not last long and by 1929 the company would abandon logging due to a dwindling timber supply compounded by glut of lumber on the market. They sold the No. 25 to the Red River.Lumber Company. In 1938, Red River in turn sold the No. 25 to  Modesto & Empire Traction Company. What became of it after that, I do not know.

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History

Doyle’s First Church

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Doyle, 1915

In early 1916, the Rev. C.W. Pogue held revival meetings in Doyle. So successful was his venture that in March he announced that a church would be built shortly. W.H. Earl who was the founder and promoter of the town, donated a town lot. On March 13, 1916 groundbreaking ceremony was held and the church opened for regular services in June.

John W. Doyle (1832-1892). Courtesy of the Nevada Historical Society

It should be noted when Doyle came into existence in 1909, it was named for Long Valley pioneer, John W. Doyle, who settled just south of the town that would bear his name in 1859.

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History

A Company Town in Transition

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Birch Street, Westwood. Courtesy of Hank Martinez

In 1912, when Red River Lumber Company began construction of its company town of Westwood, Lassen County officials did not know what quite to expect. Lassen County had experience with planned communities, such as Standish, but none of these proposals ever came to full frutition that the promoters envisioned. Westwood was entirely a different proposition. County officials were relieved that all of this development would not only cost the county any money, but its tax base mushroomed beyond their wildest dreams. The county was spared every expense, even the deputy sheriff, Red River paid that salary.

The good times would not last forever. By the early 1930s Red River was in a serious financial crisis. The days of a company town would soon only exist as a memory. Red River’s company owned businesses would be no more, those enterprises leased to outsiders. In the fall of 1934, Red River and Lassen County began working on the transition wherein the county would be responsible in maintaining the streets of Westwood. On November 10, 1934 Red River deeded over the streets of Westwood to the County of Lassen, however for reasons unknown the county did not accept the deed until September 1935.

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History

Susanville Post Office

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Susanville Post Office, circa 1940.

One facility Susanville sorely lacked was a post office building. The Susanville Post Office was established in 1858, and was always housed in some commercial building, with the Knoch building housing it for decades. During the depression of the 1930s, the residents hoped the federal government would fund a post office building. They did. On March 1, 1937 the government purchased the residence of Stanley Wade on the corner of North Lassen and Nevada Streets for $6,750. Construction began that summer and the post office officially opened on June 1, 1938.

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History

The Student Newspaper

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The Grizzly Growler was the long standing student newspaper.

Another relic of the past is the student newspaper. Anyhow, on with our story. In the mid-1930s the Lassen Union High School student body experienced some interesting happenings. The first was a student newspaper dubbed the Hi-Times. This was followed by a school emblem—-the Grizzly bear.

In the fall of 1935, Miss Morgan, the school’s journalist instructor announced a campaign to change the school newspaper name. One issue was there were a number of Northern California student newspapers that had a similar name to Lassen’s. In an effort to promote the school’s new emblem, the word Grizzly was required in the new name contest. On October 4, 1935 the renamed student newspaper Grizzly Growler made its debut. It was Eleanor Hansen, Class of 1939, that was the prize winning entry.

Fast forward by several decades, when I attended Lassen High the school newspaper was just the Grizzly, somewhere along the line the Growler was dropped. From what little research I have done, it appears sometime in the 1990s the student paper ceased to exist.

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History

The Fritter Funeral Bill

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J.W. Fritter (left) and John Hamilton (right) at Fritter’s peach orchard, Eagle Lake—-Rev. C.R. Fritter

One never knows what I stumble across in my research. While reviewing the Lassen County Board of Supervisor’s minutes in regards to a topic on Westwood, I came across a rather unusual bill submitted to the county. Shortly after the death of her father, J.W. Fritter, Mrs. S. Pinola of 130 18th Street, Pacific Grove submitted a bill to the county to help defray her father’s funeral expenses. It should be noted that Fritter resided at Eagle Lake from 1884 to 1932, at which time he moved to Pacific Grove. Fritter did serve a term as a Lassen County Board of Supervisor from 1902-1906. The Board of Supervisors at their September 3, 1935 obliged and instructed the County Auditor to issue a warrant to Mrs. Pinola for $40. I have never come across a particular incident like this. What makes it even more bizarre was the Fritter and his daughter were not even Lassen County residents!

Remains of the Fritter ranch house at Eagle Lake, 1984

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History

Season’s First Snowfall, 1916

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View of Richmond Road January 1916 from Winchester Hill. Susanville received four feet of snow in January, followed by below zero temperatures. After that it was the beginning of a twenty-year drought, with Honey Lake going dry in 1919, and not filling up until the spring of 1938.

On October 2, 1916 Susanville received its first snowfall for the season, just enough to blanket the town. On the other hand it was reported there were seven inches of snow on Fredonyer Summit. After the storm passed through the temperature plummeted to 22 degrees. As one observer noted, while not cold enough to begin ice harvesting season, no one had to tend to their vegetable garden.

Is a early snowstorm a harbinger for a long cold, snowy winter? Not exactly. Many years, it turns out, when there is an early snowfall, usually is just the opposite and tends to be drier than normal winter. In this case, the winter of 1916-17 marked the beginning of a twenty-year drought.

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History

Go Take a Hike—Susanville Ranch Park

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Known today as the Susanville Ranch Park, for many years it was the John T. Long Ranch.

Susanville Ranch Park is a 1,100-acre county park located on the northwest edge of Susanville. In 1856, William Weatherlow settled there and remained until his death in 1864. William Long purchased the ranch and his family operated it for nearly fifty years. In 1935, Republic Electric Power acquired the property, which was succeeded by CP National. In 1984, that power company donated the land to the County of Lassen.

Since that time, it has evolved into an open space park. It contains twenty-eight miles of hiking trails! Motorized vehicles are prohibited. The trails vary for the casual walker all the way to advanced mountain bikers.

Personally, I think September and October are some of the best times to go hiking, whether a leisurely stroll, or something more strenuous. At the main parking lot, there is an informative kiosk, which one can pick up a free brochure and map of the trails. Go explore and enjoy this wonderful asset.

For a bit of historical trivia relating to the park. In 1966, Lassen College examined the property as a possible location for its new campus. They liked what they saw, but the asking price of $3,500 was beyond their means.

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History

Bly Tunnel outlet – Then & Now

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Outlet of the Bly Tunnel, 1924. Courtesy of Lola L. Tanner

In the fall of 1921, construction began on Leon Bly’s Eagle Lake Tunnel. The mile and a half long tunnel purpose was to convey water to Honey Lake Valley for irrigation. Water from the tunnel began flowing in the spring of 1923. The tunnel has a long complicated history. In 1986, the tunnel’s inlet was sealed. The outlet, in a somewhat remote location remains intact, but water no longer flows through the tunnel.

The outlet as it appeared in 2012. Courtesy of Barbara White

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History

A Paper Pulp Plant for Susanville?

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Lassen Lumber & Box Company, 1951

In the spring of 1952, the Lassen Lumber & Box Company began liquidating its assets. This involved a sawmill, box factory, 100 acres of land along with 9.9 million board feet of timber, 7.7 million board feet of logs and almost a million board feet of box shook.

They found an unlikely suitor in its neighbor, the Fruit Growers Supply Company. Fruit Growers purchased it all for $1,425,000. While researching the history of Fruit Growers this transaction puzzled me. With the need of box shook declining why a need for another mill with a box factory? Fruit Growers was keen in exploring future venues to protect the citrus growers needs. Lassen Lumber & Box Company had one asset that Fruit Growers needed—-water. If at some point, Fruit Growers wanted to manufacture cardboard cartons, the purchase of the Lassen Lumber & Box Company gave them the water supply needed to convert their Susanville mill into a paper/pulp plant.

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