The old George & Annie Bailey residence, January 25, 2020
Actually, “redux” is not exactly the word I had in mind. Many are familiar with the Roseberry House , 609 North Street, Susanville, which the historic home is a Bed & Breakfast. The house was built by local contractor Charles Odette in 1903 for T.A and Viola Roseberry. Many people, however, are not familiar that in that same year, Odette built a duplicate of the Roseberry House for George and Annie Bailey in the Tule District near Standish. However, the Bailey house is not visible from the County Road, since it sits back about a quarter of a mile.
Some time last month the old Constantia store, bunkhouse and the original manager’s house were burned down. Not many details as to why. Thus, the carriage house is now the only remaining building left of Constantia.
The Koken residence on the corner of northwest corner of Cottage and Roop Streets—Uptegrove Familty
Of all the “mobile homes” this one was unique in a certain way. First a little background. The original Koken residence was on the corner of South Roop and Cottage Streets. It was moved to down Cottage Street, a short distance, to its present location of 607 Cottage Street. The reason for the move, was Safeway was building a store on South Roop Street, the building known today as the office Lassen Municipal Utility District (LMUD). Safeway needed the corner lot for parking for its customer, and site is still a parking lot.
Unlike the other buildings to be featured, this was the only that its exterior was dramatically altered, since it is now a two-story structure, which I am the occupant on the second floor. When the house was first moved, it was converted into a beauty shop. After the Hotel Mt. Lassen was destroyed by fire, one of its former occupants, Dr. Ray Packwood, an optometrist relocated his practice there. Packwood had previously purchased the lot behind the house, where he constructed a three-car garage, with an apartment above. However, I do not know when Packwood remodeled the Koken residence and added the second story.
607 Cottage Street as it appeared in the winter of 2005.
In late January, an out of town friend came to Susanville, with a possibility of cross country skiing, or to see if I was able enough to try snowshoes. Those options did not quite pan out, so off to do some sight seeing and exploring. While my intent was to see Taylorsville and Genesee Valley, I thought our visit was going to brief, since there was one area I wanted to check out the snow conditions, before sunset. Anyhow, the old Genesee Store has been restored and converted into a restaurant. I was under the impression that they were closed in the winter. My friend, whose inquisitive nature, noticed activity and went and knocked on the door, as they were closed. They would be open that evening and if we came back at five, they could fit us in, as they were booked with reservations. It was a great dinner and highly recommend it.
One of the barns adjacent to the Genesee Store. January 25, 2020
Here is some background about the place. Edwin D. Hosselkus (1828-1892) was a native of New York but grew up in Illinois. It was at the latter where he worked as a clerk in a general mercantile store, and a good experience for him. In 1852, like so many before and after him, was lured to California. In 1854, he opened a store in Elizabethtown, Plumas County. In 1856, he relocated to Taylorsville, where he went into partnership with I.J. Harvey in a general store. 1862 was a pivotal year for Hosselkus. At the time, he purchased land in Genesee Valley. In another bold move, Hosselkus & Harvey relocated their store to Susanville. For a time, it was the largest store of its kind in the Honey Lake Valley. In 1865, Hosselkus and Harvey parted company, with Hosselkus moving to his property at Genesee Valley. There he opened a store and established the Genesee Post Office on September 19, 1865 and served as the first postmaster—he remained in that capacity until his death. The Hosselkus ranch remained in the family until the 1950s, the store having been closed years ago. Several years ago, the old store was brought back to life as a restaurant, and its worth trip for the food and see the country if you have never been there.
The Fruit Growers Supply Company Susanville box factory under construction, 1920. Courtesy of Ed Standard
In 1938 Isaac Moruza, a junior at Lassen Union High School, was the winner of the Wooden Box Essay Contest sponsored by the Susanville Wooden Box Committee. For his efforts he was given ten dollars. Below is his paper:
“The people of Susanville as well as the people of the entire Honey Lake Valley depend upon the wooden box industry for their occupational income. This statement does not seem possibly true to many visitors of our lumbering city. Yet, no occupation or office could be named that does not receive aid from the lumber mills in a direct or indirect manner.
“Consider the farmer. We realize that his home is not a factory as it was many years ago, since now he does not make his own tools, spikes or clothes. But he comes in to the markets of Susanville to sell his products for cash money. Tis cash money is then invested in new tools, food clothes or other necessities not produced on the farm. The mill employees then buy the farmer’s products through merchantmen thus helping to develop trade and commerce. The merchant then brings machinery, food and clothes into town, thus helping the development of transportation, repair shops, gasoline stations and highway construction. Then follow the lawyers and other men of offices with services to sell, and school instructors who render their services by educating every boy and girl. This flow of life-giving occupations is indefinite in number.
“If the wooden box industry is life-giving industry of this community why not, then, give it hope and aid by demanding products in ‘wooden boxes’?
Every merchant in town can use wooden boxes. He not only helps the lumber industry but he also gives himself the business derived from the employment of men to make those boxes. When he uses a wooden box he is actually saving himself cash money by the reduction of damages to the products he receives. The wholesale companies also profit because they do not have to worry about their products while en route to the retail merchant.
“Whenever products are shipped in cardboard boxes considerable damage results. This damage must finally be paid by the consumer. The statement shows that it pays to ship in wooden boxes.
“Every merchant should demand his products in wooden boxes and every housewife should, in turn, refuse to accept her groceries unless they be packed in wooden boxes.
“If the development of the wooden box industry is neglected our good town of Susanville will undoubtedly become another ghost town caused by the inconsistent operation of the lumber mills.”
Hotel Amedee, after 1922–Courtesy of Modoc County Museum
Law enforcement officials from time to time come across some interesting episodes that challenge the mind. One such occurrence was in June 1931 when the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office received a call that the bar from the old Amedee Hotel had been stolen. The hotel it should be noted had been abandoned for some time. Of course, law enforcement officials were intrigued with this development, it being prohibition. Who would want a bar? After all local bootleg joints could get by with a cheap pine table.
A month later, the bar was reported to be in Chester, Plumas County at the residence of O.D. Irwin. It was his contention to use the wood from the bar to make furniture. Irwin was charged with a misdemeanor, paid a $50 fine and was ordered to return the bar to Jim Humphrey, who the Amedee Hotel. When the story made news, Marion Larrea who at the time was operating a pool hall in Susanville, contacted Humphrey, purchased the bar and put in his establishment on South Weatherlow Street, where it remained for many years. It should be noted, that after prohibition, Irwin operated a bar known as the Red Feather Inn in Chester.
This is a Tuesday special! I thought some might like to see what the Reno airport looked like when it was located at the end of Seventh Street. The airport we know today was established in 1938, but it was not until the 1950s when it became municipal airport under the ownership of the City of Reno.
A1937 Lassen County Fair Parade Entry, featuring an oversized wooden box.
At the onset of the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Pacific Northwest lumber industry launched various campaigns to educate the public about the many benefits of timber. Recently, readers many recall the Forestry Essay Contests in the schools.
In the late 1930s, witnessed the organized wooden box campaigns. In 1938, according to the Wooden Box Institute over 50,000 employees of the lumber industry representing an annual payroll of $50 million were participating in the movement. It should be duly noted, that in this era, one of the major components of a sawmill was the box factory division. The manufacture of box shook to make wooden boxes accounted for nearly half the lumber produced in the 1930s. This was an important factor to the local mills of Fruit Growers and Lassen Lumber & Box which their employees joined the movement. On February 1, 1938 the Susanville Wooden Box Promotion Association was formed.
It has been some time, since I have done one of these type of post. This particular one of the White House site at Constantia, has been on my list for some time. Located approximately halfway between Susanville and Reno, its not on the highway. My problem, is I just do not go over to Reno that often.
The 17-room house was built in 1884. The Galeppi family who purchased the ranch back in the 1920s, never resided in it. It still had some furniture in it back in the 1940s. At that time, military personnel from the nearby and newly established Sierra Ordnance Depot at Herlong, held impromptu dances at the house. The house was destroyed by fire in 1963, cause un known.
Juniper Lake in the southeastern portion of Lassen Volcanic National Park has an interesting history, due in part to Charles Parson Snell, a quirky, colorful and sometimes cantankerous property owner. On April 1, 1914, Snell, a San Francisco attorney, purchased 475 acres at Juniper Lake from Herman Werhle. Initially, like the previous owners the property sat idle. It should be duly Lassen Volcanic National Park was not created until 1916.
In August 1916 witnessed Snell’s first promotion creation of the Lassen National Park Club, only a week after the park was formed. This sportsmen group had an initial membership of thirty-six men from northern Sacramento Valley. Snell was elected president, Richard White, vice-president and H.F. Proctor, secretary-treasurer. The club’s intention was to build a lodge at Juniper Lake, with members building individual cabins.
While the proposal looked good on paper there was one major problem the lake was not easily accessible. Without a road, this was a short-lived enterprise. More about Snell’s future endeavors will be explored.
