Category Archives: History

History

The Story Club Fire

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Story Club fire, August 14, 1944

Fruit Growers Supply Company’s famed Story Club was quickly destroyed by fire in the early morning hours of August 14, 1944. By the time the fire alarm went off and the fire crews arrived on the scene the three-story structure was entirely engulfed in flames. The only thing that could be done was to prevent the fire from spreading. By sunrise the building was reduced to rubble. Fruit Growers valued the loss at $40,000. For Stanley Arnold who had leased the club since 1930 now found himself without a job.

Story Club, 1924. Courtesy of Lola L. Tanner

The Story Club built in 1922 was a recreational facility for the employees of Fruit Growers. It was, however, open to all and many local organizations held functions there. Today, the site is now Riverside Park.

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History

Pine Creek Estuary

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November 9, 1941 — Hank Martinez

It is that time of year when Pine Creek usually starts flowing again into Eagle Lake, but with this dry winter, it may not be the case. While many people see the creek at the bridge before entering Spaulding Tract or at the nearby fish trap, it still has a way to go before it reaches the lake. Thus, today’s featured photograph provides a good illustration of that fact.

Pine Creek
Pine Creek Estuary, July, 1973

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History

Sierra Shangri-La – Noted Courses

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Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest, 1958

This is the final installment of Harold Gilliam’s publication Sierra Shangri-La concerning Lassen County.

“Susanville is justly proud of its Lassen Junior College. It has earned a national reputation for gunsmithing and forestry courses. The Lassen J.C. Gunsmithing course of four years is one of only three in the entire nation.

“The forestry department offers both a vocational course, preparing students for entering the lumber industry directly. Or it gives two years of accredited study, after which students may transfer to major universities to earn their bachelor degrees in two more years. The forestry course has the advantage of practical observation of the varied lumber industry of the area; the college has its own experimental forest of 160 acres and a small sawmill of its own.

“Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest in the Lassen National Forest draws students as well as industry leaders to inspect new methods being developed in both logging and forestry techniques.”

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History

“Haight in ‘38”

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Bank of America, Main & Gay Streets, Susanville

California, has moved its entire primary election to March (there are some out-of-state subscribers who may not be aware of this fact) so with a week to go, and being bombarded with political ads, check out this campaign propaganda from 1938. Does it sound familiar?

In 1938, Raymond Haight made his second attempt to run for governor of California. He ran as a Progressive, being a centrist between the Republicans and Democrats. On the evening of August 3, 1938, about 250 people assembled outside the Susanville Bank of America to listen to Haight. Haight informed the prospective voters he “would run graft out of the state house in Sacramento, lower taxes, provide security for bona fide citizens of the state, provide security for the aged and above all balance the budget, not by addition of taxes, but cutting the cost of government.”

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History

Westwood, 1941

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Westwood, October 13, 1941 —Courtesy of Hank Martinez

This was an exciting era for the residents of Westwood. While the United States had not entered into the global conflicts, the nations economy was in high production to meet the nation’s allies. Lumber was a high priority commodity, and Red River Lumber Company’s operation at Westwood was put into high gear.

The installation of the Hammerhead Crane at Westwood, was one of many improvements to entice buyers.

Red River not only went into a full production mode, the first time since World War I, it went on a major modernization campaign. Not only where there substantial upgrades in all the mill equipment, but its logging department saw major changes as well—among other things its own fleet of logging trucks.

While the casual observer or Westwood resident thought all these improvements was just a sign of prosperity from the recovery of the nation’s Great Depression of the 1930s. Behind the scenes, Red River was busy putting its Westwood operation on the market, to sell, nothing different what a current homeowner does prior to listing their house on the market.

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History

U.S. French Laundry

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U.S. French Laundry—Courtesy of Harry Boulade

This is a work in progress, since it is something that I am still researching. The U.S. French Laundry was located on the northwest corner of Main and Mesa Streets or 2319 Main Street. It was established some time in the mid-1920s and was still in operation in 1935. It is interesting to note that Susanville was able to support three laundry/dry cleaning establishments. For a brief time it was owned by Jean Boulade, who prior to his move to Susanville was a resident of the Madeline Plains and at one time was the postmaster at Termo.

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History

Chester’s Stover Hotel

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The Stover Hotel

In 1860 Reuben Stover located at Big Meadows, known today as Lake Almanor. He established a dairy operation near the present site of the town of Chester. Stover died in 1897 and his son, Charley, would eventually take over the family business.

Charley Stover looked at every situation through a variety of angles. The dairy business fluctuated with good and bad times. With Great Western Power busy buying properties at Big Meadows for its Lake Almanor project, it reduced places for summer visitors to stay. Charley saw an opportunity to diversify. The ranch house became an impromptu hotel. During busy times, family members slept in the nearby bunkhouse. Stover next ventured into cattle ranching, and it turned out to be a profitable move. By the mid-1920s with developments at Chester with more accommodations available, the Stover Hotel reverted back to a ranch house.

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History

Herlong Junction Update

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Herlong Junction, April 2016. Courtesy of Oliver Grosz

Recently, Mark Kesterson shared his memories about Herlong Junction and I know some would be interested in his comment. May be some one in the future and can provide further knowledge and/or a vintage photograph of the same.

“Gone is Paul Silva’s Rel Grand, and restaurant, “Nick” Nickeson’s gas station, and Len Varley’s grocery store.  There was also a small detached 4-plex apartment in back.  There were many other businesses there over the years, but those were the one I remember as a kid in the 50’s and early 60’s.  Paul’s wife Philomina ran the bar after Paul passed away, then Phil Lock ran the bar for a while.  The restaurant came and went several times over the years, and the store part of the building was used by different retail adventures.”

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History

A Westwood Hospital Request

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Isolation Ward, Lassen County Hospital, 1947

The Westwood Hospital had a small building adjacent to it, that was used to quarantine patients who had highly infectious virus. This was a common practice many years ago to have a small separate facility to quarantine patients. Some of these buildings were a bit sketchy and less than desirable accommodation. This you can easily see with the above illustration of the isolation ward of the Lassen County Hospital in 1947. When the first hospital was built in Lassen County, it was far removed from Susanville proper, so it was not necessary for a separate facility.

Back to the matter at hand. Does any one have, or knows some one who has a photograph of the quarantine building of the Westwood Hospital.

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History

White Pine Verdict

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Red River timber fallers preparing to do their job 1915.

It was only until recently that I learned when the federal trade commission cleared up something that confused me for years. In 1931, the commission ruled that thirty-nine West Coast lumber producers would be banned from using “white pine” in their advertising, when in fact it was a “yellow pine” i.e. ponderosa pine. The commission stated there were no true white pine the west. It was stated these producers used white pine in advertising that resulted in a “substantial monetary sales advantage.” Two local companies were cited, Lassen Lumber & Box and Red River Lumber.

When I first began my research, I was confused with the term white pine, yet the two aforementioned companies sold their product under that label. In fact, they aggressively marketed their lumber as such in the Midwest and Eastern markets, since for them that was their preferred lumber.

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