Category Archives: History

History

Susanville Improvement Club

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A unique view of Susanville, 1905. Courtesy of Mary Dale Folsom

This was a very short-lived organization that existed during the month of January 1899. The lead instigator, was well known Susanville attorney, E.V. Spencer. At this time, The Nevada-California-Oregon Railroad (NCO) began work to extend its line north from Amedee to the Madeline Plains, again bypassing Susanville. Spencer and L.C. Stiles were appointed representatives of the Club to meet with NCO officials, in this case E. Gest, the manager. The duo reported the meeting was cordial, the NCO had no intent to construct a feeder line. Gest, is the people wanted to construct it, he estimated the cost at $100,000. The initiative floundered. It is interesting to note that Gest testified that summer to California Board of Equalization that the people of Susanville did not deserve a railroad.

There were some local critics that thought the Susanville Improvement Club could do a lot of other work than trying to be a railroad builder. Whatever the case may be, the improvement club morphed into the Susanville Town Hall Association a month later.

History

The Original Lassen Post Office

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In 1908, the Folsom Ranch became the Hill Ranch.

On June 19, 1874, the Lassen Post Office was established in Willow Creek Valley, north of Susanville. Edward Bonyman served as the first and only postmaster. Then, a most peculiar thing happened. On April 1, 1875, the Merrillville Post Office was established by Bonyman’s neighbor, Orman Folsom. Since there was not a need for two post offices in Willow Creek, the Lassen Post Office closed on July 14, 1875. Today, the property is known as the Willow Creek Wildlife Refuge.

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History

The Town Grave-Digger

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Main Street, Susanville

The more things change, the more they remain the same, as the old saying goes. The following is a 1927 editorial of the Lassen Advocate, as it was concerned about how mail order business hurt the community. Fast forward today, replace mail order with online shopping.

The Town Grave Digger. In nearly every community may be found quite a number of persons who consider themselves leading citizens, but in truth are helping to dig a grave for their town.

They do it through their failure to support institutions which make the town what it is. They do it by sending away for merchandise which might be brought with equal advantage at home. They do it frequently through thoughtlessness, but often througfh sheer disregard for the welfare of the community of which they are aprt.

The doctrine of buying at home in not advanced solely in the interest of the individual markets. It is advocated because every citizen of a town is to a certain extent dependent upon every other citizen for his own prosperity. Business men are sometimes as greatly at fault as anyone else inthe matters of out-of-town trading.

If the shoe dealer sends away for his automobile tires and the automobile man sends away for his furniture and the furniture man sends away for this clothing and so on, how can they expect to build local prosperity?

All the fine talke about civic pride that one may indulge in will never make a town, so long as the life blood of the community—the cold cash—is spent elsewhere.

A man may make boosting speeches until he is black in the face, but unless he spends his money where he makes it, he is the home town grave-digger.

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History

Westwood’s Deportation Continued

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Westwood,, 1931. Courtesy of C. Derek Anderson

The county wanted to oblige, but it had no funds. They deferred to take any action and turned the matter over to the federal immigration officials. J.C. Borden of the Immigration Bureau was brought in to investigate the situation. What he found on his arrival was that of the forty-five applicants only a handful were eligible to receive aid to pay for their return to Mexico. Yet, the issue was also moot, as Borden noted, because all the Mexicans had gone back to work. He informed the Board, should the issue arise again, that under a federal ruling any alien who had been in the United States for three years and becomes indigent can be returned to his native land with the cost borne by the federal government.
Yet, Red River’s actions caused a lot of anxiety and speculation among its Mexican workforce. In January 1931 rumors circulated that it was going to eliminate all Mexican labor. Red River issued a statement to ease fears among its Mexican employees: “The policy is to employ this [Mexican] labor on certain classes of work as they are very satisfactory in certain moderately well paid positions, do not move around looking for other positions which cuts down the cost of labor turnover. They are considered essential and desirable as part of the plant personnel. It is not the policy to employ outside Mexicans while work is scarce, but it is the policy to take care of those who have been here for some time and have proven to be good workmen and citizens.”

The deportation issue did arise again, as unemployment was persistent with the stagnant economy. In the fall of 1931, Lassen County transported more than one hundred Mexicans to San Francisco, who were then handled over to federal authorities to deport them to Mexico. The county deemed it was cheaper to pay the transportation costs than to provide aid. Many of the Mexicans were willing to leave, and those who had the means left on their accord. The issue was not isolated to Lassen County for 50,000 Mexicans throughout California had been deported that year.

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History

Westwood’s Deportation of Immigrants

Westwood’s Old Town, home of many of its immigrant workforce. Courtesy of Hank Martinez

Note: This was one of my early posts, that a few people expressed an interest. It should be duly noted that mills of Fruit Growers and Lassen Lumber & Box also hired large contigencies of immigrants.

One of the more unusual annals in Red River’s history was deportation. Red River hired a large percentage of foreigners whether it be Scandinavians, Italians or Mexicans. With the downturn in the lumber market, the company was forced to layoff some of its workers. If they thought that the layoff was temporary, they allowed the affected worker to remain. By 1930, however, Red River sought alternatives, as they could no longer bear the financial burden.

In December 1930 Red River notified the Lassen County Board of Supervisors of the lay offs and sought aid to provide for the unemployed Mexicans in Westwood, with the emphasis to pay the costs for their deportation. This had not been the first case where aid for the indigent and/or deportation had been raised by Red River. In the fall of 1929, the first deportation occurred at Westwood. Six members of the Phil Trudeau family, who were in the country on a visitor’s permit, were returned to Canada and eight Mexicans were deported to their native land.

On January 5-6, 1931, the Board of Supervisors held a two-day hearing concerning the deportation of Mexicans at Westwood. There were forty-five indigent Mexicans at Westwood who had been laid off and Red River took care of their needs. Again, Red River felt that it was either the county or the federal government’s obligation to provide them with food and other basic necessities and not the company. The Mexicans did meet the requirements to receive government aid. Even though they were not citizens, they were legally here and had been previously employed.

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History

John A. Hanson, Photographer

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Main Street, Susanville, 1885. Courtesy of Betty Barry Deal

Today’s feature photograph was taken by John Hanson, who operated a photography studio in Lassen County during the early 1880s. An interesting footnote one could purchase this print for $2.00.

Hanson, a native of Denmark, first came to Lassen County in 1881, where he set up shop at Bieber. Previous to that he was in San Francisco. His brother, whose first name remains unknown came to Bieber and set up a photography studio there, while John moved to Susanville. Like so many photographers in the rural west, they rode the circuit to surrounding communities in search of business. Hanson, like his colleagues, never remained in one place long enough, that we know very little personal information about them. Hanson did find romance in Susanville and married Miss Fannie F. Streshly there on October 31, 1883. Thankfully due to newspaper excerpts we know that Hanson took photographs of the Juniper Mine at Hayden Hill, as well as an assorted views of the many other places in the region. Most of that type of work has never surfaced. In 1885, he departed to Inyo County and never returned back to Lassen.

One of the lingering questions is whatever became Hanson’s negatives? This also applies to others in his profession, such as Herman Brince who did exceptional work here in the late 1870s. Brince died in 1882 in New Zealand, and it would have been rather doubtful that he would have hauled his work there, considering it would have been glass plate negatives.

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History

Fruit Growers, Camp C

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Camp C, no date. Courtesyof Lenala Martin Collection

During the 1920s, Fruit Growers Supply Company operated six railroad logging camps in the vicinity of Martin Springs, located between McCoy Flat Reservoir to the south and Pine Creek Valley to the north.

Camp C had a unique feature not found in other logging camps. It should be duly noted that Fruit Growers valued their employees and took good care of them. In 1923, Fruit Growers built an outdoor boxing/wrestling area that seated 500 at Camp C. On June 23, 1923, the inaugural wrestling match was held between Susanville resident Bill Mohler and Paul Kinney of Omaha, Nebraska. A special train from Susanville was dispatched to Camp C to allow their mill employees to attend.

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History

Deep Hole Station Massacre, 1869

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The grave of Hiram L. Partridge, Susanville Cemetery, April 24, 2018

The Deep Hole Station in the Smoke Creek Desert was one of several outposts on the Nobles Emigrant Trail. It was established in 1856 Ladue Vary, who spend the remainder of his life propsecting the mountains of northern Washoe County. In 1862, Thomas Bare sold the Deep Hole Station of Hiram Partridge. A few years later, Sylvester Coburn became a partner with Partridge in the station.

In summer of 1869, all seemed tranquil there. There was a small Indian encampment near the station, on the some of the Indians worked for Coburn & Partridge in cutting hay. The encampment disbanded and purportedly went to Summit Lake. On July 27, 1869 Coburn and Partridge went a mile or two from the station to cut sagebrush for fuel. Tranquility ended. When loading the wagon the initial attack began when Indians shot Coburn in the chest and ankle. Fear raced through Partridge who fled the scene on foot, but was soon overtaken. He was shot three times, in head, chest and ankle.

On August 4, 1869, John Partridge of Susanville and a cousin of Hiram, went to Deep Hole to retrieve the bodies. The following day the two men were buried in the Susanville Cemetery.

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History

The “Villefacation” of the Honey Lake Valley

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A Lassen (Janesville) postal cancel

In 1910, with no concrete substantial proof that a railroad would traverse the Honey Lake Valley, the Lassen County Chamber of Commerce remained positive that one day it would happen. In an attempt to be proactive, they approached the Susanville City Council to rename the town. It was their contention that the suffix “ville” carried on the conotation of a small village. They wanted something with a metropolitan flair. It was a sensitive issue, since the town’s namesake Susan Roop Arnold still resided in the community. The chamber wanted the matter placed on the ballet. The council said no, case closed.

In 1912, with the Fernley & Lassen Railroad a reality, the real estate community was in full force to rid the Honey Lake Valley of town’s ending in “ville.” The first victim was Spoonville, which became Edgemont. The next one, Janesville, was controversial. well. On July 2, 1914, the Janesville Post Office was renamed Lassen. This did not set well with many of the town’s residents. A petition was sent to the Postmaster General to restore the name, but it was denied. It led to confusion since the town was known as Janesville, but its mail designation was Lassen. In 1923, the residents once again petition the postal authorities to restore the name.  It was granted and on September 22, 1923, the Lassen postal designation was dropped.

Janesville Masonic Hall,circa 1912.

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