The lizard played an important symbolic role in Maidu mythology. A lengthy account of the lizard of the Big Meadows (Lake Almanor) Maidu was published in 1883, and is included in my book The Lake Almanor Story. There is a lizard rock designated by the Maidu, east of Lake Almanor.
The Minnesota Historical Society is a wonderful institution that is also the home to the T.B. Walker papers and archives of the Red River Lumber Company. On my last visit I ordered over 700 pages of documents. There are a lot of tidbits that unfortunately, I could not include in the Red River series. To do so, would have made for some awkward reading.
The T.B. Walker papers contains tremendous amount of correspondence between the family members. In T.B.’s correspondence there is a sense of frustration as he found himself in a Catch-22 situation. After all, the California operation was for his sons to operate on their own. While he provided his thoughts and opinions, most went largely ignored. In 1916, he lamented that mammoth mill at Westwood was a colossal mistake. It was his intention that Red River build several small mills throughout their vast timber holdings of Northern California.
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A subscriber wanted to know what happened to the house located at 600 Nevada Street. It is somewhat an amusing tale. The house was built in 1895, and for many years it was the home of Elizabeth Bagin. In 1941, the residence was converted into apartments. In 2005, the last tenants to occupy the building were refugees from Hurricane Katrina. The City of Susanville had already acquired the building by then. In 2008, the building was placed on the City/County historic landmark register. The city would spend the next several years as to what to do with the structure. In the spring of 2014, the city had the building demolished.
In 1975, when the Lassen County Public Works Department proposed a new building on the north side of the courthouse that was shot down, the department did not give up. In the spring of 1976, a proposed Lassen County Master Plan was unveiled. A site of 10 acres had already been selected adjoining North Mesa Street. Construction would be done in phases with the ultimate goal of a county courthouse complex.
On September 7, 1976, the county board of supervisors approved the purchase of the Mesa Street property from the Paul Bunyan Lumber Company for $45,000. There was opposition with over 100 people in attendance against the measure. Susanville attorney, Joseph B. Harvey representing the Lassen County Tax Payers Association presented a petition signed by 889 registered voters opposing the purchase and that the matter be put to vote.
While the county went ahead with the purchase, no county complex would be constructed there.
Recently, Ken Doran of Wisconsin inquired as to whether Janesville, Wisconsin and Janesville, California were named for the same person. Doran stated that Janesville, Wisconsin was named for Henry Janes who settled there in 1836. A local legend in Wisconsin is that when Henry Janes came West that he founded other Janesvilles. A 1905 publication credits the naming of Janesville, Lassen County to Henry Janes.
Alas, that is not the case. Janesville, California was named for Jane Bankhead, wife of Malcom Bankhead, who was the town’s first postmaster when the post office was established there on December 19, 1861.
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.
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In the early 1960s, Lassen County was busy in building a new hospital adjacent to the one constructed in 1916. Once, opened the new facility would have a major impact on two healthcare facility—Potter’s Maternity Home and Riverside Hospital. “Ma” Potter took the opportunity to retire. The fate of Riverside Hospital was another matter. Irene Bengoa Purdy, a registered nurse, proposed to Dr. Fred Davis, Jr., they and others should purchase it and convert it into a convalescent hospital. Irene could not muster support to accomplish her proposal. In 1969, Riverside Hospital was torn down and replaced with the current convalescent hospital.
Ruth “Ma” Potter (1886-1965) was a Susanville institution of sorts. In the early 1930s, the Utah native, opened a maternity home at 1603 Main Street, the current location of Rite Aid. She continued on until 1963, when she finally retired. It should be noted that her home was moved to South Street in 1966 to make way for United California Bank. There is a plaque in the sidewalk at Rite Aid marking the site.
During the time when Potter’s was in operation, one was either born there or at Riverside Hospital, the latter no longer exists. While my three siblings were born at Potter’s, I decided to be different or difficult, whatever the case may be, and was born at Riverside Hospital.
Yet, on the other hand, it would be fun to have a reunion of sorts of all those who were born at Potter’s. Let me know what you think?
First of all, it is a view of the Amedee Mountains. Gold was discovered there in 1906.
Secondly, one is also looking at the Tommy Tucker Cave. This was a significant archaeological site excavated by archaeologists from the University of California from 1949-195 1. The cave is located 200 feet above the valley floor.
On this rainy day, it seems to be an appropriate topic. What is known today as Arnold Field at Lassen High School was originally a agricultural field, prone to flooding from the adjacent Susan River. After the spring floods of 1938, it was decided to construct a levee along the river to prevent future flooding. Once this was accomplished, the high school made more improvements including a new athletic field. In 1939, it was dedicated Arnold Field, a tribute to Med Arnold. Med was not just a member of the first graduating class of 1907, but was a coach for the school’s sports teams for many years.