Category Archives: History

Commanche Creek

November 9, 2017 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

This was the original name for Baxter Creek. In the summer of 1855, Marion Lawrence, better known as “Commanche George,” made one of the first water diversions of any stream in the Honey Lake Valley. In 1864, Lawrence and B.F. Murphy claimed the Buffalo Salt Marsh in the Smoke Creek Desert as a salt mine—that Murphy developed into a profitable enterprise. Lawrence died in 1868 and was buried in an unmarked grave, one mile north of Peter Lassen’s grave

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History

Colony Dam, Susan River

November 8, 2017 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

In November 1897, the Colonial Irrigation Company of the Honey Lake Valley, part of the Standish Colony operation began work on the controversial Colony Dam on the Susan River, near that community. The construction of the dam outraged their neighbors downstream in the Tule District, who claimed it obstructed their water flow and riparian rights. The Tule folks took the matter to court and not only asked for an injunction, but demanded the $12,000 dam be removed as a nuisance. Lewis Brubeck, who owned the Smith place in the Tules (now the Fleming Unit of Fish & Game), also filed a separate lawsuit against the Company in 1898, as the waters of the river had been diverted, never reaching his property. The Brubeck verdict was important to the Tule people, for while Brubeck only received a damage award of $750, the court placed a restraining order against the Company, preventing the Company from irrigating any other lands until Brubeck’s lands were thoroughly irrigated.
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History

Remember Dyer Mountain?

November 7, 2017 Tim Purdy 2 Comments

A view of Westwood with Keddie Ridge in the background, 1955.

It was seventeen years ago on this date that voters approved a ballot initiative to amend the county’s General Plan, Zoning Ordinance and Westwood Area Plan to allow the development of a four-season resort near Westwood known as Dyer Mountain. It was proposed to build three golf courses, ski runs, along with thousands of houses, condos along with commercial retail projects. It became a contentious issue fought by environmental groups. Plagued with financial and legal issues the project has been derailed. I am sure there can be volumes about the topic.
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History

Cemetery Tours Explained

November 6, 2017 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

The grave of Jeremiah Wood at the Susanville Cemetery. March 17, 2016

After the County Courthouse Centennial Cemetery Tour several people inquired why I do not repeat this or other cemetery tours. It should be noted, I was asked this year to repeat the Westwood Centennial Cemetery Tour, however due to scheduling conflicts I declined. Though, I did provide the narrative should someone else want to lead the tour. Back to the question at hand. There are so many facets to explore i.e., Civil War veterans. Or another example there are nearly ten people buried in Susanville who were born prior 1800! In addition, there are other cemeteries to visit.

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History

Name that mountain – The answer

November 5, 2017 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Antelope Mountain on the west side of Eagle Lake. On July 28, 1924 a fire broke out from a steam donkey engine of the Fruit Growers Supply Company near Camp D. In the aftermath Fruit Growers constructed fire lines. The Lassen National Forest sent a bill to Fruit Growers for $156,000. In a negotiated settlement Fruit Growers agreed to replant 2,000 acres of forest service land and to contribute $1,500 annually for a ten year period for reforestation.

History

Smoke Trees Revisited

November 4, 2017 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Earlier this year I wrote about Smoke Trees and how the foliage changes with the seasons. In the spring it has a pinkish hue and then turns green for the summer. It is now fall and changes color for a third time—gold.

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A Smoke Tree on Roop Street, Susanville.

History

The other Washington School

November 1, 2017 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Washington School, 1916–D.M. Durst Collection

While many residents of the Honey Lake Valley were familiar with Washington School in Susanville, there was another Washington School in Big Valley that was established in March 1872. On Wednesday, November 12, 1887, the first school was destroyed by fire. The roof caught on fire from a defective flue while school was in session. The fire was not discovered until burning embers started to fall through the ceiling. Fortunately, no one was injured during the evacuation. In addition, everything was saved except for five desks, and, of course, the wood stove. After the fire, classes were temporarily held in John Finley’s house. A new schoolhouse was completed in September 1888, though it wasn’t until October 1889 that the voters approved a $550 bond measure to pay for it. The school closed in 1938 for lack of students and the following year it was annexed to Bieber. In July 1939, A. Jack purchased the abandoned schoolhouse for $35.

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History

Dracula and the Lassen Cemetery

October 31, 2017 Tim Purdy 1 Comment

In the fall of 2015 while recuperating from my hip accident it did allow plenty of time to think. I had considered doing a short Halloween Cemetery tour at Lassen Cemetery featuring some of the more colorful characters of our past. Of course the first stop would be the grave of Vlaad Eifilnar b. 1551 d. 1662. Those dates are not a typo folks. Some are under belief that was Count Dracula’s name. The marker of note is typical of the 1930s and who placed it there is not known. In addition, when the county put in a new water system, and added sod, the marker was moved and I do not know where to.

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History

Washington School – Then & Now

October 30, 2017 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Built in 1900-01 it was originally known as the Susanville Grammar School. During the boom era of the early 1920s when three more elementary schools were built in Susanville, brought about the need of school names, all named after presidents—Washington, McKinley, Lincoln and Roosevelt—and the grammar school became Washington. When the Washington School was condemned and torn down in 1948, it did find a bit of reincarnation nearby. The bricks were recycled and used to construct the residence at 709 Mill Street.

History

A tale of the Methodist Church

October 29, 2017 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Susanville’s Methodist Church, circa 1896. Courtesy of Philip S. Hall

For nearly the first fifteen years of Susanville’s existence it could said it was somewhat a scene of the old wild west, plenty of saloons, but no houses of worship. It was in the mid-1870s when two churches—the Congregation and Methodist—that the community started to become more civilized.

The construction of the Methodist Church at the corner of Lassen and Cottage Streets began in 1875. In 1877, with church nearing completion a bell was installed. The Lassen Advocate of June 23, 1877 reported: “The bell is already hung in the tower of the new M.E. Church. It is really a tony bell, its reverberations are heard for miles around. Our town is gradually taking on city airs.”

The bell it should be noted served a dual function for not only calling the faithful to worship, but it was the town’s fire alarm system for nearly three decades. However, it was no match for June 1900 fire that destroyed the church and three city blocks from Roop to Union. The bell survived that fire and when a new brick church replaced the old wooden one it was re-installed. The church was destroyed in the August 1915 fire and this time the bell did not survive.

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