Category Archives: History

History

Roop County, Nevada

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Roop Siding
Roop Siding on the Fernely & Lassen Railroad just north of Pyramid Lake, April 1966. Courtesy of Gil Morrill

After nearly 100 years after Lassen County was created in 1864, some historians thought it really should have been named Roop County. However, that would have been problematic, since across the stateline in Nevada was Roop County. Nevada officials were critical of the Roop name, J. Wells Kelly, who compiled the First Directory of Nevada Territory  questioned the choice of the name and stated that it should have been named Lassen County. Kelly wrote: “Every dictate of gratitude and propriety, suggested the name of Peter Lassen—the noble old pioneer who, the first to enter, finally lost his life in exploring these wild regions—as that which should have been bestowed upon the county.” The after effects of the Sagebrush War reduced Roop County to a long narrow strip of land from Pyramid Lake to the Oregon border. Since it was a sparsely settled territory, with no town, the Nevada Legislature, on February 18, 1864, attached it to Washoe County for judicial and revenue purposes. On January 16, 1883, it was officially abolished and made a part of Washoe County

History

Spalding vs. Spaulding

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John S. Spalding’s second homestead at Eagle Lake, circa 1919. Courtesy of Wyn Wachhorst

From time to time, people ask why Spaulding Tract is not spelled as Spalding after the John Spalding family who was the initial developer of the subdivision on Eagle Lake’s west side. It is more of a technical issue involving property title. In essence, there are two Spalding subdivisions. The 1914 subdivision was smaller in scale and never had any financial success, as only one was lot sold. A decade later, the current Spaulding Tract that we know, overlaps sections of the original one, thus the “u” was inserted into the Spalding name to distinguish the two.

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History

Japanese Internment Camp for Lassen County?

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Madeline Plains
In early 1942, the U.S. Government was frantically evaluating possible sites for internment camps for Japanese citizens in the western states. Tulelake was considered as a site due to the potential for agricultural production using internee labor. In April, 1942, civic organizations in Tulelake, Malin, Merrill, and Klamath Falls objected to locating a camp at Tulelake and instead suggested it be located on the Madeline Plains. However, the government decided on Tulelake, and the possibility of an internment camp on the Madeline Plains was ended.

Information from Forced Farming in America, Agriculture at the Tule Lake Relocation Center, 1942 – 1946, by Michael David Schmidli. Copies available at Margie’s Book Nook

History

500 Cottage Street – Susanville

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500 Cottage Street, Susanville, California
Okay, I am posting a shameless plug, but I do want to get the word out that the old Purdy home at 500 Cottage Street, is on the market. For details contact Linda White at 530-310-2930 or realtychicks@gmail.com

On the other hand, I will still provide some historical material related to the property, since there have only been two structures located there. Susanville first’s church, the Congregational Church was built there in the mid-1870s. In 1906, Susanville merchant, Charlie Emerson purchased the abandoned church, and moved it to 607 Cottage Street where he converted into a warehouse. In August 1915, that building caught fire and destroyed most of that block. In 1929, Wes Emerson built the house on the old church lot.

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History

Lassen’s Volcanic Ash

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June 1914 Eruption

When Lassen Peak came to life in 1914,  those residing to the east due to prevailing winds had to contend with the volcanic ash fallout. On the morning of May 22 1915, the most dramatic eruption occurred. The mountain was reported to be in a continual state of eruption. At 4:30 p.m. Lassen burst forth in a spectacular display, spewing forth a mushroom cloud of volcanic ash some four miles into the atmosphere. The eruption, recorded as number 174, lasted nearly an hour, dropping ash from the sky all the way east to Winnemucca, Nevada, nearly 300 miles distant. After the big eruption, activity greatly subsided, and for the remainder of the year there were only thirty-four eruptions cited.

Susanville resident, Med Arnold, happened to be fishing at Eagle Lake at the time of the eruption. Arnold stated the whole region was covered with volcanic ash, giving the appearance that it was coated with alkali dust. Arnold further noted enough ash fell from the sky to muddy the lake’s water. Janesville resident Gordon Rice, was optimistic about the situation, stated, “Lassen Peak is good to Lassen County; volcanic ash is a splendid fertilizer.”

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History

A Lake Almanor Conspiracy

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Lake Almanor, 1926.

I enjoy a good folklore story, as well the conspiracy theories. Believe me through the years, I have heard many a tall tale. Those residing in the region in what became Lake Almanor held on to their firm belief that the Lassen Peak eruptions were caused by the filling of the newly created reservoir. As John Kelley of Warner Valley recalled: “Hell, there ain’t nothing funny about that old mountain blowing up. Those power people filled that Lake Almanor down there, the water seeped back through them cracks and hit them hot rocks. That caused a lot of steam, and that old mountain just had to blow.”

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History

101 Nite Club

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The 101 Nite Club was perhaps the liveliest of the four roadhouses between Susanville and Westwood. It is also the least documented, providing a challenge to unearth its story. The club took its name from the 101 Ranch and was located directly across from the ranch house. The operators leased the property from the McKenzie family, owners of the 101, but what the arrangements were is open to speculation, since those documents were never recorded.

101 1941
The 101 as it appeared in 1941. Courtesy of Dina Matteucci

The 101 was established in late 1937 or early 1938 by Old Town resident Steve Actis. It was a large structure containing a bar and dance floor and live music was a part of the routine operation. In addition, there was a separate gas station and restaurant and a number of cabins behind the club. The cabins were rented out to loggers, but also provided housing for the musicians who performed there. Continue reading 101 Nite Club →

History

The 1912 Construction Boom

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The B.R. Zimmerman residence, 310 N. Roop St., Susanville.

1912 was an exciting time in Susanville with the anticipation of the arrival of the railroad. There was housing building boom. There were more houses constructed in Susanville in 1912, than the previous eleven years combined! It also ushered in a new architectural style, the bungalow, and the days of the Queen Anne style were over.

Interior of the Zimmerman residence. Both photographs courtesy of the B.R. Zimmerman Collection

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History

Susanville Bans Fireworks

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4th of July 1907.

In Susanville’s early years as an incorporated city,  it was remarkable what the council did. One of their actions, I still support today, and that is the prohibition of fireworks. The first time they banned fireworks was in 1906, following the aftermath of the San Francisco earthquake and fire. It was also a nod to the insurance companies who suffered tremendous loss from that event. It was their belief, as well as many other communities, that this preventive measure would reduce the risk of fires. Continue reading Susanville Bans Fireworks →

History

Whitehead Slough – Lassen County

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Whitehead Slough, near the old Whitehead Ranch. May 24, 2017

Once the Susan River flows past Standish it starts breaking up into various sloughs. Whitehead Slough was named for John Wesley Whitehead.  On September 10, 1886,  Whitehead, then a resident of Pyramid Lake, Nevada purchased 321 acres in the Tule District from Joseph D. & Sarah Smith for $3,000. In 1920, Whitehead retired and moved to Pacific Grove. On April 5, 1922, Whitehead sold his ranch to David and Royce Raker for $1,000.

Remnants of the Whitehead diversion dam. May 24, 2017

One final picture . . .

Whitehead Slough where it enters Honey Lake, 1984.

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