When Lassen Townsite’s unveiled its massive subdivision to the south of Susanville, there was a task of naming all the streets. The streets on the northside of the railroad tracks were named after investors such as Knoch, Pardee and Minckler. The streets to the south of the railroad tracks were named after California counties. When the Lassen Lumber & Box Company established its plant in 1918, they constructed their employee housing on the south side of the railroad tracks, it being adjacent to their mill.
That is right, a camel at the intersection of Main and Lassen Streets. B. Dorsey Collection
In 1916, the Al G. Barnes Circus advertised that his “The Only Real Wild Animal Show on Earth! was coming to Susanville. It was announced that there would be 65 animal acts and exotic animals from around the world. The circus never arrived, as the circus train derailed near Flanigan, Nevada.
Two years later, Barnes’ circus finally did make it to town. On May 8, 1918 crowds lined Main Street for a mile-long parade with exotic animals. At Halltown tents were set up for the performances. The only problem encountered this time was the typical erratic spring weather witnessed a few snow flurries during the day.
Notice the information Brown provided for his daughter’s birth.
Delbert Lester Brown (1890-1966) gave this most unusual address to his homestead that was situated on the bench above Pittville. Brown located there in 1914, after moving from Lakeview, Oregon. When Brown was digging a well by hand, he reached a point when it was necessary to blast out the rocks with dynamite. Brown set his charges into the well hole and tried to detonate them. Nothing happened, so he crawled into the hole to locate the problem. Brown discovered the charges had become damp. Since there was little light, Brown, with the claw end of a hammer, accidentally struck one of the blasting caps. Luckily, it did not go off. At that moment, Brown decided that the hand of the Lord was on his side and that he must change his ways. After that incident Brown began spreading the gospel and he became widely known as Preacher Brown.
Between 1930 and 1960 the majority of Susanville’s population was either born at Potter’s Maternity Home or Riverside Hospital. Potter’s was located on the 1600 Block of Main Street on the corner at Park. In 1966 the house was moved to South Street, as United California Bank acquired the property for a new location. The bank building was torn down in August 2015 and was replaced with a Rite Aid store, which opened in May 2016.
This is what the entire block looks like on May 14, 2016.
Looking north at the proposed reservoir, 1916. Courtesy of Betty Barry Deal
The Honey Lake Valley Irrigation District was an interesting creature, and one of many entities to reclaim the lands on the east side of Honey Lake. It was one of the last organizations to do so after others had tried for thirty years.
The district, like its predecessors, was faced with one gigantic problem, water. By 1916, when the district was formed, nearly all the water in the region had been claimed. After all the district claimed water from as a far away as Butte Lake, in Lassen Volcanic National Park to be diverted to Poison Lake, then a channel to Pine Creek, to Eagle Lake and so forth.
Looking north from the abandoned dam site, 2003.
In addition, they examined one of the closets sources to them, Skedaddle Creek. The district’s engineer, William Wales, noted that even though the drainage covered a relatively small area, it would be imperative to rebuild the original dam that had washed out some twenty years prior, not just as a water source, but to prevent flooding. Wales estimated that the reservoir would cover some 231 acres and hold on the average 5,000 acre feet of water. Wales recommended a new dam be constructed of concrete, at an estimated cost of $63,631. This district, since its inception, was plagued with financial and legal problems and none of their projects materialized.
Standish School, 1911. Courtesy of Esther McClelland
The school district was created on January 5, 1906. That summer the Wilbur Brothers constructed a $1,300 schoolhouse. On July 1, 1951, the residents of the Bridgeport, Soldier Bridge and Standish School Districts agreed to consolidate and form the Shaffer Union School District. The Standish School was subsequently closed.
It should be noted the Wilbur Brothers also built the Honey Lake and Missouri Bend schools, and all three are similar in design. Honey Lake school has been converted into a residence and no longer recognizable. Missouri Bend is still intact, and for awhile it has been used as a private school.
A planned metropolis of the Honey Lake Valley Land & Water Company, established in 1891. The company was involved in a major reclamation project for the eastern portion of Honey Lake Valley. The main water supply would be that of their reservoir, Lake Greeno, constructed on Long Valley Creek.
Paul Bunyan Days at Willard Creek, April 1970. Featured is the log rolling contest-student still standing is Howard Hanns and the student falling is Marshall Benedict. Photograph courtesy of D.B. Martin
This topic is certainly a work in progress, after all it does take a lot of research time to put together these daily posts.
Lassen College’s forestry department began in 1938, though now its major emphasis is on fire science, than forestry. It was in this era of the late 1930s and early 1940s that the forestry students developed a small winter recreational area known as Willard Hill. For several decades it was a very popular spot for sledding, etc.
Back to the topic at hand, Paul Bunyan Days. Any one out there who can shed more light on this? If so, please contact me.
It is never too late, subscribe today and enjoy tomorrow with daily notifications. You can also surprise someone with a gift subscription
In 1889, the Balls Canyon Reservoir Company employed surveyor, Frank Gates Ward (1857-1895), to survey a dam and reservoir site along Secret Creek where it enters the Honey Lake Valley. In 1889-90, the first reservoir was constructed. In February 1890, a flood washed out that dam. As one observer noted, the waters of Secret Creek began rising at a rate of two feet an hour and within three hours the 27 foot high structure, that measured 150 feet in length, was swept away. The company planned to rebuild but never did. In 1895, Edward T. Purser took over the project and a new reservoir was constructed, along with a twenty-mile ditch to his property near Wendel.
A most unusual phenomenon that can be found throughout the region and no longer just in Lassen County. The original shoe tree was located at Mud Flat, along Highway 395. In the 1930s, Jud Foster, of the California Highway Department, planted numerous cottonwood trees across Mud Flat. It was hoped that these trees would absorb and stabilize the roadbed so that it would not become so muddy. Only one tree survived and it grew to maturity. In 1979, when the highway was widened, officials considered removing the tree, but later reconsidered. Instead, the highway department made an impromptu turn out next to the tree. This turn out along a desolate stretch of road, where there are no trees, became a popular stop for travelers. Shortly thereafter, someone tossed a pair of shoes onto a tree limb. Slowly, through time, more and more shoes were found dangling from the tree. In the early hours of May 14, 1994, an unknown person(s) cut down the tree.
Never miss a story, click here, and support the site, too!
