Category Archives: History

History

Harrison’s Traction Engine

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Harrison's "might beast." Courtesy of Lola L. Tanner
Harrison’s “mighty beast.” Courtesy of Lola L. Tanner

1907 was a a most interesting one  in certain circles. There was a national financial crisis, but California and Nevada were experiencing a building boom. For the Golden State it was still in the midst of rebuilding the San Francisco Bay region from the previous year’s earthquake. For the Silver State, a mining bonanza it had not experienced since the discovery of the Comstock.  These two episodes created a lumber shortage. Lassen County’s timber resources had basically remained untapped due to the lack of a railroad infrastructure to develop it. Continue reading Harrison’s Traction Engine →

History

Lassen County Brand Index

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Recorded brand of J.M. Hagata

I am pleased to announce that the index of Book A, of Lassen County Brands is now online. This covers the period from October 20, 1864 when Thomas Watson was the first person to record a livestock brand to February 13, 1918, when the last brand recorded was for F. Lanigar & Son.

The index is quite interesting, especially who recorded their brand and who did not want. Take for instance the Hagata brand appears, but not the Wood brand or Wemple. Of some trivia, in 1875, Sarah Sornberger of Big Valley was the first woman to record a brand. In 1876, Charles Willard registered the first brand designated for sheep. While many associate sheep with the Basques, it was not until 1907 when Baptiste Alsaga became the first Basque in Lassen County to register a brand.

Click here to examine the brand index.

History

Susanville’s First Golf Course

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A view looking at the former Ridenour property with the Sella dairy in the foreground, 1950s. Courtesy of Wendell V. Loughead
A view looking at the former Ridenour property with the Sella dairy in the foreground, 1950s. Courtesy of Wendell V. Loughead

After World War I, a new sport captured the nation and Lassen County got swept up in that craze. Golf. It was A.G. Breitwieser of the Lassen Lumber & Box Company, C.W. Hallowell of the local hardware store and James Christie of the furniture store that became the main instigators.

In the spring of 1924 they negotiated a lease with S.D. Ridenour for a portion of his ranch three miles south of Susanville for a 9-hole golf course.  In a short time, their group became formerly known as the Susanville Country Club.

On May 11, 1924, the golf course was opened, hours sunrise to sunset. The fee 75 cents a day.

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History

Eagle Lake Water Levels

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Pine Creek, April 2, 2016. Courtesy of Annie Henriques Blank
Pine Creek, April 2, 2016. Courtesy of Annie Henriques Blank

Remember last fall how the weather gurus were predicting a “Godzilla” like El Nino? While the water flows into Shasta and Oroville lakes have been spectacular, the same does not hold true Eagle Lake. You may recall, last October I attended the Eagle Lake Interagency Board meeting, and of course, water levels were discussed. You can review that post here. While the water flow in Pine Creek has been impressive, the lake level has not risen that much. The current lake level as of April 1, 2016 stood at 5092.56. When it reached its historic low last October the level was 5090.60. There you have it the level of the lake so far has only risen two feet.

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History

Shirley’s

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Shirley's, Hall Street, Susanville. Courtesy of Hank Martinez
Shirley’s, Hall Street, Susanville. Courtesy of Hank Martinez

Shirley’s was a bar on the north end of Hall Street, the current site of the Juniper Apartments.  Established in the 1930s after the repeal of prohibition, by Jean “Shirley” Tilton, and its distance from town on a road heading to points northward was similar to the roadhouses between Susanville and Westwood. *

It was quite the interesting watering hole,  “Shirley”  a former nurse, was confined to a wheel chair, but remembered for her generosity. She was also a madam, and cabins behind her establishment took care of certain needs of her clientele. Then there was her friend, gay piano man, and member of Sacred Heart Church’s choir, that assisted her, until he committed suicide in 1938. When she died in 1954, Gene Garayoa and Steve Arainty transformed it into the Juniper Inn.

*Ash Street, was not in existence.

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History

Pioneer Traits

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The Lassen County Library bookplate used several local iconic features representing the pioneer era.
The Lassen County Library bookplate used several local iconic features representing the pioneer era.

One subscriber inquired about the traits of the original argonauts who settled California. Back in the early 1970s, I worked with Eleanor Vandeburgh at the William H. Pratt Memorial Museum in Susanville. Eleanor commented that the weak in mind never contemplated to endure the hardship to travel west; those who were weak physically died along the way and only those of a strong mind and physical traits survived. It is an interesting concept. Eleanor, however, left out another factor. Continue reading Pioneer Traits →

History

Westwood LDS Church

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Church of the Latter Day Saints, Westwood, June 14, 1943
Church of the Latter Day Saints, Westwood, June 14, 1943

On March 9, 1940 the Church of the Latter Day Saints held groundbreaking ceremonies on corner of Ash and Fifth Streets, in Westwood. This was the last house of worship to be constructed under Red River Lumber Company’s tenure at Westwood.

The church  was designed Caldwell and Richards, Los Angeles architects. After World War I, the LDS Church began to implement standardized plans. This particular church was the first to use this particular layout. The $9,000 church was built by volunteer labor and completed in four months.

In 1986, its congregation had grown, wherein they bought property in nearby Clear Creek and built a new church. In 1991, their old our church was acquired by Our Lady of Snows Catholic Church which they converted into a parish hall. However, with their new Lake Almanor church, it will be just a matter of time when this is placed on the market, and only time will dictate its fate.

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History

Lassen Union High’s Block L

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The "L" as it appeared on the mountainside in 1947. In the foreground is the Paul Bunyan Lumber Mill, now the area of WalMart, etc. Courtesy of Fred Lendman
The “L” as it appeared on the mountainside in 1947. In the foreground is the Paul Bunyan Lumber Mill, now the area of WalMart, etc. Courtesy of Fred Lendman

On February 18, 1928 the Lassen High Block L Society formed, that was the boy’s athletic organization. One of their first activities was the painting of the “L” on Susanville Peak. In 2008, Betty Jo Buckles Coplen provided me with this behind the scene account: “In 1924, my father, Maynard Robert “Billy” Buckles accepted a position teaching at Lassen Union High School, and we moved to Susanville. Four years later, members of the new Block L Society came to my Dad. They asked him to help them plan a Block L for them to lay out on the hillside. He helped them to design a letter L with the proper classic proportions (200 yards long). He also warned them that a letter of that size would be difficult to keep whitewashed. The Block L boys persevered and constructed the letter on the hill, moving rocks into the outline to be painted white. For decades as planned the freshman boys painted the letter each year, but eventually that practice died out.”

While the Block L Society no longer exists, the Lassen High Alumni Association has from time to time maintained it, the last time was done in 2008.

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History

Roseberry House

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Roseberry House412
An early day advertisement that Mrs. Roseberry dubbed her operation, the Green Tree House.

Located at 609 North Street, Susanville is the stately Roseberry House constructed in 1903 and is the community’s only bed and breakfast operation. However, a hundred years earlier, its owner then, also took in tourists.

The house was constructed for Thomas and Viola Roseberry. When Lassen Peak came alive as a real live volcano in 1914, area residents flocked to the mountain to take a look first hand. For Thomas Roseberry it was a fatal mistake for in August 1915, while climbing down the peak he died from a heart attack. Another tragic event occurred earlier in the month when the Emerson Hotel, located only two blocks from the Roseberry home was destroyed by fire.

These circumstances forced Viola into action. She made some remodeling changes to her home and began to take in travelers and boarders alike, which she would do so for another decade.

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