The former Compton House,North Weatherlow Street, Susanville—Jere Baker
Compton Park name implies it is a recreational facility, when in a fact it is a small housing tract. It is located along Chestnut and Weatherlow Streets. On November 1st, 1945 the Compton family took possession of the 110-acre Taylor Ranch, which comprised a region on North Weatherlow Street. It was soon after that, Claude Compton and his son James began to subdivide the property for homesites. It did garner attention, as it was the first subdivision in Susanville since 1922. On January 15, 1946 the Compton Park subdivision was approved containing twenty-three lots.
Fruit Growers Camp Harvey Commissary, 1947–FGS Company
While yesterday we explored Rev. Parsons’ attempt to make Susanville a “dry” town” the Fruit Growers Supply Company did something unusual in their logging camps after Prohibition. Fruit Growers in their logging camps did something radical—they served beer. However, since it was known many loggers over indulged in alcoholic beverages away from camp, Fruit Growers was well aware of that fact. However, Fruit Growers’ policy then understood the value of taking care of your employees, they reciprocated the same to their employer.. To prevent any kind of over indulgence, one could only have two beers. As a preventive measure, for some one to sneak passed that limit, one was served the two beers at the beginning. People who worked in those Fruit Growers logging camps that I interviewed stated there were no issues or associated problems with the beer. There were some that thought. it was a nice amenity and stated how well they were treated by the company.
In January 1908, the Rev. N.M. Parsons of the Susanville Methodist Church began the first official prohibition movement in the town. The issue had informally been discussed since the early 1880s when there was a local chapter of the Women’s ChristianTemperance Union. Parson began his campaign by focusing on the social ills caused by alcohol. He circulated petitions to have the issue placed on the next municipal election ballot, scheduled for April 11, 1908. The City Trustees accepted Parsons’ petitions and placed the matter before the voters. There was one stipulation: it would be an advisory measure as to whether saloons should be banned.
It was a widely debated topic. The 1908 budget for the town was $3,498. There were two main revenue sources. One was the property tax assessment and it generated $1,815. The other was the liquor licenses which provided $1,424 to the town’s treasury. The town was operating on very lean times, with no spare funds for civic improvements.
Once thse figures were revealed, Parsons’ ballot measure was doomed. After all, if the City lost the money generated from liquor licenses, the only alternative to make up for the loss would be to increase property taxes. That appeared to be the voter’s consensus. The issue generated the highest voter turnout to date with 157 votes cast. The results: 110 votes to remain “wet” and 47 “dry.”
Cover of Journal No. 34 of the Shaw Historical Library.
Profiles: The Men and Women Who Have Made History in the Land of Lakes is the latest annual publication of the Shaw Library. If you are not familiar with these publications they are quality books in both content and production.
I have not had an opportunity to read my copy yet. There is a biography on Isaac Roop, as well as Sarah Winnemucca, Reub Long and a host of others. These are great books, and I highly recommend them.
Copies of “Profiles” can be purchased in Susanville at Margie’s Book Nook or by contacting the Shaw Historical Library by email at shawlib@oit.edu or by calling 541-885-1686.
Daniel McKissick ranch house, SecretValley, 1975–Grant & Lena Trumbull
Alas, the photograph featured is not the one the inquiry was about, but another McKissick ranch house in the same vicinity. The latter is distinct and can be seen along Highway 395, where a green meadow, with a tall stand of cottonwood trees surrounding an abandoned large two-story ranch house. In 1869/70 Daniel McKissick became the first permanent settler of Secret Valley. When the NCO Railroad was completed to Amedee, on the east side of Honey Lake, it created a lot of traffic for those headed north. The McKissick family established a stage stop/hotel to take advantage of the weary travelers. As time marches on, changes were on the horizon and by the the time the French family acquired it in 1925, the building had more or less been converted into a very large bunkhouse. Recently some one wrote a comment about it, and it appears below.
“The cottonwoods that previously lined both sides of the road approaching that old hotel are now gone. But the building remains, as evidenced by the following pictures and story assembled by creep girl who recently went there looking for ghosts for purposes of stimulation she apparently lacked. And I promise you, there were plenty of loud unseen forces at night upstairs at the time that me another cowboy lived downstairs in the 70’s working for a large cattle company.”
Susanville Cemetery entrance prior to the February 5, 2015 windstorm
Having spent considerable time in the local cemeteries, it is not always quiet resting place many would believe. It actually has a long history. Just because one is initially interrred there, does not mean its that person final resting place. When Fannie Knoch died in 1910 she was buried in the Susanville Cemetery. When her husband David Knoch passed away in 1911, his remains were taken to San Francisco where he was interred. He was not alone, for his wife’s grave was exhumed and transported with him.
In 1921, William S. Brashear filed a complaint with the Lassen County Board of Supervisors because in September of that year a non-family member was buried in his family plot. This I have learned is more common than you think. I received a call from Jack Rager’s family who upon arrival at the Lassen Cemetery were ready to intern his ashes in the family plot, only to find someone, with a headstone, was buried in his place. Then I had to deal with a good samaritan genealogist, who purchased and had placed a headstone for her relatives. It turns when the immediate family saw this, they were incensed, because while the family’s name were the same, they were not related. The headstone was removed, who knows whatever became of it.
The following account appeared in the Lassen Advocate’s Christmas Edition of December 14, 1923 that I thought some people may find of interest.
”About two years ago a small band of stray Elks got together in Susanville and decided that to properly carry out the wonderful principles of Elkdom a campaign would have to be launched to increase the little band’s numbers. This was done and a class of about forty good fellows were then taken into the Reno Lodge. A year later another class was taken in about the same size.
”Shortly after this the Antlers Club was organized and this property was purchased for the Antlers Clubhouse. The general plan of the building and the wonderful location, together with street improvements made it an ideal proposition to the purpose. It is admired by all city visitors and lately has become the social center of any events of the County.
”The fondest dreams of the members of the Antlers Club are about to be realized by turning their clubhouse into a Elks home. A charter has been applied for to the Grand Exalted Ruler, and has 162 members that are located here have signed the petition agreeing that as soon as the charter for a lodge in Susanville to demit from the Lodge which they belong and become charter members of a Susanville Lodge. In addition, about 100 good fellows are ready to join the herd.”
Fruit Growers Box Factory, Susanville, 1922–Ed Standard
While examining a Lassen County Chamber of Commerce file, it contains a number of mimeograph prints of various literature of the 1960s and 1970s.. The mimeograph machine was an economical way to make copies, since at that time copy machines were on the expensive side. If you have come across one of the old Lassen County Historical Society bulletins, they, too were mimeographed. It was a simple machine. A typed stencil produced, and it was then placed on a drum of the. mimeograph. Then one used the crank and printed out as many copies as desired. One could even change the color ink, though dealing with the ink could be a messy process.
While the above photograph is a press that worked similar to the mimeograph. In this case, wooden box slats were fed through press imprinting them with the name of the citrus grower.
Not all of the CCC projects required a substantial workforce. Back in 2018 I wrote about the Magpie Menance. In May, 1936, Ray Bowen of the U.S. Biological Survey had a small crew of men working on duck and goose nesting grounds in the Standish-Litchfield area. Another concern was predatory fowl, namely crows and magpies. These birds would attack duck nests and destroy those eggs.
Bowen requested from the CCC for five men to conduct a predatory fowl drive to at least reduce their numbers. In two days 285 crows and 450 magpies were killed, along with their nest. Asa Brown, State Predatory Animal Trapper expressed his belief, based on experience in this field, that the two days work would save approximately five thousand game birds.
My one and only golfing experience was history related. It was, one of the unique golf courses designed, and only used once. There were no greens, sand traps or water hazards. But there were hazards. I now understand why golf courses are devoid of boulders or anything that could send a golf ball ricocheting in any direction. However, of the dozen or so participants, only one had ever played golf.
The course, it should be noted, was a one-hole course, a mile in length. Tee off was on top of one of most historical remnants the Skedaddle Dam. The course went due north to Chalk Bluffs, which was the 1890 construction camp site for the dam. There is a nearby spring, with names carved in stone by some of the construction workers.
The dam site, 1916. Courtesy of Betty Barry Deal
In a footnote, Anne Bixby, whose home was at the Emerson Lake Golf Course gathered and donated hundreds of stray golf balls that she collected daily in her yard. Another person checked routinely at the Salvation Army and provided this eccentric group with golf clubs. In the end, a good time was had by all.
