Category Archives: News

An Interesting Document

Joe Morrison’s purchase a pistol, 1938.

At the moment, I am searching for the proverbial needle in the haystack. There  was the  retrieval of three Banker Boxes from storage that consisted of Lassen County archives that I retrieved in 1980 from going to the dumpster. The majority of the records are the original papers of the meetings of the Lassen County Board of Supervisors for the years 1911-1919. Of course, there are exceptions and there documents from the 1920s to 1940.

At the moment, I have two stacks of documents. The first, will be scanned and and I have the information surrounding them to share. They are quite interesting involving a variety of topics that are no longer  before the supervisors. The second is same, but those topics I have to research further.

Tim

 

Tanner Ranch – End of Era

Tanner Ranch, January 26, 2020

In closing of 2025, there is no longer a Tanner Ranch in the Honey Lake Valley. In 1870, William M. Tanner located on 160-acres along the Susan River once the site of Soldier’s Bridge. In 1883, Tanner sold forty-acres to Andrew Litch for $450 that later became the site of the town of Litchfield.

Tanner Ranch, though, had multiple locations, due to family deaths.. In 1928, John and Lola (Murrer) Tanner acquired the Capezzoli Ranch on Mapes Lane. Later they would acquire adjoining ranches–Hartson, Stampfli and Whitehead.

A view of the old Hartson Ranch, 1975

In 1945, John Tanner passed away. In 1973, Lola died, and the ranch was passed onto to their three daughters, Ardene, Joyce and Mary. It was Mary, who was the last  of three daughters to pass away in 2024. It was time for next generation to move forward. On September 29, 2025 Tanner Ranch sold to Matt and Randy Harkness and with it concludes a 155 year-old history of the Tanners in the agricultural community of the Honey Lake Valley.

The Tanner girls-Joyce, Mary, Ardene with Bud Driver, September 1942, Tanner Ranch

Tim

 

 

 

Welcome 2026-A Little Late

Susanville sunrise, October 29, 2025. Courtesy of Dan Newton

This is such a great photograph taken last fall, that I thought might be inspiring for the first day of the year, but alas malfunctions you did not receive notification on New Years Day..  For me I am looking forward 2026, since previous post was about Tanner Ranch, that consumed a lot of my energy in 2025, which I will repost.  Onward ho.

I hope to revive cemetery tours, I have an interesting one scoped out for Lassen Cemetery. I am also open to suggestions.

Lastly, I thank you for your patience about the daily notification glitch. I struggled for nearly week to resolve it. My knowledge of the inner workings of plugins and so forth has a lot to be desired. But we made it. I will blame it on the recent earthquakes, that changed the settings!

Tim

 

Butte Lake/Cinder Cone, Lassen Park

Butte Lake with Cinder Cone in the background

It is Christmas Eve, and what better way to take a moment to relax with this picturesque postcard of Butte Lake. The lake situated in the northeast corner of Lassen Volcanic National Park and is accessible from Highway 44 with a turn off to a dirt road, of about six miles. Because it is off the beaten path, there are no crowds and it does not feel like you are in a national park. If you never been there, or has it been a long time since you last visited, you might want to include in next summer’s list of places to go and see.

Tim

 

The Winter Solstice

Arnold Planing Mill, Richmond Road, Susanville, 1913.

Today brings a smile to my  face, for it marks at least one turning point of the winter season, even though it takes a few weeks to actually see it progress.  One of the things I dread about winter are the short daylight hours and now knowing that the pendulum will start working its way to bring more daylight. Actually, for those serious folks, on December 15, the sunset locally starts to get later, by a minute on that date. However, the sunrise keeps getting later, and does not reverse the trend until January 9.

Around these parts, historically the coldest and snowiest months are just ahead in January and February. Nearly all the record breaking snowfalls occur in mid-January. For those interested in forthcoming storms and especially the snow conditions I recommend The Tahoe Daily Snow.

Tim

Susanville Helipad Update

Exhibit A, early 1970s, Courtesy of the Lassen-Modoc Unit, California Division of Forestry

This is will be ongoing search for 2026. No documented information has surfaced so far. Individuals consulted have sketchy recollection or peripheral knowledge. Who knows may be some one will share this post to a person that could enlighten us.

Tim

Odometer Day

Lassen County Courthouse, July 7, 2025

Another year, another milestone. For those that has just tuned in, it was on this date, I made my debut at Susanville’s Riverside Hospital.  I am grateful, that my lifespan is longer than the Riverside that was built in 1921 and torn down in 1969. As tradition continues, this is my day off. 

Tim