600 Nevada Street, Susanville, circa 1911. Courtesy of Dick & Helen Harrison
If you have been the following news lately, this marks of the twentieth anniversary Hurricane Katrina that devastated New Orleans. The City owned a vacant building at the corner of North Roop and Nevada Streets. The structure built in 1895, was converted into apartments in 1941. The City purchased the property in the early 2000s, and offered the apartments to refugees from Hurricane Katrina. Those individuals would be the buildings last occupants.
In 2008, the building was placed on the City of Susanville and Lassen County historic landmark register. The city would spend the next several years as to what to do with the structure. In the spring of 2014, the city had the building demolished.
Recently, I came across a dozen 2019 CDs containing senior photographs from the Lassen High School Classes of 1907 through 2013. This was a by-product of the Yearbook Preservation Project by Charles “Chuck” Dickens and myself. I offer them on a first come, first serve basis. Though not mandatory, a five dollar donation would be appreciated to cover the mailing cost.
Riverside Hospital, Susanville, 1940 courtesy of Betty Barry Deal
Personally, this is a historic day for me. It was on this date, ten years ago, at Renown Hospital in Reno, Dr. Bray of Reno Orthopedic Clinic point blank said to me “You are going to die.” He abruptly left my room, and I never saw or heard from him again.
What happened. On the evening of August 15, I had shattered my right hip. An interesting tale to say the least. The next morning Dr. Bray was my surgeon. Twenty-four hours after surgery, he visited me, and was disgusted because I could not walk. It should be noted, that he hollowed out my femur and inserted and stainless steel rod, connecting to myknee. For the next three weeks I was not able to put any weight, per Reno Orthopedic doctor’s orders, on the injured leg.
Every quarter, for a year, I would have follow up appointment at Reno Orthopedic. Dr. Bray assigned an intern to me. The intern criticized me for walking with a limp. Fast forward several years later, it was revealed to me that during the hip surgery Dr. Bray performed, he shortened my leg by two inches, and never told me about it. Hence, that explains why I have a balance problem while walking.
Oh well, it’s water under the bridge, but ten years later Dr. Bray’s prediction never came to fruition. So here I am still conducting research and writing about the regions past. One positive benefit as a result from that accident, is I have sixty days of post scheduled, just in case of an emergency. At the moment, I am working on the wild horse issues of yesteryear, scheduled for November 7.
The City of Susanville should erect these signs, since now day, the odds are greater to hit a deer with a vehicle inside the city limits rather than the highway. More about this topic later.
The Grandstand on fire, July 5, 2025[photograph submittedOn Saturday morning, July 5, 2025, the wooden grandstand at Susanville’s Memorial Park went up in flames. So here is a little history about the structure and the park.
Since the 1880s the residents wanted to have a park with a children’s playground among other things. Fast forward to the 1920s, Susanville became a baseball town. The Fruit Growers and Lassen Lumber both sponsored semi-professional baseball teams. A bit trivia. Those who remember Henry Matteucci, long time owner of The Pioneer, he first came to Susanville as a baseball player for Fruit Growers.
July 5, 2025-photograph submitted
In the 1920s, many thought that the current location of the Memorial Park was ideal. It is a complicated story, but negotiations stalled. After World War II, the park movement was revived. It was M.E. “Mul” Mulroney who a guiding force behind it. The property was owned by Cy and Eleanor Houghton, and the asking price was $7,000. The community raised the funds, presented it to the city and the purchase was complete. However, the city had no funds, so again the community came forward they raised funds and donated labor to do the landscaping, equip the children’s playground and a wading pool. Fruit Growers donated the lumber for the grandstand and it was built by volunteer labor.
Memorial Park, 1948
In 1949 after the improvement were completed, the park was officially dedicated. All was well, until the early 1970s, when the grandstand was a frequent target of vandals. The situation was out of control and in May 1974, the City Council debated whether it should be torn down. City building inspector George Dotson stated that with proper maintenance and care the grandstand could last as much as 25 years. It should be noted that replacement cost was estimated at $50,000. Fire Chief, Ray Berettini stated that the grandstand was a fire hazard, but it was least far enough away from other structures to limit damage. It was the public response that was in favor of keeping the grandstand, and thus the grandstand was spared demolition.
In recognition of the upcoming Centennial of the Rotary Club of Susanville, our incoming president Todd Eid has launched an ambitious program to raise $5,000 to $7,000 to fund the acquisition of an additional 100 flags to add to the club’s Main Street Flag Trailer. Presently, we have 103 flags, that accommodate 51 holes on one side of Main Street and 52 holes on the opposite side. This would bring the inventory of flags on the trailer to more than 200.
With all the concrete work that has been done in recent months, we only have around 75 holes currently in use and the club is in the process of reestablishing the holes in the new concrete areas. With the pending completion of the East Side Gateway, there will be room for an additional 20 to 25 holes to be drilled and new flags to fly. Expanding the program will allow for more impact and doubling the presence of flags to fly during the 10 to 12 holidays the club deploys..
Since this coming Rotary Year will be our 100th Anniversary, it was also thought that it would be great, with the sunny weather we have most of the year, to fly the flags for at least 100 days during the year. This would include the usual holidays, but celebrating our 100 years, let’s fly the flags more often and show our pride in our community during the coming 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
The new Rotary flag pole was featured in 2016 Lassen County Fair Parade–Jim Chapman
To accomplish this goal, the club is seeking the support of the community and we have had many generous donors in the past that has sustained the expense for the flag trailer the last 35 years since the club inherited the task from the former Lion’s Club. Thanks to Jessica Miller, the new owner of Susanville Supermarket, who suggested that we make available the Flag Card at the check stands at IGA to give people the chance to add to their purchase and donate to the Flag Trailer. So, you will find the attached card where you can make a $5.00 donation when you purchase your groceries. For those who want to make a larger donation, cards are available for $25 and $100, as well. For those living out of the area and would like to contribute you can send a donation to Rotary Club of Susanville, P.O. Box 1291, Susanville, CA 96130
Thanks to Todd, Jessica and so many other members of the club, it really is happening.
Franch Ranch, Secret Valley, 1936 – C.H. Bennett Collection
There will be a 2026 calendar. It is one of those projects that is always on the back of my mind. This is when it gets serious as to photograph selection. There are some photographs, I particularly like, but will be rejected, due number of a factors. Actual production does not begin until the fall with a release goal of late October.
Today marks the beginning of meteorological summer. In advertising circles, Memorial Day Weekend is in the unofficial start of summer. Yet, it the Summer Solstice does not occur on June 20, this year.
Whatever the case may be, with longer daylight hours, warmer temperatures and the school year coming to an end, a lot of people have the tendency to travel. California is a large and geographical diverse state. It has 58 counties and 280 state parks. Yet, five counties do not have a state park–Inyo, Lassen, Modoc, Sierra and Siskiyou. The other common trait of these counties that they are border counties.
Well, the title does seem morbid, I can and will explain. However, for me, with Memorial Day approaching it is cemetery season. As I take cue from late radio host Paul Harvey, I going parley the rest of the story. This a two-fold approach. There will be an on line article, with follow up story that will be sent only to subscribers. After all, not only do I know where the bodies are buried, but the stories behind them.
The inaugural story will debut on May 24. It will depict a 1949 logging photograph. The follow up story that will be sent subscribers, about how that photograph relates to Philip Hall and his tenure as a Lassen Museum volunteer, though the vernacular has upgraded to docent. The next installment is titled the Dark Side of Susanville’s Eastman’s Studios. Stay tuned.
This is just a friendly status report on topics requested from April’s Ask Tim post. There is recommended reading of Evans and Riddell book about the Honey Lake and Maidu. The pre-history of Herlong Junction and that of Tom and Zoe Clayburg. The mythical Bloody Springs. Finally, the naming and slow evolution of Susanville’s Mark Street.
In recognition of the upcoming Centennial of the Rotary Club of Susanville, our incoming president Todd Eid has launched an ambitious program to raise $5,000 to $7,000 to fund the acquisition of an additional 100 flags to add to the club’s Main Street Flag Trailer. Presently, we have 103 flags, that accommodate 51 holes on one side of Main Street and 52 holes on the opposite side. This would bring the inventory of flags on the trailer to more than 200.
