In July 1925, the Susanville Hotel Company hired T.J. Rees, a Fallon, Nevada contractor, to construct a three-story 70 room hotel, on the former site of the Emerson Hotel, on the corner of Main and Lassen Streets. The estimated cost was $300,000. It was interesting to note, that the new hotel opened with little fanfare on April 27, 1926. There were skeptics who considered it a “white elephant” and would never be a paying proposition. A lot money has been poured into the building with little or no financial returns.

On a side note, Rees was in Susanville to construct the Masonic Temple. In the same time period, Rees was awarded construct the American Legion building which was completed on August 12, 1926.

Tim