When Fruit Growers decided to establish a mill at Susanville, there were a number of factors to be considered. Due to its size, they had to meet the 1913 Workmen’s Compensation Insurance and Safety Act. At Hilt, Fruit Growers had to establish a hospital and since Lassen County had built a new hospital in 1916, it was initially thought it could handle their needs. However, that was not the case.
Initially, they were going to build their own hospital, after all they would hire over 1,000 employees, plus their families would also need medical care. Then mysteriously, Dr. George S. Martin appeared on the scene, and a new hospital known as the Riverside opened its doors in January 1921, just north of Fruit Growers mill. This was a lucrative operation. Fruit Growers’ assessed its employees a $1 a month fee for health care, which those funds were then given to Dr. Martin to provide health/medical care for the employees. In addition, Dr. Martin was allowed to carry on a private practice to serve the needs of the Honey Lake Valley.
For the next four decades, Riverside Hospital was the main medical institution serving Susanville and the Honey Lake Valley. In 1960, changes were on the horizon when Lassen County built a new hospital, that eventually led to the demise of Riverside.