On July 2, 1928, the Lassen National Forest Service leased seven acres from Lassen County on Richmond Road for a tree nursery at $80 per year. It was named the Susanville Nursery. It was done under the direction William G. Durbin, the Lassen National Forest Supervisor. C.W. Corson, a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota was hired to be in charge of it and was so for many years. The initial goal was to raise 750,000 of pine seedlings over a five year period. In addition, experiments were done with cedar, fir and sequoia.
The first planting from trees from the nursery was done in 1929 to assist the reforestation of the burn on Antelope Mountain west of Eagle Lake. In addition, the nursery provided seedlings to the various national forests throughout California. It was unique that it was only large Forest Service nursery in California. In 1936, after the establishment of Lassen College’s Forestry program many of those students worked at the nursery.
In 1938, after the passing of William Durbin, the nursery was renamed to Durbin in his honor. Durbin served as the Supervisor of the Lassen National Forest from 1922-32.
Unfortunately, I do not at this time, have a date when the nursery ceased operation, but it appears sometime in the early 1950s. The property is best known today as Diamond View School.