Ruth “Ma” Potter (1886-1965) was a Susanville institution of sorts. In the early 1930s, the Utah native, opened a maternity home at Main and Park Streets, the current location of the closed  Rite Aid. She continued on until 1963, when she finally retired. It should be noted that her home was moved to South Street in 1966 to make way for United California Bank. There is a plaque in the sidewalk marking the site.

During the time when Potter’s was in operation, one was either born there or at Riverside Hospital, the latter no longer exists. While my three siblings were born at Potter’s, I decided to be different or difficult, whatever the case may be, and was born at Riverside Hospital.

Tim

P.S. – There was the Lassen County Hospital. My Aunt Irene Bengoa Purdy worked there in the 1950s and the 1960s, She referred it as “County.”  Births there were rare, and basically it those that were indigent. This would all change in 1963, when Lassen County built the Memorial Hospital which replaced Potters and Riverside.