During the 1880s and 1890s the residents of Susanville struggled with the issue of a much needed public hall. The Methodist Church was used for many public functions, including the annual community Christmas tree. On Decoration (Memorial) Day of 1898, after special ceremonies were held at the Susanville Cemetery, further presentations were then conducted at the Methodist Church. This time, church could not accommodate all those who attended. It was proposed that the community raise funds to enlarge the church. It gained momentum for awhile. Then on the evening of August 9, 1898 disaster struck when Susanville’s most prominent structure the Masonic Temple (better known today as the Knoch building) caught fire and the building entirely gutted. In the end, the Methodist Church was remodeled in the late fall of 1898, that allowed for extra seating, but the building was not enlarged.
In February 1899, the Susanville Town Hall Association was incorporated. It, too, was derailed by a fire the following year, but that event led to the formation of the City of Susanville.