Tag Archives: Fruit Growers Supply Company

History

Sierra Shangri-La —Sponsors

1 Comment

It should be noted that the free publication was financed by advertisements of local businesses. I thought some might enjoy seeing some of the advertisements that appeared. Of the fifty-four businesses that are featured, only one is still in operation—that being the Fruit Growers Supply Company. While Fruit Growers no longer maintains a business presence, i.e., a sawmill, it still owns timberland in Lassen County.

On a somewhat related note, from time to time, I have been approached to place advertisements on this site. My preference is to have a clean appearance, without distractions, as so many websites are cluttered with annoying ads. Some may think I crazy for turning down extra revenue, but if making money was my sole purpose in life I would have found a different line of work.

Support

History

The Story Club Fire

Leave a comment
Story Club fire, August 14, 1944

Fruit Growers Supply Company’s famed Story Club was quickly destroyed by fire in the early morning hours of August 14, 1944. By the time the fire alarm went off and the fire crews arrived on the scene the three-story structure was entirely engulfed in flames. The only thing that could be done was to prevent the fire from spreading. By sunrise the building was reduced to rubble. Fruit Growers valued the loss at $40,000. For Stanley Arnold who had leased the club since 1930 now found himself without a job.

Story Club, 1924. Courtesy of Lola L. Tanner

The Story Club built in 1922 was a recreational facility for the employees of Fruit Growers. It was, however, open to all and many local organizations held functions there. Today, the site is now Riverside Park.

Subscribe

History

McCoy Flat

McCoy Flat, July 11, 2019

There are three McCoy Flats in Lassen County. Today’s feature is the McCoy Flat located approximately three miles west of Spalding Tract. It was named for Tehama County rancher Leo Lewis McCoy who used this area for summer pasture from 1874 to 1913.

In 1951, there was a lot of activity at McCoy Flat when the Fruit Growers Supply Company logged the region.

Log landing at McCoy Flat, 1951. Courtesy of the Fruit Growers Supply Company

Support

History

Riverside Hospital Sold

Leave a comment
Construction of Riverside Hospital, 1920. Courtesy of Ed Standard

On July 27, 1944 Dr. George S. Martin made the stunning announcement that he sold the Riverside Hospital located at 2005 River Street, Susanville. He sold it to two Susanville physicians Dr. Clair Burnett and Dr. J.W. Crever for a whopping sum of $825,000. It had been a profitable venture for Martin who came to Susanville in 1920 to establish the hospital. He had a lucrative contract with the Fruit Growers Supply Company to provide its employees with all their medical needs. At the time of the sale, Martin noted that over 12,000 patients had been admitted to the hospital in a twenty-three year span.

Riverside Hospital, courtesy of Betty Barry Deal

Subscribe

History

Large Ranches Sold

Leave a comment
The Fruit Growers ranch as it appeared in 1922.

That was the front page headline of the Lassen Mail of January 31, 1936. the newspaper reported that L.E. “Gene” DeForest purchased the Ramsey Ranch south of Susanville (Many people know this day as Les Allen’s Ranch on Richmond Road. Also included in the sale was the 1,400 acre Swain Ranch on the Madeline Plains.

The other big transaction was Fruit Growers Supply Company sold the ranch north of town along Piute Creek to the Republic Electric Power Company for $35,000. (The property today known as Susanville Ranch Park). Fruit Growers had acquired it in 1919, for Bagwell Springs that they intended use for the mill operation. The company spent several thousand dollars to build a pipeline from their to their mill adjacent to Riverside Drive (that later became Sierra Pacific). Not a drop of water flowed the pipeline. The downstream water users object and through the court obtained an injunction. After that Fruit Growers leased the ranch. Republic Power wanted to water rights to the spring since they also owned the existing Susanville Water Company and local electric company.

Subscribe

History

Harvey Railroad Logging Line

Leave a comment
The railroad bed converted into a road at Camp Harvey. Courtesy of Hank Martinez

In 1942 this railroad logging line had its origins at Halls Flat, near Poison Lake, headed into an easterly direction towards Harvey Mountain. By 1949, its entire length was just a bit over forty miles ending near Slate Mountain. When the culinary workers at the two logging camps along the line—Harvey and Stanford—went on strike in the spring of 1949, Fruit Growers Supply Company who operated the line decided to shut it down permanently. It was not a drastic action as it appears. They were approaching the end of their timber. In addition, company officials, stated the remaining timber could be removed from and shipped from its Camp 10 line as it approached Upper Gooch Valley. After all, the Harvey line and Fruit Growers Main line that serviced Camp 10 were within two miles of each other.

Never miss a story, click here to subscribe.

History

The Road to Camp 10, 1938

Leave a comment
Camp 10 cabins, January 10, 1952.

Okay, so it is kind out of whack to write about opening a railroad logging camp, while the calendar indicates we are heading into winter. However, the material is fresh at hand, and spring is not.

For those not aware, Camp 10, was a railroad logging camp of the Fruit Growers Supply Company, located west of Eagle Lake in Pine Creek Valley. One of the items that make Camp 10 unique was its longevity—most logging camps existed less than five years, and the logging company moved to a new a location. Camp 10 was established in 1928 and did not close down until 1952.

George Moore digging out a speeder at Camp 10, January 10, 1952.

On May 6, 1938, Lassen National Forest Ranger P.D. Hook boarded Fruit Growers logging train to plow the road open to Camp 10. Not only was there plenty of snow to be encountered in early May, but as expected downed trees across the railroad tracks. Hook noted in the Feather Lake area, north and east of McCoy Flat Reservoir there was still four feet on the ground. Also impressive was that Pine Creek Valley was still covered with a foot of snow.

Pine Creek Valley, June 27, 2015

Support

History

Halls Flat Continued

Leave a comment
Camp Harvey
Camp Harvey, 1947

Halls Flat came to life in a big way starting in August 1941 when the Red River Lumber Company established Camp Bunyan. This camp was unique from other Red River logging camps. Not only did it have a name and not a number, it was their largest camp that consisted of both temporary and permanent buildings. At its peak, it was the home to some 350 loggers, making it one of the largest seasonal communities in Lassen County. From Camp Bunyan a railroad logging line was constructed to the east in the company’s Blacks and Harvey Mountain timber tracts. In 1943, a second logging camp named Camp Harvey was established. At the end of the following of year, a major change happened when Red River sold to the Fruit Growers Supply Company. At the end of the 1946 logging season Camp Bunyan had served its intended purpose and was shut down. Its location remained a hub of activity since the log trains from Camp Harvey, plus the additional Camp Stanford, went to the Camp Bunyan site to connect with the Western Pacific Railroad that relayed the loaded log cars to the Westwood mill.

In the spring of 1949,the hustle and bustle of the connections of the Harvey line connecting with the Western Pacific at Halls Flat came to a sudden halt. The cookhouse employees at Camps Harvey and Stanford went on strike over wages. With no end in sight with negotiations, Fruit Growers permanently closed down those logging camps and the railroad logging line. Thus, Halls Flat returned to its quiet existence.

Support

History

Riverside Apartments, 1965

1 Comment
Fruit Growers Apartments, 1920s

In the summer of 1964, Robin McVickers and Fred Toler formed the Northlands Holding Company for their newest endeavor. The two men purchased four of the old Fruit Growers Supply Company’s apartments on Alexander Avenue in Susanville from the Eagle Lake Lumber Company. The buildings were completely renovated, became known as the Riverside Apartments when they were opened in September 1965. One building, in particular, was dubbed “The Chateau.” This building was specifically set aside as a dormitory for Lassen College students and could accommodate fifty-six students. This apartment complex still exists and is known as the Parkview Garden Apartments.

Subscribe

History

McClure Forest Fire

Leave a comment
July 11, 2019

The 1945 forest fire season was a busy one, but acreage was minimal comparison to other years. The McClure Forest Fire was the largest in Lassen County for that year. The fire was spotted at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, September 2, 1945, just south of Big Jacks Lake. It spread quickly, fanned by hot dry winds. As the Fruit Growers Supply Company had two railroad logging camps in the area—Harvey and Stanford—with in no time they had 750 men on the fire line. The Lassen National Forest dispatched a crew of 50. Three days later the fire was contained. In all, 5440 acres was consumed, 4000 of which was virgin timber.

Map of the fire location.

Never miss a story, click here to subscribe.