Years ago, California counties each had several townships and they  had a Justice of Peace and Constable. The justice court, then,  presided over many cases such as minor infractions of the law.  They also performed many marriage ceremonies and even presided coroner’s inquests when necessary.

On the November 3, 1914 ballot, there were seven candidates of Justice of Peace of Township No. 2  and they were: Clinton DeForest; Granville Pullen, T.T. Gross, R.R. McMurphy, Guy P. Thomas, Frank Alexander and Gilbert DeForest. The Lassen County townships, it should be noted did not have the same boundaries as the County Supervisorial Districts. Township No. 2  at that time included Janesville, Johnstonville and Secret Valley.

Clinton DeForest won election with 102 votes. Granville Pullen garnered 54 votes. When Pullen filed his expense account he paid $2.00 for candidate cards and $1.00 for Auto hire. In the total he put “$3.00 Fun”. Out nothing, got nothing. He stated that he had much fun on the campaign trail.

A final footnote. The salary then for the Justice of Peace was $25. a  month and the Lassen County Superior Court Judge was $4,000 annually.

Tim

Well, it is the dog days of summer. California is the birthplace of so many things, and motels just happen to be on the list. It was Pasadena architect named Arthur Heineman who coined the name motel–a combination to motor and hotel. In the fall of 1925, he built the first motel in San Luis Obispo,

After World War II, the  kitchsy roadside motels were quite the rage. Janesville resident, Clyde Knox, was on all board as the wig wam theme that proved popular elsewhere.. While Knox never completed them, they are an architectural gem for that town.

Tim

It is the merry month of May, and it means many things to many people. For me it is Memorial Day month. When I was growing up in the day it was a  big family gathering. After we cleaned the family plots, place flowers in the Diamond Crest, Janesville, Lassen and Susanville cemeteries the family adjourned for sit down lunch in Pinto Room in Hotel Mt. Lassen.

While those days are. long gone, over the years I have worked in the various cemeteries. I researched the property titles when Lassen County acquired them and have assisted with countless people navigating cemetery plots,  assist with inurnments etc. Needless to say there are individuals who think I am in the charge of the Lassen County cemeteries. I am not. That responsibility is the Lassen County Public Works Department. However, I still receive calls and I assist when I can.

I do have an assortment of cemetery stories. One in particular is a stand out. This happened twenty years ago, when I was working in the Janesville Cemetery. A couple approached me, since I knew by their look they were confused and lost. They were lost. When I inquired whose grave they were looking for, I explained that person was buried in the Lassen Cemetery and gave them approximate location of where that was grave was located. Upon leaving, the woman exclaimed, “Why don’t they bury people in alphabetical order?”

It is a small stream that flows through Janesville and is tributary to Baxter Creek. It was named for Ferdinand A. Sloss (1832-1889) who came to the Honey Lake Valley in 1859. In 1860, Sloss opened a combination saloon and bowling alley at that then booming mining community of Richmond. The boom was short-lived he relocated to Janesville along the creek that bears his name. In 1872, Sloss sold his property at Janesville and relocated at Susanville.

Tim

In the spring of 1882, Hiram Dakin and Hiram McCellan proprietors of the Milford Flour Mill began making plans to build a new mill. After all, the Milford one was constructed in 1861, and it had outlived its purpose.

The first order of business was where to build the new mill—Buntingville or Janesville. Buntingville was just beginning to flourish, it being a popular stop for travelers heading north to Modoc County. After careful consideration Janesville emerged as victor.

On June 8, 1882, construction of the three-story structure began on Main Street, a just a little north of the prominent large oak tree that still remains. When the mill was placed into operation in September, the residents knew it—at seven a.m. every morning the steam whistle blew. In 1886, J.K. Gehring purchased the enterprise known as Honey Lake Mills for $6,000. In 1918, Gehring closed the mill, he being 81 years old, and with the new Honey Lake mill in Susanville, no buyers were interested. In the early 1920s, the mill was dismantled and James H. McClelland purchased the lumber to use on his ranch.

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This was not a military encampment. Susanville’s Roop’s Fort also known as Fort Defiance had no military affiliation either.

By the end of 1859, tensions were fraught between the Indians and the settlers. Then the following spring witnessed the outbreak of the Pyramid Lake War of 1860. Residents of the Honey Lake Valley took precautions and fortified themselves at different places. At Janesville, the residents built a stockade measuring 63’ x 90’ from pine logs that were12 to 14 feet high. After the fears of Indian attacks had subsided, the fort was used as a private school from 1861-1864. In 1865, the school was abandoned and area residents helped themselves to doors, windows and anything else they wanted. Asa M. Fairfield wrote, “The stockade stood for a good many years and fell down a log at a time.”

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In 1913, the Lassen Weekly Mail published a special Railroad edition extolling all the virtues that Honey Lake Valley had to offer. In that same year B.R. Holmes purchased the Janesville Hotel. He renamed it the Diamond Mountain Inn. He made numerous improvements and placed wood shingles for the exterior.

The following is a description of the place that appeared in the Mail’s special edition:

”Situated at the foot of Diamond Mountain, in the beautiful and picturesque Honey Lake Valley this hotel offers every attraction that the tired and worn out city denizen can desire. Sparkling mountain water, direct from the snow clad peaks of old Diamond, pure as Nature itself, is piped throughout the hotel.

“Everything modern that goes to make for the comfort of guests is provided, and no better place in the state of California to spend the summer months. Fresh, crisp vegetables are served direct from the garden and purest milk and cream and other farm products will always be found on the table.

”In Janesville will be found some of the finest gardens in Honey Lake Valley and those belonging to the hotel are among the best. The Diamond Mountain Inn is not compelled to serve canned vegetables to its guests, neither does it supplies lay for days in commission houses and the baskets of green grocers.

The hotel is surrounded by a fine growth of old elms, which adds beauty and comfort of then hostelry.

“The Diamond Mountain Inn is the ideal headquarters for the sportsman. Game of all kinds abound in the nearby mountains. Deer may be found within easy distance and opening of every season finds sportsmen on hand. Wild fowl are plentiful and no difficulty getting the limit. Within a few miles my be found cold streams teaming with game mountain trout.”

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It was on November 5, 1923 when the post office name at Janesville was finally restored. It was on July 2, 1914, when the post office name was changed to Lassen. This was done by a real estate promoter with the arrival of the railroad in the Honey Lake Valley. It was deemed there were too many towns ending with “ville.” Some thought the suffix carried a stigma of a small village. This did not set well with many of the town’s residents. After all the town’s name did not change, nor its voting precinct or school. The residents did not like it and petitioned the Postmaster General to restore the name, but it was denied. In 1923, the residents once again petitioned the postal authorities to restore the name.  It was granted on September 22, 1923, but it was not until November 5 when official change occurred.

Tim