Yesterday, we explored that in February 1917 the county accepted the newly constructed courthouse as complete. There were still matters to contend with the existing courthouse. The county hired Younie & Buckwalter, auctioneers to dispose of the old courthouse and its furnishings. The auction was held on April 21, 1917. Of course, the majority items sold one would expect such as desks, chairs, etc. There was a particular item that caught my attention a bird cage that sold for seventy-five cents. There is one relic that survives to this day and is functioning-the bell. Susanville Methodist minister Rev. Westervelt purchased the courthouse bell for $12.50. On Sunday mornings at 10:30 the bell is to put into action calling the faithful church. Back to the auction, the total proceeds from the auction was $266.05. The cost of advertising and the auctioneers commission was forty dollars.

Tim

In today’s hipster vernacular the “in” word is repurposed. In days of yore before we became a disposal society not much was discarded. When Lassen County was in the midst of building a new courthouse in 1916-17, the county deemed the old courthouse as surplus property.

In November 1916, the county advertised for bids for the sale of the old courthouse in anticipation of moving into the new facility. Plenty of people inspected the building. The county did not know when the building would be available. In January 1917, the county received two bids for the structure, but they were rejected. The county decided to hold an auction, in fact two.

The first one held was on April  11, 1917. It included the bell from the old courthouse that used to call court into session. It was purchased by Rev. J.H. Westervelt of the Methodist Church. The church was destroyed in a 1915 fire, and they needed a replacement bell.

The installation of the bell was chronicled in the Lassen Advocate of October 19, 1917: “The bell purchased last spring for the Methodist Church was placed in the tower of the edifice last week and for the first time in many a day ‘the sound of the church-going bell’ of this the oldest church in town, brought against its hearers the indescribable feeling of Sabbath peace and quiet that means so much to village life the world over.”

It should be noted, the bell  is still used to this day to call the faithful to worship. I can attest that the bell has a wonderful tone.

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This photograph I came across in the Special Collections, Meriam Library, California State University, Chico. It was mislabeled as a Catholic Church. I informed them that it was not, that it was the Methodist Church. Lo and behold to my amazement they corrected it. Most institutions and professionals just ignore my input, especially archeologist because they can get away with a lot of atrocities since their work is hidden from public view. Oh well, so much for my editorial.

The original Methodist Church was located on the corner of Cottage and Lassen Streets, where the present church stands today. In the fall of 1875 the Reverend Warren Nims announced his intention to build a church in the following spring. Work on the structure was sporadic. On June 23, 1877, the Lassen Advocate reported: “The bell is already hung in the tower of the new M.E. Church. It is a real tony bell, its reverberations are heard for miles around. Our town is gradually taking on city airs.”  Work was rushed to completion and it was dedicated in September 1877. On June 6, 1900 three blocks of Susanville’s business district was destroyed by fire, including the Methodist Church.

Tim

In 1908, the Susanville rumor mill circulated that the catholics wanted to build a new church. Thats kind of odd, since the existing Sacred Heart Church had just only been built 1892. In reality, they wanted to move its existing church to a new location from its Richmond Road site. Since that location was somewhat out of the way, and it was prone to vandalism.

Antone Bantley was designated to locate and negotiate the purchase inside the Susanville’s City limits. Bantley found a site on the corner of Nevada and Union Streets. The church purchased it for $325 from the L.C. Stiles Estate.

On May 26, 1909 the Lassen Weekly Mail reported, “The work on moving the Catholic Church is progressing. It will be a week or ten days before it is finally landed on the new site, judging from the progress already made. “ During this era, the church did not have a resident priest and relied on a circuit rider. On October 24, 1909, Father Thomas Horgan celebrated Mass at the new location.

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This post has nothing to do with manufactured homes. This, being Holy Week, my intent was to write the 1909 story of moving Sacred Heart Church to a different location, i.e. making it “mobile.” Numerous structures, locally, and mainly residential were moved from one location to another. This practice to this day, goes on nation wide.

How it works today. A property owner has an old house, which is in the way of a planned development.  Instead of a paying costs for demolition, offers the house for sale, usually one dollar. Of course, there is a catch. To buy the house at that price, one has to pay the cost to move the structure to a new location.

Happy Easter to my friends, Hannah who lives in a 1920s mobile home and my friend Scott, with his architectural expertise, has to deal with my definition—eye roll please. Not intentional, but it may torment Scott, since I send a occasional message with a photograph of such structures.

Tim

Any one who has ever been involved  with a organization, whether community oriented or fraternal, knows full well that they have a tendency to have peaks and valleys. However, there times when the organization reaches a low point and never recovers.

This was the case with Mount Lassen Council #2549 of the Knights of Columbus—Susanville’s first catholic organization.  Unfortunately, there is not a lot of records about this particular organization.  Its initial membership was 70, with men recruited from Susanville, Westwood, Quincy and Portola. Delegates from Chico, Los Angeles and Reno were on hand with the formation of Mount Lassen Council #2549 of the Knights of Columbus.  It was instituted on March 26, 1924.  After Mass was celebrated, the members paraded up Main Street from the Sacred Heart Church to the Elks Lodge to have their photograph taken. From there they went to the Knoch Hall were various degrees were conducted, and to organize the new council. The day was topped off with a banquet at the St. Francis Hotel.

Initially meetings were rotated between Susanville and Westwood. However, by 1930 interest in the organization had waned, and on the eve of its tenth anniversary of formation the chapter was dissolved.

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The Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints, also referred toas Mormons were slow to make an appearance in Susanville. It was not until1911, two missionaries, Elders Harry Janson and L.R. Halverson arrived in Susanville, though it appears their stay was brief. It was not until 1922, that the members of this church organized in Susanville. The initial families included those of Frederick Johnson, W.K. Davis, William Mortimer, Afton White, James C. White, John Heath and Peter F. Olsen.

Initial services were held in member’s homes. By 1924, their numbers had grown and they rented the Knoch Hall  for $2.50 a week. From there they moved to the Orpheum Theater and later to the OddFellows Hall.

Like so many religious institutions, they wanted a church of their own. On November 13, 1927, discussions were held to build a chapel. The site chosen was the northeast corner of Main and McDow Streets. On November 10, 1929, the church was dedicated by Heber J. Grant, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Thirty years later the members had outgrown the church. They selected a new site on Richmond Road. On November 5, 1961, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the $300,000 chapel.

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