Before the City of Susanville was incorporated, it went through its own evolution. First as a trading post, then a village. There were some citizens that were not pleased that the Lassen County Board of Supervisors dictated what the town could or could not do. Fire protection was a major concern, especially after the 1882 fire that destroyed a large portion of the town’s business district. The citizens wanted to form a fire protection district.  To do so, an actual township needed to be created with a set of boundaries and a population count. With proposed boundary set, Susanville’s first special census was enacted. On April 8, 1884 a census was held and revealed there were 586 inhabitants. Thus, the foundation was laid for what eventually would become the incorporated town of Susanville in 1900.

Tim

On August 5, 1915 a devastating fire destroyed the Emerson Hotel, Hyer House Hotel and the Methodist Church. between Main and and Cottage Streets. The three-story Emerson Hotel would not be rebuilt. The Methodist Church on the other hand were able to salvage the burnt out hull of their building.

It would be a slow tedious process. Due to financial constraints the church did not want to take on any more debt. In 1917, the church was completed and fully functional. The one alteration was that the steeple was not replaced.

Tim

The application of “fort” to this landmark is somewhat of a misnomer. It had no military affiliation. It started out originally as a trading post on the Nobles Emigrant Trail.

In 1863, the abandoned structure became the focal point in the skirmish known as the Sagebrush  or Boundary War. The Honey Lakers fortified themselves in the log cabin during a short battle with Plumas County authorities. Hence the “fort” appellation. The building is sometimes referred to as Fort Defiance.

The so-called war was a political dispute between Plumas County officials and the residents of the Honey Lake Valley. At issue was who had jurisdiction  over the region—Nevada Territory or the State of California. While it was known that California’s eastern boundary from the Oregon border to Lake Tahoe was the 120th meridian. The problem was no one knew where it was. For a complete version see Sagebrush War.

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On August 4, 1984 some 500 members of the fraternal organization known as E Clampus Vitus descended upon Susanville. The occasion was the chartering of the Neversweat Chapter #1863 of the E Clampus Vitus and the dedication of the Pioneer, the oldest establishment in Northeastern California. The organization has been around since days of the California gold rush, and was a spoof on the more refined fraternal organizations of the day. In the 1930s it went through a revival and focused on marking historical sites and having a good time while doing so. The Neversweat Chapter was not the first for Susanville, as a lodge existed in 1868. In the early 1880s there were several lodges in Modoc County.

Back to that day at hand, the Lassen Advocate summed it by reporting, “By 7:30 a.m. most area residents were awakening for breakfast and routine Saturday tasks, the revelry at the Pioneer was already in full swing. Clampers were 3 to 4 deep at the bar, the beer was flowing and festive mood in the air. The celebrants began arriving at 6:00 a.m. and spilled from the sidewalk into the eastbound lanes of Main Street. Traffic was undoubtedly light during the early morning celebration.”

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Earlier this year I wrote about how the Pioneer Saloon was moved from 722 Main Street to 924 Main Street. You can read about it here 

I wrote how the building has been modified over the years. A reader wanted to know what it looks like today.

In 1902, Susanville passed Ordinance No. 17 that prohibited the construction of wooden buildings in the heart of the town’s business district–Main Street frontage buildings from Roop to Gay Streets. In 1912, the ordinance was amended to include all buildings to Weatherlow Street.

Tim

For over three decades since the founding of the City of Susanville, the council members were true volunteers. Serving in such a position can be a thankless job at times. In 1936 it was the topic at hand. On April 14, 1936,  voters not only were asked to vote for two new council members, but whether the city the council members should receive some form of minimal compensation for their time and effort.  Of the 141 votes cast, it was approved to pay the council members with 82 yes; 53 against and 16 who declined to vote on the issue. The mayor would receive a sum of $30 a month and members of the council $20 a month.

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