Many visitors to Susanville when it was a frontier outpost during the 1850s and 1860s had positive comments about the community. One aspect  in common, was its natural setting at the base of the mountains and two flowing streams. Well, there was one particular visitor, Major Gorham Gates Kimball of Red Bluff, California who was not impressed with Susanville when he passed through there on his way to Idaho. Kimball wrote in his diary on June 15, 1865: “This is a small town and a darn poor one—Indians ought to come in and kill the white man that would live there—it was made for Indians.”

It is interesting note, while Kimball in his opinion it was a poor town, three major businesses were established in Susanville. that year. David Knoch established his general merchandise store, to become one of the leading merchants of Susanville. It would last for three generations, later as Alexander & Knoch and finally  Feher & Worley’s Big Store and it shuttered its doors in 1942. A.C. Neale and Zetus Spalding founded Spalding Drug, an institution that lasted 102 years. Lastly, was the town’s first bonafide newspaper the Sage Brush. It would evolve into the Lassen Advocate and chronicled the region’s news until 1987 when forced into bankruptcy.

Support

On December 22, 2004, the  City of Susanville condemned  the Roosevelt Pool citing structural defects. This became a long and some times not pleasant saga as to what direction to take. It would take a decade before any action was undertaken in February 2015 the old pool was demolished.

Slowly, but surely there would be a new pool, built adjacent to the old site. Getting all the parties to agree and move forward was another matter. In the end in 2017 a new outdoor community pool became a reality.

Tim

December 1, 1928 was interesting day in Susanville, especially at the intersection of Susanville and North Gay Streets. On this date, Bank of America took over the Lassen Industrial Bank. Safeway opened its store in the telephone building. Safeway would move several times, first to the Del Mar building on the 600 block of Main Street. In 1939, Safeway built its first store at 60 South Roop, known today as LMUD. In 1963, Safeway relocated to the 1600 block of Main Street, now the current home of Grocery Outlet. Then in the early 1990s to its current location.

Tim

This is one of those interesting Ebay finds, that I could not resist. With the railroad quickly approaching Susanville to its south, major improvements were made to Richmond Road. To the left, the Lassen Townsite began development of its huge subdivision, starting with the construction of Riverside Drive. If you examine just beyond the intersection of Richmond and Riverside, one can see some disturbed ground. That was the original location of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, which was moved in 1909 to Nevada and South Union Street.

Tim

In 1866, David Knoch purchased a lot on Main Street for $1,400. This  address would later become known as 722 Main Street, the current home of Margie’s Book Nook since 1995. For the next 76 years three generations of the Knoch family operated the store. The current building was constructed in 1893, though it did received substantial damage from the 1900 fire.

In 1912, Fehr & Worley took over the helm of the general merchandise store, which they renamed the Big Store. Times were rapidly changing with the arrival of the railroad and lumber mills.  In 1919, Fehr & Worley did the first remodel of the building changing its exterior and interior. They also opened a new department inside the store, and a first for Susanville—a delicatessen.

Tim

While this photograph may not be distinct in the scene displayed, it still has some significance. The photographer, Leona Jackson Byars, daughter Rose Murrer Bagin, was best friend with Mary Fern Long who married Jim Nutting, an attorney and one time  Lassen County District Attorney.

In the background on top of the hill is the 200 block of South Gay Street. Many of today’s existing homes have not been built.

Tim

One of Susanville’s first ordinances, was a real attention getter and would dramatically change the town’s business district. Adopted in 1902, Ordinance No. 17 prohibited the construction of wooden frame buildings in the heart of the town’s business district—the four blocks on Main Street between Roop and Gay. It required building plans be submitted to the city clerk and to designate whether the building materials were brick or native stone. Roofs were required to be metal, slate or tile. This it was deemed to reduce fire, something that was dominate issue in the town’s history. In 1912, the ordinance was amended to include the block from Gay to Weatherlow.

In 1914 the ordinance was challenged in court. O.M. Doyle who wanted to build on the southeast corner of Roop and Main Streets, but thought the cost of non-flammable building materials was prohibitive. The judge in the case upheld the city’s ordinance. Doyle then had a two-story property constructed on the property in question, that became known as the Del Mar, which still stands today.

Subscribe