Dr. Zetus N. Spalding (1819-1898) was a Civil War physician and was best known to generations of Lassen County residents of being the founder of the iconic Spalding Drug Store, that institution had spanned a little over 100 years. He served as Lassen County Superintendent of Schools from 1871 to 1879. In the late 1860s, he was elected twice as County Coroner. For many years, he also held a non-elected position as County Physician, who provided aid to the indigent and incarcerated.
His favorite pastime was that of fishing the Susan River. One Tuesday morning in May 1898, he went fishing as usual, left in the morning and but this time failed to return home in the afternoon. By evening, a group of some thirty men assembled and went in search of him along the banks of the Susan River where they found his body near the old Bremner dam about a quarter mile upstream from Hobo Camp.
His, John B. Spalding took over Spalding Drug. He was an avid outdoorsman. Many may not be aware, but the store up until World War II carried a full line of fishing poles, tackle, along guns and ammunition.
Paul Bunyan Lumber Company, 1953. Courtesy of Fred Lendman
On May 15, 1967, Kenneth R. Walker, president of the Paul Bunyan Lumber Company announced the pending closure of its Susanville mill. Walker cited the lack of available of timber for the closure. The mill closed in August and the liquidation process began.
In 1945, when Red River Lumber Company was in its initial dissolution process, Kenneth wanted to remain in the business. At that time, Red River owned what was referred to as the “Cedar Mill” in Susanville. Kenneth took over that mill and named his new venture the Paul Bunyan Lumber Company.
In conclusion, Walker provided two interesting facts about the mill. He stated that when the last board is shipped, the mill would have processed 650 million board feet of lumber during its operations. In addition, the company’s total payroll during that time amounted to $20 million.
The final part of the Bear Dance ritual at Bass Hill, circa 1900.
The spring ritual of the Mountain Maidu Bear Dance, locally, has been held at a variety of locations. In the earliest times, it would be held near a stream, for water was an important element in the conclusion of the dance.
One of the earliest sites was near Baxter Creek at Bass Hill referred to as the village of Yoskopin, also known as Lone Pine. This would be the late 1890s, early 1900s. There is a citation that the dance was held along Paiute Creek, just north of Susanville, from 1910 into the 1920s. That location was near the present day intersection of Chestnut and Parkdale. What is odd with its close proximity to Susanville, a town. with two newspapers, that they never chronicled it.
Sacramento Bee, June 9, 1975
In the late 1920s, Kitty Joaquin sponsored the event at her place near Janesville. She continued the same until 1953. There are accounts that in the 1940s and early 1950s that it was occasionally held at the Susanville Rancheria. By the late 1950s, it appeared the ceremony was on the brink of being abandoned. However, in 1962 Gladys Mankins sponsored the ceremony at her place on Janesville Grade. In 1975, that event made headline news with the appearance of California Governor Jerry Brown. Mankins continued with the tradition up to 1986. In 1989, it was revived and has been held ever since on forest service property at Willard Creek.
Ephraim Van Buren Spencer (1836 -1904) was a staunch advocate to have Susanville serviced by a railroad. Without one, the town in his opinion would be just another “Sleepy Hollow.”
The first glimmer of hope came in 1880 with the establishment of the Nevada & Oregon Railroad at Reno. The fledging railroad struggled in its early years. A dramatic change occurred in 1884 when the railroad was acquired by the Moran Brothers—New York bankers. The following year the railroad went through a name change first as the Nevada & California and eventually the Nevada-California-Oregon.
With Morans at the helm, Spencer saw hope and the residents of Susanville raised $500 to send Spencer to New York to meet with the Morans. The meeting went well, but the Morans stated they had no funds to extend the line. Spencer felt confident that the Morans would eventually build north to Susanville,
In March 1887, Spencer and the community of Susanville were blindsided when the railroad announced it would build a 47 mile extension from Junction (Hallelujah) House to Brubeck’s on the east shore of Honey Lake. Spencer hastily arranged a meeting with Daniel Moran and Edgar Heriot, the latter the railroad’s general manager. Spencer urged them to reconsider, and a route through Susanville would be more profitable. One of the railroad’s concerns was a route out of Susanville to the north. In June concerned Susanville residents met to come up with a plan to convince the railroad to change its mind. Not only did they offer to survey the route, but obtain the necessary rights-of-way, a donation of a depot site in Susanville and more. It was all in vain, due to an unusual circumstance. The NCO fired Heriot, and was replaced a temperamental Erasmus Gest. Gest could care less about the Susanville proposal. He was determined to build the railroad line with the most direct route to Oregon, thus the railroad built on the east side of Honey Lake.
Not be undaunted, Spencer would make one last final attempt with the railroad. In 1899, when the NCO extended its line northward, as construction was stalled during the 1890s, Spencer proposed a feeder line from Hot Springs Station (Wendel) to Susanville. When he contacted the Morans the answer was no. However, Susanville residents could construct the feeder line at an estimated cost of $100,000. That was not going to happen, since community could not even raise $450 to build a public hall.
Nearly eight years after Spencer’s death in 1913, the Fernley & Lassen Railroad arrived in Susanville. The town went through a major transformation and it was no longer a Sleepy Hollow.
The old English proverb necessity is the mother invention was widely adopted locally. For years Fruit Growers searched for an effective way to reduce grass around its millsite for fire protection. During the 1920s, Fruit Growers planted potatoes. In 1937, someone came up with the brilliant idea to bring in a band sheep to graze the mill property. Problem solved and they called the new addition to their workforce “Lassen Lawnmowers.”
Linguistics, especially local terminology, changes over time, with not only an older generation passing on, succeeded by a new one, mixed with new arrivals making for a blended community. Some local designations retain their original names, others abandoned.
Susanville’s Winchester Hill is a perfect example. This steep hill is located on Mill Street between South Gay and Weatherlow Streets. It was so named for George and Fannie Winchester who in the fall of 1914 built a house at 205 South Gay Street, on the south east corner of Gay and Mill. It was also one of the first houses built in the Brashear Tract subdivision, that had a deed stipulation that all homes constructed must at a least cost a thousand dollars.
During Susanville’s early history the community was plagued by some devastating fires such as in 1882 and 1893. In each instance efforts were made to correct the situation, but to no avail. Then came fire of June 6, 1900 and everything changed. All the wooden structures on the south side of Main Street from Roop to Union were destroyed, some forty in all and the estimated loss at $100,000. It served as a catalyst for the incorporation movement for Susanville.
On June 13, 1900 a citizens meeting was held to discuss the legal requirements to incorporate the town. After some debate it was decided to move forward. A petition was circulated and signed by sixty-five registered voters requesting the Lassen County Board of Supervisors to call for a special election to decide the incorporation issue. The board obliged. On August 15, 1900 the voters went to the polls and improved the incorporation by 61 to 20. Elected to serve as trustees were Charles Emerson, John Humphrey, Howard Meylert, Julien Pardee and John Riley. The first city council meeting was held on August 28, 1900.
American Legion Parade, Susanville 1926—Margaret Purdy
During August 16-21, 1926, Susanville was a festive place. It was the host of the statewide American Legion Convention. That was a tremendous feat by the local American Legion Post named after Thomas Tucker, a Maidu, and Susanville’s first casualty in World War I.
The community gave the some 3,000 attendees the proverbial red carpet treatment. Buildings were decorated with patriotic bunting or adorned with the American Flag, and some times both. Two parades were held that week. The first one was mid-week in the convention, which featured numerous floats, decorated cars and an assorted lot. There were the Santa Barbara Legionnaires, dubbed the “bathing beauties” with the men wearing gunny sacks, displaying their knobby knees. The second parade was a bit more dignified with the veterans marching down Main Street from the Elks Lodge to the newly constructed Veteran’s Memorial Building.
On Tuesday morning, September 9, 1919, the first airplane flew over Susanville. Who the unknown aviator was has never been determined. It was believed by some to have been a Forest Service plane used to spot fires.
By the 1920s, pilots were regularly visiting Susanville. An impromptu airstrip was developed in the Milwood section, at the north end of Spring Street. By the late 1920s it had become apparent that an airport was needed. E.G. Scammon, Robert M. Cook and Charlie Bridges were appointed to a special aviation committee to locate suitable site for an airport. They selected the Hanford Tract near Johnstonville. It met several criteria, as the property was inexpensive and required a small expenditure to construct an airport. In addition, there was plenty of open space for expansion and equally important few homes in the area. Aviators, on the other hand, complained that it was too far from Susanville. Yet, it met the approval of federal aviation officials.
On July 17, 1928, the Lassen County Board of Supervisors met in special session to discuss the airport. At the conclusion of the meeting it was agreed to purchase the property. On August 22, the County bought the 60-acre Hanford Tract from W.V. Warren for $1,700. In 1929, the City of Susanville bout 40 adjoining acres from May Hemler for $400 to extend the runway. On April 8, 1932 the County assigned all of its interest in the airport to the City.
The years 1931-32 witnessed significant changes at the airport. First was the oiling of the runways. That was followed by a fuel station and beacon light. In 1932, the City moved a two-room cottage on the premises. This was occupied a by a caretaker, whose main responsibilities were maintenance, i.e. no stray cattle on the runway and tending to the needs of the pilots who arrived at the airport.
In 1939, the Susanville Flying Club was organized, and it had a major impact on the airport. It employed the services of licensed flying instructor, Al Reese and flying lessons were now available. In 1940, additional improvements were made at the airport. That year Lassen Junior College offered civilian pilot training, with initial enrollment of twenty-two students. In September, the Civil Aeronautics Board rated Susanville seventh out of 183 California airports. The airport was earmarked with $371,000 for immediate improvements as part of the national defense program. In 1942, the U.S. Navy Department took control of the airport for flight training of cadets. The Navy retained control of the airport until the conclusion of World War II.
Someone deserves bonus points for creativity thinking out of the box for this social event—a Waist Social. That is correct, waist as in the human figure and not waste as in rubbish. To attend the function at Susanville’s United Methodist Church, the admission fee was probably the most unique I have ever come across in all my years of research and this was clever. To gain admission, a person’s waist was measured, for every inch cost one cent.
The entertainment was noteworthy, too. One feature was a “colored” wedding, wherein James Crawford was the bride, James Compton, the groom and Maynard Buckles as the minister. All this hi-jinx was done in part to welcome the Rev. D.D. Edwards, the new minister of the Methodist Church in October 1926.
