This Susanville landmark, which is more a less a replica of the original structure built by the Roop Brothers in 1854 was never intended to be a fortress. Its purpose was that as a trading post along the Nobles Emigrant Trail. It was in 1863, the abandoned trading post was were Honey Lakers barricaded themselves in a conflict with Plumas County officials dubbed the Sagebrush War. That is another story. Thus, the appellation of fort was added to the structure. It has also been known as Fort Defiance.

In May 1974, Northern California Congressman Harold T. (Bizz) Johnson announced that Roop’s Fort and Trading Post had been entered into the National Register of Historic Places.

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One of Susanville’s oldest commercial buildings, located at the intersection of Main and North Lassen Streets, has had a wide variety of occupants since it was built in 1893. Among the early occupants was the Susanville Post Office, Bank of Lassen County and the Government Land Office.

In 1913 and 1914 two major changes transpired. One was the addition of a third floor. On the Lassen Street side a smaller one story building was constructed to be known as the Knoch Annex.

One of the occupants on the second floor of the Knoch, was well known local attorney, Hardin “Finn” Barry. In 1921, Finn passed the California Bar and opened his office in the Knoch. He may have been the longest tenant. Finn remained there at that location until his passing in 1969. Once his office was vacated, another attorney Dawson Arnold rented that space, only to eventually relinquish it when he closed his practice and went to work full time as Lassen County Counsel.

Of course, it should be noted that on the ground floor was another long term tenant—Fred’s Barber Shop. Fred Borghi’s establishment was an old fashioned barber shop with a loyal clientele who would drop in to visit in between haircuts, to “shoot the breeze.”

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On March 13, 1983, Susanville’s Memorial Park was once again flooded, transforming it into a lake. It was the third consecutive winter in which the event transpired. The perennial flooding of Piute Creek was due to an inadequate culvert under Main Street, which allowed the water to back up and flood the park. It was not until 1998, that the problem was rectified.

Tim

Season residents may recall there was a time that Susanville had its very own Coca Cola Plant. The original bottling works was established around 1914 by H.W. “Pop” Wharton. It was located at 906 South Alley between South Weatherlow and Union Streets. The building, painted a chocolate brown, is still there and converted into apartments.

In 1923, Howard L. McMurphy took over the complete operation. It was an interesting and lucrative time to be in soda business  with Prohibition. It saw not only the local production of Coca Cola, but a local line of the Mt. Lassen brand of sodas.

Sometime in the late 1920s a new plant was constructed at Main and S. Sacramento Streets. For many the star attraction was the large picture window on Main Street, where people on the street could watch the assembly line of the sodas being bottled.

In 1967, Phyllis McMurphy Beard dissolved the Susanville Coca Cola Plant and the local production of sodas ceased.

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In July 1892 George and Socrates Harrison, Susanville contractors were rebuilding the porch steps  of the Steward House Hotel located on the northwest corner of Main and Gay Streets. They discovered the remnants of a historic relic—a small cannon.

According to Adam D. Elledge (1827-1924) the Plumas County officials brought the weapon with them in 1863 during the episode that became known as the Sagebrush War. It was never used. After a truce was held, it appears someone “liberated” the cannon and hid  it the corner of the foundation of the Steward House which was under construction. A year later, it was removed, and it was noted it  was fully loaded. So it was discharged, but not in a good way. The muzzle was plugged and sent shrapnel of the cannon into the area, a piece that struck and tore a big hole in the Susanville School a few blocks of way. At least no one was injured. The remains of the cannon were put back in its original hiding place, until it was unearthed in 1892 and given to Elledge.

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With the establishment of the Lassen Lumber & Box Company in 1918 and three years later Fruit Growers Supply Company on the outskirts of Susanville the region experienced a huge influx of population. Yet, if one examines the census records it reveals a different story. Susanville’s population in 1930 was 1,358. In 1940 it rose to 1,565.  However, that does not tell the whole story.  Susanville’s eastern boundary ended at Weatherlow Street. In 1940, the area east of Susanville proper, which the census designated as Milwood Farms had a population of 3,672. In 1947, after numerous attempts to annex that region into the City of Susanville, it finally happened. Guess what? In 1950, the census reported that Susanville’s population had a dramatic increase with a population of 5,338. Nearly 3,000 more than in 1940.

Tim