Located on the 900 block of North Street once stood the residence of Thomas N. Long. It was built in the mid-1870s and demolished a century later. The residence had two owners, Long and Bundy & Winifred French. It was torn down in October 1977 and plans were for an apartment complex on the site that that never materialized.

In 1900-01, Reno building contractor, C.E. Clough kept busy in Susanville with the construction of four major brick buildings—Emerson Hotel, Methodist Church, Oakes & Philbrook and the Susanville Grammar School. Only two remain, the Methodist Church and Oakes & Philbrook, though the Susanville Grammar School was reincarnated, more about that later.

The brick was produced locally, though I am not sure where. In 1878, Robert M. Bean had a brick kiln along Piute Creek, a quarter mile north of town. That would place it around Marmo meadows.

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Established in 1892, it was Lassen County’s first financial institution. Wells Fargo operated infrequently, mainly during the 1870s and 1880s, in Bieber and Susanville, but their services were limited.  During the late 1800s, Susanville’s Jewish merchants, such as Marcus Nathan, David Knoch and William Greehn, lent money to those in need and the loan was secured usually by a property mortgage.  It was a wide array of citizens who saw the need for a bank, including the aforementioned merchants. Its first office location, was unique, located in the Pioneer, a local saloon established in 1863, and still in existence today. It was simple logic, as Susanville’s business district was prone to devastating fires, and the saloon owned the largest fire proof safe in town.

Continue reading Bank of Lassen County →

This falls in one of more unusual transportation categories. In 1892, Susanville’s furniture maker/undertaker, Alonzo K. Philbrook purchased a new buggy. I realize that does sound so dramatic. It was the first rubber tire buggy in Susanville.

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In 1908, David Knoch, a pioneer merchant of Susanville, had this modest home constructed on the corner of Roop and Nevada Streets. With the exception of the Bunnell house on the corner of Roop and North Streets, the western frontage of that block had always been vacant. When Knoch opened up the property, three Queen Anne style homes were built shortly thereafter. After Knoch’s death in 1911, the house was sold to John T. Long. It would remain in that family for three generations, later the home of Long’s daughter, Maude Tombs, and Maude’s daughter, Nadene Wemple.

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In 1901, two half-brothers, Tom Oakes and Alonzo Philbrook built a furniture store at 800 Main Street, which building still exist. As was customary of the day, they were also the local undertaker, since making furniture and building a coffin went hand in hand. In 1912, the building was acquired by the Bank of Lassen County which remained in the building until 1933 when it was acquired by Bank of America. It has had numerous occupants since such as the United California Bank and the Lassen County Times

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