Tag Archives: Susanville

History

The Christmas Ball

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1914 Advertisement
1914 Advertisement

The Ladies of the Sacred Heart were an energetic bunch during the early days of the parish. One of their most popular annual events were Christmas dances. The first one was held in December 1910, and was not only well attended, but was a successful fund raiser–as usual the proceeds were used to make improvements to the church. However the next year, when Deputy Sheriff William L. Blake was killed in the line of duty in November 1911, the proceeds of the Christmas dance went to aid his widow Minnie instead. Continue reading The Christmas Ball →

History

The Swimming Pool Saga

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Roosevelt Pool, 2002
Roosevelt Pool, 2002

Wow, just think it was on this date in 2004 that Susanville’s Roosevelt Pool was condemned. A lot has transpired over the years, but a new pool is under construction, and more on that at a later date.

Anyhow, the following is the tale of one of the first  attempts to build a swimming pool in Susanville. On February 1, 1928 Soren Hansen addressed the Susanville Rotary Club with his intentions to construct a swimming pool at the bottom of Winchester Hill near the Richmond Road Bridge. With him was Rex Dickerson of Reno to assist with finances and local architect R.D. Taylor who brought preliminary drawings. Hansen stated he already had a well drilled, striking hot water at 417 feet. In addition to the pool, he proposed tennis and handball courts. However, Hansen’s proposal did not go very far, but it would be resurrected.

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History

The Floods of 1955

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Southern Pacific's railroad trestle at South Lassen Street, December 1955.
Southern Pacific’s railroad trestle at South Lassen Street, December 1955.

The floods of December 1955, locally and throughout California was a notable event to say the least. It began with warm rains on December 15th and by December 20th, 4.41 inches had fallen in Susanville. The snow elevation remained high, and on December 20th there was  21 inches of snow on Fredonyer summit.  The rain continued turning the Susan River into a raging menace. Conditions worsened as the river brought assorted debris with the floodwaters. The debris became a major obstruction when it collided with the Southern Pacific’s railroad trestle at Susanville’s Lassen Street. On December 23rd Marvin D. Coltran, a member of Southern Pacific’s bridge gang fell into the water there. Efforts were made to reach him, but the river’s swift current swept him away. Continue reading The Floods of 1955 →

History

Susanville – McDow Street

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L.D. McDow Residence. Courtesy of George McDow, Jr.
L.D. McDow Residence. Courtesy of George McDow, Jr.

In 1875, Lafayette D. McDow constructed a house on what would later become of the southwest corner of Main and McDow Streets. McDow came to Lassen County in the 1860s, where he spent much of his time either operating a sawmill or mining on Diamond Mountain.

In 1920, McDow’s son, George and Russell Brownell subdivided property in the eastern portion of Susanville to be known as the Milwood Tract. On June 28, 1928, the old McDow home was destroyed by fire, then occupied by the family of J.A. Metz. For Metz, the house was convenient, as he worked as the janitor of the nearby Lincoln School.

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History

The Government Land Office

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Susanville's Knoch Building, 1900. For many years it housed the Government Land Office. Courtesy of Philip S. Hall
Susanville’s Knoch Building, 1900. For many years it housed the Government Land Office. Courtesy of Philip S. Hall

The United States Government Land Office played an important role in the development of region locally, as well as across the western United States. It was through the Government Land Office (GLO) is where a person went to file for a federal and, in certain instance a state, land claim, once the region was officially surveyed by the government. Continue reading The Government Land Office →

History

Susanville – 200 S. Roop Street Revisited

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200 S. Roop St., Susanville, July 20, 2016. Courtesy of Annie Henriques Blank
200 S. Roop St., Susanville, July 20, 2016. Courtesy of Annie Henriques Blank

Susanville’s uptown/historic district has an eclectic blend of architecture. During the 1920s, during the boom era brought on by the lumber mills certainly left its mark.

Charles McGowan one of the original owners of the Lassen Lumber & Box Company had a very striking residence. The home was constructed in 1924, and he moved his family into their new residence in July of that year. In November 1928, McGowan resigned his post as Vice-President of the Lassen Lumber & Box Company as he was in the midst of taking a new position with the Castella Box Factory in Shasta County.  In the spring of 1929, he had the house converted into three apartments, and remains that way after all of these years.

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History

A New Sacred Heart Church

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Groundbreaking ceremony at Sacred Heart. Courtesy of Mario and Pauline Vial
Groundbreaking ceremony at Sacred Heart. Courtesy of Mario and Pauline Vial

As mentioned in a previous post concerning Father Moran’s quest for a new Catholic church in 1939, had some major obstacles to over come. First and foremost, was his crusade would coincide with World War II, the latter overshadowed much the daily life of the parishioners and the community as a whole. Continue reading A New Sacred Heart Church →