For over a century a barbershop went hand-in-hand with the Pioneer Saloon.  Times change, the old fashioned barbershop is bordering upon extinction.

In Susanville, there is still Fred’s Barbershop at 20 North Lassen Street. It is a place that I not only patronize, but also stopped by from time to time to discuss the weather and any other topic that suits our fancy. Fred Borghi,  has been doing business there since October 1958, a local institution.

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In the annals of Susanville’s history, it has witnessed a wide variety of fraternal and social organizations. One of the more unusual and short-lived was the Loafer’s Society.

Organized in 1878, the Society recruited men to sacrifice themselves for the good of the community, to consumer all the intoxicating beverages, so as to prevent others from falling prey to demon rum and other concoctions. They also distributed themselves about the entrances of churches and other public gatherings to provide examples to the young not to follow in their foot steps.

The Loafer’s Society only membership requirements were for men of good immoral character, an easy flow of profane and vulgar language and a large capacity for whiskey. They also, only met on Sundays.

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In case you missed the first installment, you can find it here. The newspaper had two eras—the Tremain and Cooks. On March 16, 1911, Fred C. Sefton purchased the Lassen Weekly Mail from J.M. Tremain for $3,000 and the transition was in earnest. Sefton’s news coverage was far superior than Tremain.

A fire, too, again shaped the newspaper. On October 9, 1911 the printing office of the Lassen Weekly Mail was destroyed by fire. Sefton moved to a new location on South Gay Street in the rear of the Bank of Lassen County building, where it remained until 1934.  But that was not the only change on the horizon. In June 1913, Robert M. Cook purchased the newspaper. Cook, who was also attorney, worked in the newspaper trade in Philadelphia. But what he desired the most was to own a small town newspaper, and headed to San Francisco as a base for his quest.

It was a family affair operation, as his wife, Katherine and their two sons, Kenneth and Don were involved in the newspaper one way or another.  In 1918, a women’s page was added, with Katherine in charge of that department. In 1922, “Weekly” was dropped from the masthead, and now the paper simply known as the Lassen Mail.

The good times would only last so long. On March 30, 1933, Robert M. Cook passed away after a couple of years of health issues. There was no question he was the guiding force behind the paper.  A year later the family leased the newspaper to D.J. Makepeace. The newspaper struggled and in the spring of 1937, Ross Draper publisher of the Lassen Advocate acquired it. Draper continued with Mail, until December 1938. At that time it was merged to be the Lassen Advocate-Mail. When 1940 arrived, the Mail was dropped from the title.

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Today, marks my first anniversary of a daily blog. That topic concerned the history of the Roosevelt pool, which had been demolished in February 2015. You can read the full account here.

The City of Susanville and County of Lassen created the Honey Lake Valley Recreation Authority. It is a five member board with two representatives each from the City and County and a fifth seat to a member of the public.  As a casual observer, while countless meetings have been held, plans submitted, yet nothing as far I can tell, I don’t see anything moving forward. May be I am bit cynical, but their latest news release contained who and how much people will be paid for their services, but still no concrete details when a pool might get constructed. Hence, some creative person provided the above illustration. No doubt, a member of the Authority will take me to task and so hopefully a year from now on my second anniversary we may know more.

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In 1913, Susanville’s first movie theater opened for business at 804 Main Street. It was a multi-functional building where dances and other social events were held. It should be noted that the first movies to be shown in Susanville occurred in 1907. When the Orpheum first opened, movies were shown usually two to three nights a week. Whatever the case may be, it became one of the most popular social hubs in town. It should also be noted, that the basement of the Orpheum housed a bakery.

In 1921, the Orpheum had competition when the Liberty Theater opened at the present site of Sierra Theater. The Orpheum adapted and at times had a skating rink and bowling alley. Many a civic organization held meetings and social fundraisers there. On May 16, 1963, Paul Langslet had the building demolished for a parking/used car lot.

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The Smith Hotel, I have found intriguing in the sense of the lack of records. Yet, it was one of the more substantial buildings in Susanville during its day.

The founder, Jacob Smith, a german immigrant whose true spelling of his last name was Schmitt, arrived in Susanville, in the fall of 1864.  Records about his early activities conflict.  According to Fairfield’s history, Smith operated a brewery from 1865 to 1872.  Yet in December 1868 the Lassen Advocate reported that Smith and Doctor R.F. Moody were partners in a drug store. Moody filled the prescriptions and Smith sold them. The Advocate in April 1869 reported that Smith sold his drug store to Dr. Z.N. Spalding and had returned to brewing beer.

In the summer of 1877, Smith begins construction of his “fire-proof” three-story hotel. However, only the first floor was made of stone.  It was also not fire-proof as it was destroyed in the big fire of 1882. Some records state that Smith, along with his wife, Sophia, remained in the hotel business and others he continued as a brewer. Dick Harrison, a great-grandson was under the impression that Sophia operated a boarding house, but not a full-fledged hotel.

When new material surfaces, this page will be updated.

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On this date, in 1869, Susanville’s founder, Isaac N. Roop passed away at the age of 47 from pneumonia. He was buried at the Susanville Cemetery. His daughter, Susan Arnold had made arrangements for the placement of a headstone, but it was destroyed in a fire at Marysville and that was the extent.

There are, of course, numerous unmarked graves in the Susanville Cemetery due to a variety reasons. However, nearly five decades later it bothered Lassen County historian, Asa M. Fairfield, that Roop’s grave remained unmarked. Fairfield recruited the Masonic lodges of Janesville and Susanville and the Lassen Parlor of the Native Sons of the Golden West to rectify the situation. A large granite monument was placed at Roop’s grave.  On California’s Admission Day, 1914 witnessed the unveiling of the Roop Monument. Fairfield was disappointed that only about 70 people attended the ceremony.

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