Old stamp mill at Susanville, 1978. Courtesy of Tom Armstrong
Besides Susanville, California there is another Susanville, just up Highway 395 near John Day, Oregon. However, it has seen more livelier times.
It was a mining camp dating back to the mid-1860s, though its post office was established in 1901 in a dubious manner. Its biggest claim to fame was in 1913 and the discovery of the Armstrong nugget, that weighed 80.4 ounces and was believed to the largest of its kind found in Oregon. The nugget is on display at US Bank in Baker City, Oregon. After the 1930s, prosperity there dwindled and in 1952 the post office was closed. Today, its only inhabitants are prospectors during the summer, and a few curious seekers.
This hospital was located at 2005 River Street, Susanville. There was a time in the area’s past that there were two local institutions where one was born–Potter’s and Riverside. My siblings were born at Potter’s, while I was born at Riverside, a few years ago. Rarely, did births occur at the Lassen County Hospital. During the 1950s, my Aunt Irene Purdy Trout worked at the latter, which they affectionally referred to as “County.” She recalled only one birth there for nearly a decade that she worked there. That all changed in the early 1960s, when a new Lassen County Hospital was constructed next to the old one. By that time, Ma Potter after some 30 plus years as a midwife was ready to retire and changes were on the horizon with Riverside and its aging facility in which it would be torn down in 1969.
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The Sergi-Sacco wedding cake. Courtesy of C. Derek Anderson
One just never knows how pieces of history make it to the surface. The above photograph is just one example. When the bar from Marion’s on Weatherlow Street was being moved to a new home in Chester, some interesting material somehow managed to get lodged behind the bar. There was an assortment of about a dozen Red River Lumber Company photographs and this wedding cake picture.
On 10:00 a.m. Sunday, November 15, 1936 at Sacred Heart Church, Rose Agnes Sergi and James Sacco were married. The bridesmaids were Louise Saffores, Concha Larrea and Camilla Alosi. The best man was Marion Larrea. After the ceremony a wedding breakfast was held at the Veteran’s Memorial Hall, with 500 guests. The centerpiece at the bride’s table was a magnificent five-foot tall wedding cake, weighing 250 pounds.
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The ranch as it appeared in 1922, when Fruit Growers owned it.
On October 30,1919, the Fruit Growers Supply Company purchased it from McKissick Cattle Company, for approximately $29,000. Fruit Growers anticipated using Bagwell Springs for a water supply and they would use the ranch land to provide winter pasture for the horses they used in logging. Fruit Growers constructed a water pipeline from the ranch to the mill, but it was never used due to litigation filed by other water right users. Fruit Growers briefly operated their own dairy there and, in 1923, leased it to the O’Kelly family who operated Lassen Dairy through the 1950s. In 1934, Fruit Growers offered to sell the ranch to the City of Susanville. Fruit Growers cited it would make an ideal golf course, that the money received from the golf course could be used to develop the remainder of the property into a park. The City liked the idea, but said no. In 1935, Fruit Growers sold the ranch to the Republic Electric Power Company who wanted to acquire Bagwell Springs as an additional water supply for Susanville. Over the years, that Company went through numerous reorganizations and became CP National. In 1984, CP National donated the ranch to Lassen County, and it is now a county park.
An interesting footnote to the story is that Lassen Community College examined the property for a future campus back in the 1960s, but the asking price was too expensive.
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This is how the ranch appeared in the early 1900s when the Longs owned it.
In November 1855, Moses Mason claimed this property and became the second person to file a land claim in the Honey Lake Valley. On September 12, 1856, William Weatherlow located on Mason’s abandoned claim and lived there until his death in 1864. William B. Long purchased the property from Weatherlow’s Estate. In the early 1880s, James Bagwell located at the north end of the Susanville Ranch. In the mid-1870s, Abner and Margaret Van Buren settled on the western end of the property. By 1898, William B. Long’s son, John T., had not only purchased Van Buren’s and Bagwells’ properties, but that of his father. He consolidated these lands into one ranch. On June 2, 1913, Long, heavily in debt with his extensive ranch properties and a slaughterhouse in San Francisco, deeded this property to Alexander & Knoch, whom he owed $13,362.11. Alexander & Knoch, in turn, sold it to the McKissick Cattle Company.
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On August 9, 1898, the Ladies’ Literary Society held a fundraiser on the courthouse lawn to benefit the Mountain Echo Band. The event was well attended, and was to be followed by midnight banquet at the Masonic Hall, which had recently been acquired by David Knoch. At around 10:30 p.m. the alarm of fire originated with the clanging of the fire bell three blocks to the north. At first, those gathered at the Courthouse thought it was a false alarm. They could not see any signs of smoke or flames. By the time when it was realized the Masonic Hall was on fire, everyone quickly dispersed. Continue reading Knoch Building Fire→
This 1931 gathering was held at the home of Blanche & Ike Knoch, frequent hosts of such events. Be sure to click on the photograph for a larger image. Courtesy of Hank Martinez
Back in the 1920s and 1930s certain segments of Susanville’s Society entertained in a variety of formats. While there were numerous card groups to pass the time, others craved something a bit more exciting. These, of course, were costume parties and the themes as varied as the host/hostess.
It is interesting to note that these “freak parties,” as they were called, were quite popular during prohibition and less so afterwards. Whether alcohol refreshments were served, is anyone’s guess, but Susanville residents enjoyed their libations during prohibition.
In any event, maybe there is some creative type who might like to host a freak party in the near future. If you do, be sure to send me an invite. It certainly appears to be enjoyable way to spend an evening versus other entertainment venues available.
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The J.A. Gilman Residence at 1913 Main Street was built in 1898. Today it is the office of Town & Country Real Estate.
Awhile back, when browsing through the Lassen County Times I noticed a local realtor’s display ad that stated the original First Baptist Church located on the corner of Nevada and South Gay Street was built in 1940. This ad appeared again in the October 27 issue, and now provides the correct date of construction of 1913-14.
This got me interested in what other erroneous material realtors have in their listings. According to the online listings 1940 was a banner year for both commercial and residential construction. The listing for 506 Cottage Street, where the Carver family has resided for many decades the realtor states it was built in 1940. However, it was built in 1889 for A.E. DeForest. Further down Cottage at 705, the current home of Iron Horse Gym the realtor states it was built in 1965. For many a seasoned resident can clearly dispute that, as it was built in 1946 for Williams Furniture.
The list goes on and there are some real extreme ones out there. As the old saying goes, “buyer beware.”
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Just an update, and it is not my intent to do this as teaser! The text is ready, but I need to photograph two locations, one a grave and the other the oldest house of prostitution still standing. The latter is not where one would think. My ability to get around improves, and if all goes well this weekend, I will have an assistant to photograph the above, plus more, like the original location of Soldier’s Bridge, the 1860 military encampment.
The location of the above photograph has some significance to Susanville’s early brothel history for an event that occurred there in 1908. Stay tuned.
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World War II ushered in a new architectural style, that after the War was adopted by the civilian population.
The two most notables one was the old Naef Electric building in the 1800 block of Main Street. After it closed its doors circa 1977, it has been home to numerous enterprises. In the fall of 1978, it is where the Lassen County Times made its debut.
The other is Poulsen Welding Shop located on Richmond Road and Riverside Drive, and carries with it, an important historic significance.
In the 1930s, Bigelow and Poulsen operated a blacksmith shop at this location, in which Poulsen would take over the business and branching out into welding. On July 11, 1946 a fire destroyed Poulsen’s shop and provided the catalyst for city annexation. The City was unable to respond to the fire as the city limits stopped on the north side of the Susan River, while Poulsen’s was on the south side, and outside the City. Efforts over the years to annex areas to the east of Weatherlow and south of Susan River had failed. The Red River Lumber Company which owned the Milwood subdivision fought efforts for fear of property tax hikes. Residents of the outlying areas wanted services such as fire protection.
Thus, the movement for “unification” was born. On April 8, 1947 a special annexation was approved by the voters. Susanville’s Main Street now extended from Weatherlow to Fairfield Avenue. The City’s land mass quadrupled in size.
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