Tag Archives: Susanville

1600 Main Street

May 26, 2015 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Pardee campaign headquarters, October 1978

Part news and part history. On April 28, the first hurdle was made for the construction of a 17,400 square foot Rite Aid store. The store, along with the parking lot will encompass the entire 1600 block of Main Street. Of course, this site was the former home of Potter’s Maternity Home on the corner of Main and Park. In 1966, United California Bank took over this location and constructed their bank, which held an open house of February 27, 1967. It has housed a number of financial institutions since then. Of course, on the corner of Main and Ash was Baxter’s Flying “A” Service Station. After it closed, for a brief time in 1978 it housed Jim Pardee’s campaign headquarters for Lassen County Superior Court Judge, and then was subsequently torn down and has been a vacant ever since.

According to records filed with the city the bronze plaque commemorating Potter’s will be preserved and replaced on the site. The fire department has sought authorization to conduct fire training on the bank and remaining vacant residences scheduled for demolition. It is Rite Aid’s goal to be in their new location by the of 2015.

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History

Perplexing Street Names

May 20, 2015 Tim Purdy 2 Comments

Roop Street in the background from Rooster Hill. Seated, Frank League and Tom Long, circa 1895.

While a few months ago I mentioned the peculiar situation noting that North Street runs in a east/west direction. As duly noted, it made sense back in the day, as it was the most northerly street in the new town.

Another peculiarity is that of Roop and Weatherlow Streets. This was pointed out to me many years ago when Eleanor Vandeburgh and I worked at the museum. After all, her reasoning was, one would think Weatherlow Street should have been designated as Roop, since it went to his original home. Weatherlow lived at the end of Roop Street, though it did not extend that far, since his original home is known today as Susanville Ranch Park. On the same token, Weatherlow Street goes by Roop’s original home.

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History

Lincoln School

May 14, 2015 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

In 1920, voters of the Susanville School District passed a bond measure to build a second school. The trustees indicated, however, that with the accelerated growth another school would be needed. What they had not bargained for was just how quickly the need would arise. On January 14, 1922 the District held another bond election for a new school. The voters approved the $50,000 measure by a vote of 140 to 5. In March, the District purchased a lot on the south side of Main Street at the intersection of Hall Street. In June local contractors Woodward & Grebe were awarded a $35,000 contract to build it. The school was completed and placed in use during the first week of February 1923. The Lincoln School closed at the end of the 1966-67 school year.

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History

Technology

May 11, 2015 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Telephones — Lassen Advocate, November 28, 1977

I could not resist to scan and post this article that appeared in the Lassen Advocate. In the era of cell/smart phones, this seems so quaint with the introduction of push button phones. And to think, a century ago operators were known as “hello girls.”

P.S. – Some may not be aware, but if you click on the image, you will see a larger one.

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History

Lassen High School

May 9, 2015 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Lassen High 08 — Lassen High School, 1908 courtesy of Phil Hall

Construction of the high school began in the fall of 1905 and was ready the following year. The school was constructed by Granite Rock Company for $25,670.

The photograph depicted above was taken in 1908, when the school grounds was fenced, not to keep the students in, but to keep roaming livestock off the school property.

Don’t forget you can still get the complete DVD collection of the Lassen High Yearbooks from 1904 to 2013. However, I only have about fifteen left.

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History

Susanville School Names

May 8, 2015 Tim Purdy 2 Comments

Schools — McKinley School (left) and Washington School (right) as seen from Richmond Road, 1935.

When the Susanville School District was established in 1864, the town had only one school, located on Cottage Street. This remained the status quo for nearly sixty years.

With the arrival and the lumber mills, the town experienced a huge population surge. In 1920, a second school was needed and it was also constructed on the Cottage Street property. The growing pains of Susanville continued and a third school was built, this time in the Milwood District in 1922. Another three years went by, and yet another school was constructed, this time on Richmond Road.

With four schools in operation the district, decided to give them names, which they honored past United States Presidents. The first school was named Washington; the second McKinley, the third, Lincoln and the fourth school Roosevelt.

In 1967, when it was decided to build a middle school to replace Roosevelt, a more generic name was given–Diamond View.

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History

Toll Roads

May 7, 2015 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Devil's Corral — Devil’s Corral Bridge, 1918

The establishment of toll roads in the frontier West was difficult and not usually a feasible business venture—unless you were strategically located at a bridge, mountain pass or narrow canyon where possible toll users could not make a detour and thus not pay the toll fee. On several occasions toll road companies were formed for various routes through Lassen County, but were never successful enterprises. Continue reading Toll Roads →

History

Atlas Fredonyer

May 2, 2015 Tim Purdy 2 Comments

Ira and James Purdy posing at Fredonyer Summit, Christmas Eve, 1930

A lot has been written about Atlas Fredonyer early activities in the region. Among other things he filed a land claim in what would later become Susanville, since that town’s founder neglected to do so.

In 1862, Fredonyer was found guilty and sent to prison of a sexual assault charge involving his fifteen year old step-daughter, Sally. Many were of the opinion that Fredonyer did not commit a crime. A petition was circulated and California Governor Stanford pardoned Fredonyer the following year.

After his pardon, Fredonyer seemed to have disappeared, as he never returned back to this region. A few years ago, I finally found out what became of him. He surfaced in a most unusual way in 1880 in San Francisco. Fredonyer it should be noted used the title of “Doctor” to what extent of medical training he had, is not clear. At this time he was suffering from bowel blockage. He attempted perform his own colonoscopy, which a bottle, which got lodged in the colon. The heavy set Fredonyer was finally taken to St. Mary’s hospital. A colostomy was performed to remove the bottle. He did not recover from the procedure and died in San Francisco on August 10, 1880.

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History

The Drought

May 1, 2015 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Fire Antelope — Antelope Mountain Fire, 1926

As we enter our fourth year of drought, let us hope it does not last as long the 1917-1937 drought. The most severe was the winter of 1923-24. Susanville received less than five inches of precipitation this year. It was so dry that winter that in the middle of March, a one-inch snow fall at Susanville caused great excitement. There was even a greater commotion when eighteen inches of snow fell. It disappeared in a matter of hours. That was the extent of precipitation for the winter. Continue reading The Drought →

News

Easter Sunday

April 5, 2015 Tim Purdy 1 Comment

It being Easter Sunday, I thought it would only be appropriate to provide some of the history of religion in our region. The Methodist Church had a profound influence on the Honey Lake Valley. In 1860, this church held their first service in Susanville. By 1905, there were Methodist Churches in Janesville, Johnstonville, Standish and, of course, Susanville, more than any other denomination. Continue reading Easter Sunday →