When I first started research into the local history, at a very young age I might add, it was an interesting learning experience. At that time a local dentist, Bob Amesbury, was in a sense anointed “the” local historian. He, along with others, would inform me the county did not have any old records, since the courthouse burned down many years ago. When I paid my first research trip to the Lassen County Courthouse, I quickly learned that was not the case. At that time, Gil Morrill was the Lassen County Auditor/Recorder. Gil was gracious to show me around to all the various records in his office dating. back to 1864, when the county was created. For some, I found later, who stated the courthouse had burned, was just an excuse to make up their own story versus doing the tedious work to research what exactly happened.

The courthouse burned down story was not confined to Lassen. When visiting other counties to conduct research, certain county officials did not want to be bothered to retrieve old documents, and would give me that song and dance routine that the courthouse burned down, even though it never did.

Tim