In the summer of 1862, T.N. Long and Al Leroy constructed a story and half building on the southwest corner of Main and Union Streets, the current site of the St. Francis Hotel. It housed the Magnolia Saloon, and at the time of construction was most pretentious structure in Susanville. In 1864, the saloon also housed Lassen County’s first courtroom. As the court only was in session during the first few days of each month, it did not interfere with the saloon trade. In 1867, with a new Lassen County Courthouse, the Magnolia was no longer needed for judicial purposes. Over the years, it housed numerous entities and was destroyed by a fire in 1882.
Thank you Tim for keeping the history alive! What do you know about the Swiss Dairy that use to be in Susanville?
I have a cut glass back bar whiskey bottle from the Magnolia. My grandfather Goddard Long used to tell me that we had a long history of bartenders on both sides of the bar.