This was a query received about the past and present Lassen High School buildings. For a certain amount of seasoned residents they still have a bit angst when the old school was torn down in 1968
Lassen High School, May 5, 2018–Jim Chapman
As Glenn Wemple, Class of 1948 relayed to me, as he served on the High School/College Board of trustees they were advised when it came time for demolition, to do it as quickly as possible because emotions in the community would become a very sensitive issue. The trustees took that advice and the old school was quickly demolished.
In 1894, James “Juniper Jim” Roussell located at Post Camp on the Madeline Plains. Those were hardly souls to eke out a living on the plains. In 1913, he was charged with cattle rustling, but was acquitted. There is a full account of the episode in Donald T. Garate’s book Red Rock to Ravendale.
There was a recent inquiry about this event and that concerning the Lassen County Superior Court records. The original records from 1864 to the mid-1920s were never microfilmed and the last time I inspected them they were intact. But a lot has changed since then. With Lassen County Courthouse renovation under way, those records, as well all others were removed. It is my understanding, I could be wrong, the court records were transferred to the Lassen County Hall Of Justice. My experiences with that facility has not been pleasant even to obtain copies of a court case in the 1970s. A request was submitted and was informed I would receive a call when the copies were made. That five years ago, and I never heard back. Others have relayed similar circumstances. So I am unable to answer the question about the court records, their existence or access.
With the establishment of the Lassen Lumber & Box Company in 1918 and three years later Fruit Growers Supply Company on the outskirts of Susanville the region experienced a huge influx of population. Yet, if one examines the census records it reveals a different story. Susanville’s population in 1930 was 1,358. In 1940 it rose to 1,565. However, that does not tell the whole story. Susanville’s eastern boundary ended at Weatherlow Street. In 1940, the area east of Susanville proper, which the census designated as Milwood Farms had a population of 3,672. In 1947, after numerous attempts to annex that region into the City of Susanville, it finally happened. Guess what? In 1950, the census reported that Susanville’s population had a dramatic increase with a population of 5,338. Nearly 3,000 more than in 1940.
John C. Fremont was an interesting character in the early annals of California history and the West. In his 1843-44 expedition he came across a major desert lake, which he named Pyramid. However, during that excursion he bypassed the Honey Lake Valley. Yet, on April 29, 1846 Fremont’s party entered Big Valley in Lassen-Modoc Counties, which he christened it “Round Valley.”
Big Valley was well known to explorers and fur trappers. What makes Fremont’s visit of interest is that he provided one of the earliest descriptions of it. Fremont wrote: “Here we found a region very different from the valley of California. We had left behind the soft, delightful climate of the coast, from where we were cut off by the high snowy mountains, and had ascended into one resembling that of the Great Basin, under the influence of the same elevation above the sea; but more fertile and having much forest land, and well watered. The face of the country was different from the valley we had left. The soil itself is different; sometimes bare. Except in some leading features I regarded this district as not within the limits of fixed geography.”
While January usually witnesses some of the largest snowstorms of the season, February can pack a wallop. In mid-February 1922 was a classic example. A snowstorm hit region dumping seven feet of snow at Westwood Junction, five feet at Westwood and four feet at Susanville. It was a heavy wet snow that caused numerous problems, especially with power outages and travel.
A reader wanted know about the church in Doyle that survived the 2021 fire, and I featured an excellent photograph in a recent post, where everything around it was torched. The historic church was built at Constantia, circa 1898. In 1994, it was moved to Doyle, adjacent to the Long Valley Cemetery and restored.. It is maintained by the Doyle Historical Society. It is used for a variety of purposes including funerals and weddings, but no regular church services.
Constantia Church, Doyle, July 12, 2021—Ronda Dockstader
In the early 1900s there was a new battle as to who would gain control of Eagle Lake to tap it via a tunnel to irrigate the Honey Lake Valley. To be quite honest, attorneys benefited the most. While sifting through the archives, during a very cold and dry January, I came across a most unusual 1906 report about how the Lassen Willow Creek Water Company and its plans to exploit Eagle Lake. More about that in a future post. However, there was a certain aspect about water diversions that were never made public. If you happened to be named Martin, this story will particularly appeal to you.
In 1905, the Lassen Willow Creek Water Company was formed and unlike their predecessors they viewed Eagle Lake as a reservoir. In the fall of 1906, the company consulted with San Francisco Civil Engineer, Marsden Manson, who was involved with Hetch Hetchy. In Manson’s report of October 29, 1906 he wrote that to permanently increase the flow into Eagle Lake it would be necessary to divert portions of the headwaters of Susan River into Pine Creek. It was his opinion the run off of the Susan River is wasted flowing into Honey Lake. It would cost less than $10,000 to construct the diversion canal. Manson’s report was never made public, the water users of Susan River would never allow it.* Of course, this never materialized and by this time the Lassen Willow Creek Water Company was on the verge of imploding.
While assorting through old brochures, I came across one published in 1970 by the Susanville Junior Chamber of Commerce. Some might be interested in the description of Janesville.
“One of the fastest growing communities within the Honey Lake Valley, Janesville is a historic pioneer town twelve miles southeast of Susanville. Many new homes are appearing on the scene as this picturesque little town with its beautiful mountain background and bountiful forests attract more and more people to its bounds. A great abundance of ranches and meadow land lie in the foothills of this area. Plans are being made to make use of these natural facilities for recreational and community living. Janesville is easily accessible to main highways. Small agricultural, cattle and poultry raising are part of the Janesville scene.”
Shumway’s ox team in Susanville. To left seated on a horse, Susie Shumway. Standing Ben Shumway and seated in the wagon, Mahala Shumway—Carl Illig
Information about the use of oxen in the region is scant. On the other hand, many a pioneer settler who traveled overland to the west, used ox teams, because they could carry heavy loads and handle difficult terrain.
One of the earliest accounts of oxen used for freighting, occurred in November 1860. At that time, Mark Haviland rented his wagon and and six oxen to J.E. Shearer to haul merchandise to Virginia City, Nevada. On the toll road between Virginia City and Silver City the wagon and ox team overturned down a steep embankment. There was substantial damage to the wagon, one ox was killed and another seriously injured. Haviland sued Shearer for $150 for damages, and was awarded $120.
Ox teams at Amedee, 1907–Lola Tanner
In 1907 was the last time oxen were used commercially in the Honey Lake Valley. At that time, the Lassen Mill & Lumber Company had a contract for a million board feet of lumber to the Nevada mines of Goldfield. The lumber came from the mills in the Janesville area. It was then hauled to the Barham Dock at Honey Lake, near Baxter Creek. It was then placed on a barge and shipped across the lake to Amedee. An ox team there, then hauled the lumber to the NCO railroad depot to be shipped. The oxen were needed as the ground near the lake was too soft for horses.
A subscriber inquired that for most of their experiences Honey Lake was either a dry dust bowl or a small mud puddle. The lake can be a lot of things.
First of all, the lake is a remnant of the ancient Lake Lahontan, so is nearby Pyramid Lake. There is a difference between the two, as Honey is a playa lake—a shallow body of water that goes dry in times of drought. However, there is another factor in play, since a great amount of water that would normally flow into the lake, is now diverted for irrigation, thereby never reaching the lake.
Honey Lake, June 26, 2021—Larry Plaster
When there is a heavy wet winter, that causes flooding with excessive run off can fill up the dry lake bed. When the lake is full it covers some 60,000 acres. On the average it takes a successive three drought years for the lake to completely evaporate. When the lake is dry and with the downslope winds from the Diamond Mountain range creates a dust bowl. What is fascinating is the amount of sediment the winds remove, thereby allowing the lake to still retain in certain places a depth up to twenty feet, though on the average four to five feet, and shallower on the east side, when the lake is filled up with water.
