History

Paul Bunyan Statues

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Akeley, Minnesota, 2007

Now, a part of American folklore is that of Paul Bunyan and Babe his Blue Ox. The story behind him, could possibly been lost to time from its origins in the logging camps in the Great Lakes region. It was William B. Laughead who brought Paul to life as part of Red River Lumber Company’s advertising campaign for its California expansion.

A variety of communities over time adopted the mythical lumberjack, and statues were erected in his honor. The first one constructed was at Bemidji, Minnesota in 1937. When I visited there, it was undergoing restoration.  My next stop after that on this research expedition was Akeley, Minnesota, the location of Red River’s last Minnesota mill. This quiet community is dominated by a Paul Bunyan statue. Of course, locally, Westwood would erect one, long after Red River was gone.

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History

When an opportunity arises

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The advertising symbol of the eruption was found eveywhere.

In 1914 when Lassen Peak blew its top, so to speak, it became a media spectacle, not just locally, but a national and international sensation. Of course, the surrounding communities/counties of Lassen Peak took full advantage of the free publicity made available.  Of course, Susanville/Lassen County was of no exception, especially since the county and the peak shared the same name.  Examples where when the Lassen Industrial Bank used a photograph of eruption on their checks, while the Susanville newspaper the Lassen Advocate incorporated it into its masthead.

A little bit of irony back in the 1950s when the Lassen County logo made its debut, shows Lassen Peak in the background.  It should be duly noted that Lassen Peak is located in Shasta County.

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History, News

Answers to some questions

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Camp A
Camp A, Fruit Growers Supply Company, located just north of McCoy Flat Reservoir, 1921

There have been some interesting comments posted of late, so I take this opportunity to answer a few.

Seasoned residents may remember a row cabins near Cherry Terrace along Piute Creek, where Al & Joy Robbins is located. There was one large cabin, which was occupied by Dan Marmo. The smaller cabins, came from Fruit Growers Supply Company logging Camp 10, after it closed in 1952. Marmo rented out the cabins, some of those folks less fortunate than others. On occasion even a Lassen College student could be found there. There are still some of these old logging cabins located throughout Susanville.

One of the panels on the LMUD building, part of a forthcoming mural tour. The building depicted iwas the home of the Telephone Company . December 26, 2016

The Telephone Company building, is a reference I had not heard in years.  However, it just so happens I am writing about it. The is the two-story stone building located on the northeast corner of Main and Gay Streets. It was built in 1914 and originally known as the Star Hotel. For a number of decades it housed Susanville’s first telephone company. When Safeway came to Susanville in 1928, it was housed there.

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History

Watch Our Smoke!

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The slogan was incorporated in the Lassen County Chamber of Commerce stationery.

Harry Coleman possessed that wonderful “can do spirit” trait. He came to Susanville to manage Fruit Growers Story Club. In 1925, he became the post commander of the Thomas Tucker Post of the American Legion. Yet, it was previous year, that Coleman and four other post members made their ambitions known. In 1924, they attended the annual State Convention of the American Legion in Santa Cruz. They were not only there to promote Lassen County, but to put their bid in to become the host city for the 1926 convention. Initially, locally Coleman and company had a lot of critics who were skeptical about Susanville being a convention city. After all, it involved being host to some 2,500 people—more than double the town’s population.

The local Legionnaires began their campaign and traveled to various post throughout the state to obtain their support. In the beginning of 1925, four cities were in contention, including Susanville—the others being San Francisco, Santa Rosa and Stockton. By spring, San Francisco withdrew its bid and supported Susanville.

Their advertising campaign was called  “Watch Our Smoke” a reference to Mount Lassen’s famed eruptions. One of their many selling points was how the community was joined together to build a new three-story hotel for the convention—and that is how the Mt. Lassen Hotel came to be.

Next month, more on their campaign.

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History

Cove Point, Eagle Lake

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Cove Point, 1921

My grandmother, Lola Murrer Tanner, 1899-1973, referred to this east side landmark as Cove Point, which is just south of Bly Tunnel. While, it has no official designation as such, it is not unusual for some one to give a prominent spot a name for reference. This is more a photographic essay of the fluctuation of the water level at this particular spot over a span of nearly a century. The above photograph not only shows the point submerged but the tailing pile of the Bly Tunnel.

Cove Point, 1925

While not taken at the same angle, what a difference four years make with the drop of the lake level.

Cove Point, August 9, 2018

Finally, this is how it looked last summer.

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History

Old Cameras

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Alexander Howell
Alexander Howell, a professional photographer who operated a studio in Susanville during the early 1890s.courtesy of Donna Howell

There have been so many changes that have occurred in this digital age. This, of course, brings us today’s topic. Awhile back a friend and I were discussing cameras—the ancient kind that use film. We both have 35mm cameras. The question the both of us have, what do you do with these old cameras? As the readers of this site are a knowledgable lot, we look forward to anyone’s feed back.

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History

Red River’s Camp 57

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Camp 57, courtesy of Roy Rea

In certain ways, Red River Lumber Company’s logging Camp 57, was in one sense one of the best known, and least known. Why the paradox? It was located adjacent to Chester, though many in the region were not familiar with its initial designation.  It was established in 1922 and was one of the longest operating logging camps of Red River. Many logging camps of the era had a life span of one or two years. In addition, Camp 57 remained opened in the winter, even though logging had been suspended. During the 1920s, Westwood had a constant housing shortage, so the camp provided for additional housing in the winter months.

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History

The B&T Railroad

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Construction of the Western Pacific Railroad near Constantia. Courtesy of Marie H. Gould

In 1907 the Lassen Advocate provided some interesting statistics concerning the construction of the Western Pacific Railroad (WP). The paper’s editor/publisher, E.W. Hayden, was fascinated that there were to be 75 bridges, most of which were west of Wells, Nevada. The aggregate length of these bridges was estimated at three miles, that would require 20,000 tons of steel to construct.  Then there was the staggering amount of tunnels to be constructed. In a bit of tongue and cheek, Hayden suggested the WP should change its name to the B&T—Bridge and Tunnel Railroad.

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History

Coppervale’s Pomo Lift

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Mike Johnson, Lassen College student, checks a pulley atop the last post at the top of the mountain.

“This was our dream 30 years ago; to get a lift that would go clear to the top of the mountain, and where you didn’t have to hold onto a rope all the way.” Those were the sentiments expressed by Maurice Hertzig, Westwood’s Fire Chief and Harold Powell, Lassen College professor in December 1976 when nearing the completion of the Pomo lift at Coppervale.  The new lift powered by a 60 horsepower electric motor, will rise 1,560 vertical feet up the mountain and have a capacity to move 550 people per hour. The three month construction project cost $29,000.

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History

The B&B

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1935 Advertisement for B.B. Liquor Store

Seasoned residents will remember with fond memories of the B&B, a fine restaurant and bar located in the Knoch building. Before it became the B&B it as the B.B. Liquor Store. The B.B. stood for Brouillard’s Beverages, after the owner, E.H. Brouillard.

Some may recall in the banquet room, there was a rather large canvas mural 6’ x 20’ of Mount Lassen. It was painted by J.E. Lane, and the mural still exist, it being in storage. It should be noted that two other works of Lane have graced the walls of the Lassen County Courthouse since 1917. One is of Susanville as it appeared in 1864. The other is of Warner Valley, with Lassen Peak in the background. Why the County Board of Supervisors selected the latter has always confused me. First Warner Valley is in Plumas County. And, secondly, Lassen Peak is in Shasta County.

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Exploring Lassen County's Past