Peg Leg Mountain, February 1914. B.R. Zimmerman CollectionThis mountain, for those not familiar is located a short distance northeast of Westwood. In 1864, David Johnson (1815-1904), who was better known as “Peg leg”, came to California. While en-route to the Sacramento Valley, his wife, Martha, aged 35, died on October 12, 1864, at Devils Corral, Lassen County. Johnson transported her body to Mountain Meadows where he buried her, which is known as the small cemetery at the 101 Ranch.
Peg leg was known as an old time mountain man who spent his summers in this region and wintered with his family at Red Bluff. In March 1903, his son, John W. Johnson was granted guardianship of Peg leg, who had been declared insane by the Court. Peg leg had two daughters, Mrs. Elizabeth Howard and Mrs. Mary Heckle. John had filed a request to sell the Mountain Meadows property for $800. The sisters contested the sale, as they cited the land was worth at least $1,400. The court approved John’s petition. Peg leg’s property was sold to W.C. Lucas and J.A. Virden for $800. On April 5, 1904, David “Peg Leg” Johnson died at the Napa Asylum for the Insane. His family brought his remains to Mountain Meadows in June and interred them next to his wife, Martha, and their twenty-nine year old son, Ralph, who died in 1884.
Lassen County elected officials and employees.To add a little intrigue to the Lassen County Centennial Tour was the determination of selection of who is featured and who is not. Each individual, of course, has a unique tale. The county supervisor selected, while seated on the board, voted to give the contract for the construction of the first courthouse to his close friend, and that is just the beginning. These are the kind of anecdotes I have an unearthed through many decades of research. As I have mentioned before I am only doing this tour once. Do not even dare to ask for a private tour, if you value your mental health.
The two monuments.The Lassen County Courthouse dedication was not the only event to occur at the same time. For over a year, Susanville resident, Jules Alexander spear headed a fundraising drive for a new Peter Lassen’s Monument. The day before the courthouse ceremony several hundred people gathered at Peter Lassen’s grave. When the attendees arrived the new granite marker was draped in a large American flag. A supposed relation of Lassen’s, Mrs. May Lassen, who it was said was the wife of Lassen’s nephew, did the unveiling. This was followed by the obligatory speeches of local dignitaries.
Robert M. Cook, of the Lassen Weekly Mail wrote that more was needed to be done with the new monument: “The location is one of great scenic beauty and it is hoped that it can be made an official cemetery and thus secure the care of the county in keeping the grounds in first-class condition. There is no fund at present for this purpose and it will be a shame to allow the beautiful stone that has been erected to become the center of unkempt and neglected grounds.”
Oakes and Philbrook’s furniture store under construction.In 1901, two half-brothers, Tom Oakes and Alonzo Philbrook built a furniture store at 800 Main Street, which building still exist. As was customary of the day, they were also the local undertaker, since making furniture and building a coffin went hand in hand. In 1912, the building was acquired by the Bank of Lassen County which remained in the building until 1933 when it was acquired by Bank of America. It has had numerous occupants since such as the United California Bank and the Lassen County Times
In 1884, the Hurlbut mill was at the head of Main Street, MerrillvilleThe Lassen Advocate of January 12, 1884, provided their readers with a description of Merrillville:
“Every week I see something in your paper about some “ville”—Susanville, Oroville, Marysville, Janesville—but I never see anything about Merrillville. Perhaps you do not know that there is a Merrillville. For your benefit and that of the traveling public, I will describe and locate it as best I can, or at least the business portion of the town.
“At the upper end of Main Street, is the Post Office kept by P.D. Hurlbut, a very sociable businessman, who unlike most government officials, does not try to make a fortune out of his office. When not employed in his official duties, he attends to and runs his sawmill, and keeps on hand a fine assortment of the best lumber.
“From the Post Office down Main Street about two miles is the next place of business, or such I think it is to be. This is the fine new barn, the property of Ben Neuhaus and from all appearances it is to be used as a livery stable as soon as the business will pay. Ben is one of the first settlers in this town, is a fine, jovial, liberal gentleman, and I think will make a good livery man. There is nothing small about Ben—nothing whatever—and that is not his fault.
“The next place of note, one and a half miles down Main Street is the school house, a neat and well furnished building, with a stable and a board fence around the playground. On the northeast corner of this fence I am sitting as I write this. It is a very convenient place to take notes and affords a good view of the surrounding country. The schoolhouse is used for a variety of purposes, town hall, polling place, church, etc. We have church here in two weeks and everyone attends regularly. If you should visit our schoolhouse after we have had a school election, from the empty bottles around the door you would take it to be a country saloon—if you should enter you would take it for the town spittoon.
“Two miles north of the school house, or Swamp Street, is the blacksmith shop and there you will always find Orman Folsom ready at any time. A fine gentleman and one of the best mechanics in Northern California.
“From the school house down Main Street about five miles, you will find Frank Fluery’s saloon, and for ten cents he will give you enough “make you happy” to cause you to forget all your trials, troubles and tribulations for a time.
“Merrillville is situated twelve miles north of Susanville, in Willow Creek Valley and was laid out and named by Capt. Merrill after himself—leaving off the Captain and adding the “ville.”
Folsom Ranch, 1900. Courtesy of Mary Dale FolsomUnlike many rural outposts there is usually some sort of a nucleus of buildings. There is always an exception to the rule, and Merrillville is one of them. In the early 1870s,the residents of Willow Creek Valley desired mail service. It was Willow Creek blacksmith, Orman Folsom who led the movement. On April 1, 1875 the Merrillville Post Office was established at the Folsom Ranch, (Willow Creek Wildlife Unit), with Orman Folsom as postmaster. Folsom named the post office after Captain Charles A. Merrill who had recently arrived on the scene to tap Eagle Lake for reclamation. Folsom and his successors never had any intent to establish a town. The post office location changed over the years and when it was discontinued, on November 30, 1928, it was located at the Stone Ranch, Eagle Lake.
????I would find it rather doubtful that federal aviation officials would permit useage of this airstrip. However, for many years, it was maintained by the County of Lassen, though some pondered why.
Lassen County Courthouse, 1938. Courtesy of Jere BakerMark your calendars for Saturday, September 16, 2017 for fun and interesting times as Lassen County celebrates the 100 year of the dedication of its courthouse on South Lassen Street. The day first starts off that morning with another centennial dedication—Peter Lassen’s Monument. Among the many activities on tap that day include tours of the courthouse by members of the Lassen County Historical Society; a barbecue at the courthouse lawn; a cemetery tour at the nearby Susanville Cemetery and more to be topped off that evening with September 4, 2017the Susanville Symphony’s Concert on the Green at the courthouse.
Purge Nite. Courtesy of Frank W. DavisIt is only fitting that on Labor Day that we remember the great purge of in which nearly 400 men, women and children were forced out of their homes in Westwood on July 13, 1938 over a labor dispute, one that lingers to this day. Yet, by the end of that historic day the California Highway Patrol, with the National Guard on standby placed a blockade on the community, sealing it from the world until things could stabilize. According to historian Gerald Rose about the historical significance of the purge he wrote, “Not until the 1941 deportation of Japanese-Americans was there a large forced migration of United States citizens.” To learn more about Westwood’s labor history, read Red River: The Turbulent Thirties.
Will this be the cover photograph?First of all, I want to thank everyone who responded, there was a lot more interest than I had expected. As previously mentioned it will be a limited edition in the neighborhood of 50 or 60. The photograph selection is nearly complete, though I have not quite settled on the cover photograph. There is going to be a little special surprise to be included in the calendar. Those who forget to reserve one this is good time as any to send a note. More information to follow when the calendar is released.
