1918 Solar Eclipse

August 24, 2017 Tim Purdy 1 Comment

While Monday’s eclipse is still fresh in most people’s memory, the 1918 eclipse was very similar across the United States. Locally, the Lassen Advocate newspaper of June 14, 1918 reported: The eclipse came on time last Saturday and smoked glasses—and noses—were in evidence. The Advocate force was too busy to take more than a squint at the phenomenon and consequently you know as much about it as they do.

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History

Centennial Tour – T.N. Long

August 23, 2017 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Thomas Newton Long. Courtesy of Jack Howard Long

Thomas Long (1833-1917) ended up in my “honorable mention” list, though depending on time, he may squeak by. It should be duly noted, that he is not related to the other Long family of Susanville. It is somewhat similar to the Doyle Doyles and the Milford Doyles, as they are not related, just makes things confusing.

This Alabama native came to Susanville in 1861 and with A.R. Leroy operated a saloon. In the fall of 1867 he was elected sheriff of Lassen County and re-elected in 1869. In 1871 he ran for county treasurer and lost. In 1874 he was elected Lassen County Supervisor, District 1. In 1877, he was elected county treasurer and served one term. He would serve four terms as county supervisor from 1882-1900. For the most of his life, he operated a general store and raised a family of fourteen children.

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History

Where was it?

August 22, 2017 Tim Purdy 1 Comment

This was taken in 1940, prior to improvements to the property.

It is situated on one of the more unusual lots in Susanville, though I doubt the city would allow a lot like that to be created today. There is a conflict of opinion. There are those in camp this building was torn and the other that it was modified into the current structure. Whatever the case may be, a lot of girls in the region created many a memory there.

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History

The 1889 Solar Eclipse

August 21, 2017 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

My apologies for a newspaper clipping, but I was never able to obtain my print of the photograph back for the above press release, done way before scanners, etc.

You would nearly have to be hermit living off the grid to escape all the coverage about today’s eclipse. One of the best places to view the solar eclipse of January 1, 1889 was the Honey Lake Valley. On that date, the NCO Railroad (then the N&C) ran a special excursion train from Reno to its new terminus of Liegan (near present day Herlong) to view the eclipse. Forty people took advantage of the offer.

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History

School Buses

August 20, 2017 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Soldier Bridge School Bus at Litchfield.

Now, it is that time of year with schools back in session, here is an interesting tidbit I came across while doing some research for the cemetery tour. On July 15, 1933 the California Department of Education adopted that all school buses be painted a “distinctive chrome yellow.” This was done as a request by the California Highway Patrol.

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History

Lassen High School Sites, 1968

August 19, 2017 Tim Purdy 4 Comments

Miller’s Construction getting ready for the demolition, June 1968.

Just a bit of trivia today. In the mid-1960s the trustees of Lassen Union High School gave consideration to locate the campus at the north end of Weatherlow Street. When the California Highway Department officials assured the trustees that there was going to be a highway bypass, it was decided to keep the original campus. This was in the same era when Lassen Community College had severed ties with the high school and was in search of a new home, and one of those locations is now Susanville Ranch Park. The college liked that property, but they did not like the purchase price.

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The El Solano

August 18, 2017 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

One of the peculiar oddities back in Westwood’s early history there were no accommodations for the traveling public. The Red River Lumber Company who controlled the town wanted it that way. This would hinder any “undesirables” to try infiltrate the town, i.e., such as union organizers. However, Red River needed to provide some sort of accommodations for people visiting on official business with the company. Red River constructed the El Solano at 501 Birch Street to meet those needs.

In the 1930s, during Red River’s financial crisis, the company converted its American Legion Hall into a hotel known as the Blue Ox Inn, and thus the El Solano diminished in status. It would later be converted into apartments. In the fall of 1965 the Assembly of God Church renovated the building, and the second story removed. Today, it is a private residence.

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History

Susanville Water Tanks

August 17, 2017 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

For nearly a century there were water tanks located at the base of Inspiration Point, that served as the town’s water supply. The only reason why I bring this up, it had became part of the discussion at the original Inspiration Point Tour. While subscriber’s do receive the narrative of the tour, the dialogue and discussions by attendees are not included. One of the interesting features about these old tanks, and the above picture highlights the fact that there were no covers on the tanks.

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Centennial Cemetery Tour

August 16, 2017 Tim Purdy 1 Comment

Susanville Cemetery entrance prior to the February 5, 2015 windstorm

No, it is not the centennial for the Susanville Cemetery, since it has been around a lot longer than that. There is to be a cemetery tour, inconjunction with the Lassen County Courthouse Centennial Celebration in September. I will be doing a one-time tour of various county officials whose final resting place is a just a short distance from the courthouse.

In the next few weeks, I will posting those souls who only made honorable mention or less. There are certainly going to be some “raised eyebrows” as to who made the cut and who did not.

Date: Saturday, September 16, 2017
Time & Place: 1:30 p.m. at the Susanville Cemetery

History

Susanville, 1941

August 15, 2017 Tim Purdy 3 Comments

While examining the file of L.L. Frost, one of the graves that we will be visiting on the forthcoming Centennial Cemetery tour, there were a couple of interesting photographs in the file. This particular one caught my attention, as it shows the old auto court on Quarry Street at the base of Inspiration Point. Usually, photographers crop off at Pine Street, so one rarely sees this little known area of Susanville.

Tomorrow, I will have more details about the cemetery tour, with times and dates, so one has plenty of time to mark your calendar.