Leon Bly – Bad Karma?

Outlet of the Bly Tunnel, 1924. Courtesy of Lola L. Tanner
Outlet of the Bly Tunnel, 1924. Courtesy of Lola L. Tanner

On September  1923, an agreement was reached between Leon Bly, the Grant Smith Co. and two irrigation districts, Baxter and Tule that the tunnel and canal system was complete. There would be litigation about the tunnel, but that is another story. Of the $1.25 million project, $300,000 was Bly’s fee, the remainder was construction cost.

Instead of returning to Red Bluff, Bly for the next several years would make his home in San Francisco.  This decision no doubt influenced by Malvena Gallatin, one of his few close friends.  In 1928, Bly returned to Tehama County, and purchased a ranch at Paynes Creek.  He would spend much of the remainder of his life as a recluse. Continue reading Leon Bly – Bad Karma?

Those Bank of America Buildings

The first Bank of America building.

In less than a decade the Susanville Branch of the Bank of America went through three buildings. In 1928, BofA acquired the Lassen Industrial Bank that was located on the corner of Main and Gay Street, which is now the bank’s parking lot. In 1971, the bank announced construction of a new building adjacent to the current one, which was demolished, to the dismay of many, to create a parking lot. Then in April 1978, the bank announced it was going to build the current structure on Gay and Nevada Streets, and the other bank building, like the one it replaced, was demolished, too, to become a parking lot.

The second short-lived bank building.

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The 101 Ranch

The 101 Ranch.

In 2015, Sierra Pacific Industries purchased the iconic 101 Ranch in Mountain Meadows, near Westwood, from Dye Creek Cattle Company.  The history of ranch dates back to the 1860s, when it was a part of Carlton Goodrich’s ranch there. In 1887, the Goodrich Estate sold to Abner Nanney, and thus the 101 was officially born.

In 1900, Abner’s daughter, Lulu married Bert McKenzie and took over the Mountain Meadows property. Bert died at a young age in 1917 from appendicitis. Lulu with her four children: Thelma, Jack, Abner and Beryl carried on. In 1948, Lulu turned the ranch over to her son and daughter-in-law, Abner and Shirley McKenzie. In 1966, they in turn sold to Dye Creek Cattle Company.

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Lassen County Desert Land Act

The Belfast District, 1898. It was to be the center piece of Merrill’s reclamation project.

In the early 1870s, when Captain Charles A. Merrill proposed to tap Eagle Lake, he found it necessary to have Congress pass a homestead act that focused on arid lands, as nothing existed. Thus, on March 3, 1875, Congress approved the Lassen County Desert Land Act.  Under the Act, an individual could claim up to 640 acres of government land. They had two years to reclaim the land by irrigation, and then could purchase the land from the government for $1.25 per acre. Residence on the land was not a requirement. It proved so popular that in 1877, Congress approved the Desert Land Act, which covered all arid lands in the western United States. The latter Act has had a lasting impact, and is still one of very few homestead acts in existence. In the 1980s when Franklin Jeans proposed his water export scheme of the groundwater on the Nevada side of the Honey Lake Valley, he used the Desert Land Act to increase his holdings and to put more wells to accomplish that goal.

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Susanville Cemetery Relics

Shinn family plot, Susanville Cemetery, November 19, 2015

Over the years in the area surrounding and including the Susanville Cemetery various Native American artifacts have surfaced. In one particular instance the Lassen Advocate of 10 June 1881 reported the following: Indian Relics. In digging the ditch to lay pipe for conducting water to the cemetery, eighteen inches below the surface, Mr. Frost came upon four stone implements that were once used by Indians or some other race of people. One of the stones is evidently a mill for making flour from seeds or acorns, the other three were probably used for dressing skins. They have fallen into good hands, Mr. Frost is collecting these interesting relics of the past to be preserved.

Of particular note the grave of Mr. Frost will be included in September’s cemetery tour, as part of the centennial celebration of the Lassen County Courthouse.

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Roosevelt Pool Opens

Roosevelt Pool
Roosevelt Pool, circa 1940

It will not be too much longer when the new community pool, that replaced the Roosevelt, will open. Yet, it was on this date, April 17, 1938 that the Roosevelt Pool opened.

The Works Projects Administration (WPA) was part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal program to help stimulate economic recovery brought upon the Great Depression of the 1930s. For years Susanville residents desired a swimming pool. Frank O’Kelly spearheaded the movement and wanted to convert the Fruit Growers ranch (now Susanville Ranch Park) into a recreational facility complete with a golf course, swimming pool, picnic area and playground. Everyone liked the concept except for Fruit Growers who owned the property and were not interested in leasing or donating the property. O’Kelly undaunted by the setback persevered and it was decided to move forward with a community pool. The plans were submitted and the WPA approved it for a cost of $28,433.

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The other Eagle Lake Proposal

Hayden Hill, 1920.

Of what was one of the more unusual uses of Eagle Lake water was a proposal to use that resource in the mining operations at Hayden Hill, located some twenty-five miles north of the lake.

During the 1920s and 1930s, both the mining activity and the population at Hayden Hill declined. In 1934, Stratton & Stratton of Spokane, Washington consolidated the mine ownership. They had high hopes to revive the Hill. One of the main drawbacks that Hayden Hill suffered was the lack of water for milling. In 1938, Stratton & Stratton proposed to pipe water from Eagle Lake, at a rate of 2,500 gallons per minute. This scheme never came to fruition.

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Your Topic

Tanner Ranch, March 18, 2017

On a quarterly basis,  I ask you, the reader, if there is something you would like to learn more about or maybe its something you heard but question its validity.  So here is an opportunity to participate. I will do my best to answer any questions. It should be noted, it may take awhile for the answer to appear as a post. The primary reason, many of the daily posts are done nearly a month in advance.  So by the time you read this, I am already working on posts in the middle of  May, or at least I should be.  Whatever the case may be, I look forward to hearing from you. Of course, it should be noted that paid subscribers requests receive priority. In addition, you can always send an request at any time. Such is the case with the Bayley Creek Sawmill on the north side of Fredonyer Peak.

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Exploring Lassen County's Past