Estate Sale
Where are we–the answer
Walton’s Colonial Mortuary located at 115 South Lassen Street, Susanville was the former home of George and Daisy McDow for many years. In 1939, the house was remodeled and converted into a mortuary. It should be noted that the mortuary has changed ownership over the years. Only one person, Kirsten Newton, correctly identified the building.
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Eagle Lake Water Rights Revoked
Water rights can be a contentious issue and those rights involving Eagle Lake has a long sordid history. In 1939, the State of California revoked the water rights of the failed Baxter Creek and Tule Irrigation Districts. A legal battle ensued and the districts won. In the meantime, between all the barbs and volleys being lobbed during the litigation process, the level of lake started rising wherein the water began to flow through the Bly Tunnel. In 1955, work was being carried to clear out debris and resurrect the irrigation system. Not everyone was pleased and an unknown vigilante party went to the Bly Tunnel inlet and dynamited it to prevent water flowing. The opposition stated that the lake was more valuable for recreation than for irrigation.
In 1959, the State once again revoked the Tule Irrigation District’s rights to the lake. The Baxter Creek District went bankrupt in 1952 and was no longer in the picture. The issue did not go away, as the District and a handful of ranchers filed for water rights and opposition was immediate. After heated three-day public hearing in Susanville the Water Board took the matter under consideration and on March 15, 1962 registered its opinion to deny future water rights to the lake.
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Noble’s Emigrant Trail
In the late summer of 1850, William H. Nobles (1816-1876) arrived in California to locate a direct route to that state’s Northern sector. Once travelers left south of the City of Rocks, Idaho and arrived at Lassen’s Meadows (now Rye Patch Reservoir, Nevada) the choice of routes to Central and Northern California were limited. They had the option of crossing the 40 Mile Desert, then being confronted with Carson or Donner Passes. The other option was to take the Applegate and Lassen Trail. The Lassen Trail had its drawbacks too, one being that it was 250 miles longer than the 40 Mile Desert route. In the spring of 1851, Peter Lassen guided Nobles to the Honey Lake Valley via Indian Valley. At that point, Nobles and Lassen parted company and Nobles made a thorough evaluation of the country. Nobles found a direct route from Lassen’s Meadows, that went in a westerly direction across the Black Rock and Smoke Creek Deserts, to the Honey Lake Valley. From there, the course went in a northwestern direction to Pine Creek Valley and turned due west along the northern base of Mount Lassen and into the Sacramento Valley, near Redding. In February 1852, Nobles led a party that included Peter Lassen over the route that he had explored the previous year. Nobles had hoped they would join him in forming some type of partnership to develop the new route, but they were not interested. In April 1852, Nobles addressed the citizens of Shasta, informing them that he had indeed discovered a direct route across the mountains. This trail would be a great benefit to Shasta and the northern mining communities. Nobles requested a $2,000 guide fee. If the Shasta business community found the route unacceptable, Nobles would decline his fee. On May 3, 1852, Nobles, and a group of nine men, left Shasta to travel over the route. When they reached the Humboldt River at Lassen’s Meadows, the Shasta delegation declared the new route had more than met their expectations. Nobles was paid his commission and, at the Humboldt, he parted their company to join another outfit that was returning to the Eastern U.S.
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Sacred Heart’s St. Patrick’s Dinner
Who knew back in 1917, when Father P.J. O’Reilly announced the Sacred Heart Church would celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, that it would be an enduring tradition now in its 100th year. It is the oldest continuous event in Lassen County, surpassing even the Lassen County Fair. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, March 18 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Monsignor Moran Hall on Weatherlow Street Believe me, as I can attest they serve the best corned beef around. There is always the cake wheel that can be very entertaining.
Father O’Reilly’s first event was nearly an all nighter. As was the custom of the day, entertainment and dancing occupied the first half of the evening. Then at 11 p.m. a supper was served and then the dancing resumed into the “wee hours of the morning.” At the conclusion, Father O’Reilly commented that it was a a very successful affair socially and financially.
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Milford Flour Mill
One of the first agricultural enterprises undertaken in Lassen County was the establishment of flourmills. Due to the region’s isolation during the 1800s it was important for the region to self sustain itself. One of the most important products needed by the residents was flour. In 1861, J.C. Wemple and Judson Dakin built the region’s first flour mill at Milford. In 1882, H.H. Dakin, built a larger, more efficient mill at Janesville, which eventually replaced the Milford mill. The Milford mill did remain in operation until the late 1880s. In the 1890s, the mill was abandoned and in the early 1900s it finally collapsed. Other flourmills were established at Bieber, Janesville, Johnstonville and Susanville, more on those later.
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Red River: End of an Era
Estate Sale: I need to make room for items from my mother’s estate. This a great bargain 50% off, a big deal your cost $12.50 plus shipping. What a deal!
It is only appropriate to feature this volume, number four in the Red River series, as last week featured volume number three. It was originally thought that Red River’s Westwood mill would operate into perpetuity. However, in less than thirty years in operation proved that theory wrong. There was the family drama, not all wanted to dispose of Westwood, but those that did out numbered those wanting to exit. On the bright side, with World War II, the demand for lumber soared, and so for once did Red River’s profits. Thus, it seemed conditions were ideal to unload it, but Westwood was an albatross. No one wanted a mammoth mill, let alone a company town. Red River’s bargaining chip, it still owned vast swaths of timber and that is what the buyers wanted.
In addition to the saga of Red River’s departure from Westwood, this volume also wraps up a lot of loose ends. Included are such issues of what became of many of its landmarks, and that of the roadhouses that was once a dominant feature between Westwood and Susanville. In addition, are Westwood institutions such as the Westwood Auto Club, the Westwood National Bank among other topics. To order your copy, is just a click away, here.
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Cemetery Tours
Last year at this time I conducted a St. Patrick’s Cemetery Tour, in which we visited the graves of the various Irish immigrants who played a role in the region’s heritage. Last October we did a Oktoberfest Cemetery Tour, similar to the St. Patrick’s, but the focus was on the German immigrants.
While, of late, I have not given much consideration of future cemetery tours. There has been an informal discussion about a cemetery tour this fall to focus on the county officials buried in the Susanville Cemetery as part of the centennial Lassen County Courthouse celebration. Whatever, the case may be I am always open to suggestions.
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Where are we?
If you have resided in Susanville for any period of time, the odds are that you have been in the residence depicted above, albeit in its altered state that occurred in 1939. The first person who figures it out will receive a 2018 Purdy’s Private Reserve Calendar when it is released this fall.