In January 1949, the temperatures plummeted to nearly thirty degrees below zero. The millpond froze. When Red River designed the facility, they placed piping from the powerhouse that forced steam air directly into the millpond near the sawmill. This system was no match for Mother Nature. To keep the mill operating it was necessary to use dynamite to blast loose the logs in the millpond. Continue reading Westwood’s Frozen Millpond
During the 1860s, a state of uneasiness existed between the Indians and the new settlers. Because of the hostilities, the settlers were suspicious of unusual Indian activities. In June 1866, Joe Hale, who had been hunting in the mountains, returned to Susanville and stated that he had seen some Indians who might be selling ammunition to another group of renegade Indians. The latter group, purportedly, were planning a possible attack in the Summit Lake country of Nevada. The following day, a party of men from Susanville consisting of Joe Hale, Byron B. Gray, Charlie Drum and E.V. Spencer went to investigate Hale’s observation. On the return trip from the rendezvous they stopped at Papoose Meadows where they found a group of Indians camped. Continue reading Papoose Meadows Conflict
A lot has happened since I initially began work on the history of the brands featured on the wall in the Pioneer. Of course, a lot of work became derailed when I broke my hip in August. During nearly the six weeks when I was a Nevada resident recuperating, I did have a lot of time for thinking. Continue reading Pioneer Brands
It was an ice skating accident which resulted in the last drowning in Honey Lake. On January 24, 1915, a skating party was held on the northwest shore with approximately 175 people in attendance. Continue reading A Honey Lake Drowning
This large mountain valley encompasses some 200,000 acres at an elevation of 5,200’. According to Gudde’s California Place Names, Gudde attributed the name to an emigrant girl, named Madeline, who was murdered by the Indians in the 1850s. Gudde’s source was that of H.T. Risdon who established a sawmill on Bayley Creek in 1912. What is rather peculiar is that the thoroughly researched historical works of Davis and Fairfield have no references to this murder. What is also interesting is that the name does not appear until 1854. In that year, Lt. E.G. Beckwith traversed the plains while exploring for a transcontinental railroad route. Beckwith entered the Madeline Plains via Smoke Creek Canyon and the east side of Observation Mountain. He named this the Madeline Pass. In all probability, Beckwith named the place for his daughter, Madeline Julia Beckwith, born January 25, 1853 at New London, Connecticut.
For further information on this historic account see the latest issue of the Northern California Traveler.
While many may have fond memories of Borghi’s store on Richmond Road, there was another store near there and before Borghi’s. The store I am referring to was operated by Lassen County’s best-known Syrian, Abraham Farris.
In September 1912, Farris, who was operating a store in Clio, Plumas County, paid Susanville a visit to relocate. He liked what he saw and made arrangements to move. The Lassen Advocate duly noted, “Mr. Farris impresses us as a man of enterprise and business ability, and as one who will do his share in the up building of Susanville.”
Farris, set up shop on the southeast corner of Main and Roop Streets. All went well in the beginning until the owner of the property, O.M. Doyle evicted him. Doyle made arrangements to have a two-story brick building on the lot, that seasoned Susanville residents will know as the Del Mar.
The business district was booming with the advent of the railroad, and Farris could not find a suitable location. He opted to purchase property in the Lassen Townsite on Richmond Road. Yet, this was problematic. Lassen Townsite was owned by several influential Susanville businessmen. They limited commercial development near the depot and it would be kept to a minimum, mainly for businesses affiliated with rail services. To get around this predicament, Farris hired contractor Louis Dimon to build him a house large enough for his family, but with enough space to carry a large stock of merchandise. The store operated until his death in April 1940. In 1942, the store front was remodeled. The building it should be noted burned down in 2013.
When Dr. John A. Slater died on July 24, 1863 at Janesville, there was no cemetery. He was buried at the foot of pine tree on the Sloss Ranch, known in later years as the Jim Peterson place.
In 1865, Slater’s two sons, Henry Hunt, age 11 and John Allen age 7, died a day apart from each, respectively on May 5 and May 6. They were buried next to their father.
There was a lot of speculation as to the cause of their deaths, some attributed to it spotted fever and others said it was poison from eating wild parsnips. What was later revealed the boys had played around the house all day and never ventured away from home. Henry was taken ill with a pain in his heal in the afternoon, and died that night. On the same evening, John was reported to have a pain in his next week and died the following morning.
In the summer of 1915, John S. Partridge, a grandson of Dr. Slater, contacted local historian Granville Pullen to move the graves to the Janesville Cemetery, which Pullen obliged.
Once Susan River flows past Standish, it starts breaking into various sloughs before it reaches Honey Lake. Some of these sloughs are natural, and some man made.
The Hartson Slough is man made, named after Charles Hartson. In 1881, Hartson filed on 160 acres of sagebrush land near Honey Lake, in the Tule District. However, Hartson needed more water to not only reclaim this parcel but to expand. In 1889, Hartson worked as the construction superintendent of the Ward Lakes Reservoir. Hartson made a deal with the Balls Canyon Reservoir Company, the company behind the project, that, for a portion of his services, they would give him a share of water rights to Willow Creek. This gave Hartson the water he sought to reclaim his land. He built the slough to convey the water to his ranch. By 1901, Hartson owned 1,500 acres of land, half of which was planted in alfalfa. In that same year, Hartson & Sons ranch was one of the first in Lassen County to incorporate. In 1910, Charles Hartson retired and moved to Susanville. He turned the ranch over to his son, Frank Hartson.
In June 1887, John B. Spalding, his wife Nell, and two small children, Blanche and Wright moved into their new home at 80 S. Pine Street, Susanville. The Spaldings had two more children, Wright and Zella, who were born in the home. In 1938, Zella with her husband, Med Arnold moved into the family residence and it remained in the family until it was sold in 1974.
In 1992, the home was moved to Lake Forest Estates to make way the realignment of the highway curve into Susanville.
Frank White passed away on January 15, 2016, a day after his birthday. He was a cherished family friend. His family moved here in 1954, his father Frank, to manage J.C. Penny. Many people may remember the The Smart Shop owned and operated by the family.
Some people are familiar with my Triumph, aka “shoebox” among other titles. Frank bought it in 1966, and I first drove it in 1976. I patiently waited for over 20 years, before he finally agreed to let met by it. However, Frank, being the the nice guy he was, allowed me to drive it over the years.
