In the spring of 1917, Fletcher Walker brought up the topic that Westwood was in need of a house of worship with his father, T.B. and wrote: “We have come to a time when it seems inadvisable to put off further the building of a working church. The Sunday school had 255 last Sunday and the condition of the school in one of the old cook houses is such that the congestion prevents efficient work.” Continue reading Westwood’s People’s Church
A month ago, I mentioned an excursion to Susanville Supermarket, and how that created a post concerning a Living Memorial at the Lassen County Courthouse. Well, not that long after that when I was in Margie’s Book Nook, a customer asked me a question about a building and when it was moved to its current location. The building in question is now located at North Roop and Willow Streets, Susanville. It was originally located at 50 North Gay Street, now the current site of the Bank of America. In 1978, in preparation to build the current bank the Italianate style home was moved to its present location. The home built in the early 1880s has had numerous owners over the years. My great-great-grandparents Ben and Franceska Neuhaus purchased the home in 1902, when they retired from their ranch in Willow Creek Valley. Continue reading On The Move
While my Red River series covers a tremendous amount of material on the Red River Lumber Company, there were some topics were not addressed. In 1938, the topic of controlled burns was being discussed, as the company had done it in its earliest years until Clinton Walker’s departure in 1913. Below is an excerpt of a 1938 memo Clinton wrote to the Board and the experience of a control burn at Lake Almanor. Continue reading Control Burns
It is only fitting that today marks the 99th anniversary of the establishment of Lassen Volcanic National Park, that we explore the history of one its famed hydrothermal features–Bumpass Hell. Continue reading Bumpass Hell
In 1878, Edward Weed took over as editor and publisher of the Lassen Advocate. He brought a lot of life to the newspaper. From time to time he would make excursions and write about those experiences. This is one of them. The reader will note the sawmill on Diamond Mountain. At any given time there were two to as many four mills along the mountain range between Gold Run and Janesville. Continue reading Richmond, 1878
With the Dodge Fire in the headlines, I moved this post for today, which was scheduled for later in the month. As the post concerning wild horses initially scheduled for today will appear tomorrow.
In 1889, Albert L. Shinn formed the Union Land & Stock Company. Shinn proposed that the water from Red Rock Creek could provide irrigation for the entire eastern Madeline Plains. The reservoir was originally named Lake Lockett, for the Company’s Civil Engineer, H.M. Lockett. In the early 1890s, the Union Land & Stock Company started the irrigation project but eventually construction ceased because of lack of funds and other problems. On December 9, 1907, Henry C. Dodge acquired an option to buy the Union Land & Stock Company’s failed Red Rock irrigation system. In 1909, Dodge formed the Madeline Valley Land & Irrigation Company to undertake this enterprise. In the fall of 1909, the Company contracted with August and Alfred Anderson to build the system. In December 1909, Dodge Reservoir was completed. In 1912, Henry C. Dodge died during an altercation in Reno, Nevada. Dodge’s two sons, Carl and Dana, continued with the family enterprise on the eastern Madeline Plains. On January 14, 1949, Bernys M. Dodge, the agent for the Dodge Brothers, sold the Dodge Ranch and Reservoir to George and Jean Smith.
Due to a variety of issues, such as the Dodge fire, the proposed listing for August has undergone numerous changes. First and foremost, the paid subscribers requests receive priority. As soon as I finish those topics such as Susanville’s Bordellos, the R.J. Scott affair, Susanville Coca Cola Bottling Works and the Secret Valley Paiutes, I will take care of the other requests, such as McClelland Ranch which has been moved from August 21 to September 29. In the meantime, enjoy the surprises.
On August 5, 1915 a devastating fire wiped out the majority of the block between Cottage and Main Street. That fire is a topic for another day. One of buildings destroyed was that of the Methodist Church. Continue reading Susanville-Methodist Church
Omira was a station on the Western Pacific. On April 12, 1909, the townsite was recorded on land owned by R.E. Rhodes. The railroad named the town after a woman who promised to build a church there. Originally, the plan was to make this a division point for the railroad. Grading for the yards and turntable was done and that was the extent of the development as the Western Pacific decided to change the division point to Portola. The town consisted of section houses, water and fuel tanks, and a two-story store with a restaurant—rooms were rented on the second floor. In addition, that building housed the post office that operated from 1910-1918 with Stella Stiles as first postmaster. In 1926, the Western Pacific consolidated many of its smaller stations, Omira Station was closed and operations moved to Doyle.
This is a Native American Cemetery located on Rice Canyon Road and adjacent to the High Desert State Prison. Continue reading Leavitt Lake Cemetery