Riverside Hospital, Susanville, where I was born. More about this facility in a future post.
I had an accident yesterday, that has left me a bit incapacitated. This morning, it required a trip to the hospital via an ambulance—my first such ride and hopefully the last. The final result, a damaged knee, nothing broken, very sore and some bruised ribs, which with the aid of a knee brace and a walker, I can at least get around at home, but not venturing anywhere else. There should not be any interruption with the daily posts, as they were done in advance, they are scheduled to appear in their designation dates.
Tanner Ranch Brand, 1887. In 1927, Lola Murrer married Honey Lake Valley native, John Tanner. John’s father, William, had settled at Soldier Bridge in 1870 and later that decade registered his brand as the 20. That brand would be modified to the 30.
In the spring of 1857, Ephraim Roop, Isaac Roop, and William McNaull constructed the first sawmill in Lassen County, along the Susan River at a place that would later become known as Hobo Camp. In November 1860, Perry Craig fell out of a boat at the millpond and drowned. Craig was buried on top of the hillside near the river, and from that episode the Susanville Cemetery was created. On August 18, 1862, Roop & Company sold the mill to Luther Spencer for $200. Spencer operated the mill until it was destroyed by fire in the spring of 1868.
Besides exploring logging and ranching, from time to time, Lassen has an interesting mining history. Unlike our neighbors to the west, where mining had a major influence on their development, that was not necessarily case in Lassen. However, it was a mining excitement of 1856 along Diamond Mountain that brought the first wave of settlers to the Honey Lake Valley. Many of those gold seekers soon gave up mining and developed other interests in the region. However, the Diamond Mountain Mining District remained active until 1942, when President Roosevelt’s Executive Order curtailed gold mining. The other hot spot for mining was Hayden Hill, 55 miles north of Susanville. It gained in prominence in 1870 and would go through many boom and bust cycles.
In 1861, Carlton Goodrich settled at Mountain Meadows and would become one of the largest property owners there, as his ranch totaled over 7,000 acres. He located his ranch house just west where the highway crosses Goodrich Creek, approximately across from where the old chimney stands. It became known as Mountain House and was a popular stop for weary travelers. In April 1875, Sylvester Daniels paid Goodrich a visit while touring the region and wrote, “I love these mountain folks. No aristocracy among them.” When Goodrich died in 1886, due to estate issues and the subsequent sale to John Crouch, the popular establishment closed. When the Red River Lumber Company established its Westwood operation, they transformed the old Goodrich ranch into a dairy.
1917 Advertisement of the first St. Patrick’s Dinner
Mark your calendar as Saturday, March 14, will be Sacred Heart Church’s 98th annual St. Patrick’s Dinner at Monsignor Moran Hall. Did you know that it is Susanville’s oldest continuous annual event? If you were wondering what the second is, it is the Lassen County Fair established in 1922. Continue reading St. Patrick’s Dinner→
One of the original six school districts established in 1864. In 1877, the District constructed a two-story schoolhouse with the assistance of the Independent Order of Good Templars. The second story was used as a hall for that organization. In 1934 the second story was removed as part of a WPA project. Francis Wilbur, a local carpenter was hired to do the work at a cost of $1,740.
In 1953, a ballot referendum was held to consolidate the Janesville, Lake, and Missouri Bend schools. The Lake District voters opposed it. In 1971, the school closed and annexed to Janesville. In 1975, the Janesville District declared the Lake School as surplus property and it was deeded to George and Jane Bailey. The schoolhouse has since been converted into a private residence.
In a previous post I mentioned my special affinity concerning logging. This also applies to farming and ranching in the region, as my mother’s family has been engaged in ranching in the region since the 1860s, and the tradition continues. Continue reading Ranching→
In honor of my father’s birthday, this post will be brief. He began his logging career working at Camp Harvey. His next venture was with his brother James, and they formed Purdy Brothers Logging. This grew into a larger outfit known as Susanville Logging. Circumstances beyond his control saw that company dissolved in the early 1960s. The next re-incarnation was L&M Logging. Just some random related photographs for your enjoyment. Continue reading Susanville Logging→
Purdy’s Garage, date unknown. Courtesy of Margaret Purdy
In June 1926, my grandfather and my name sake, Ira I. Purdy drove up from Sacramento to Susanville in search of employment. He was a mechanic by trade, a master one at that, which I may have inherited his name but not his mechanic skills. He found employment at Doyle & Hunsinger’s, operators of the local Ford car dealership. Once settled in he moved his wife, Margaret and young son, James, to Susanville. My father, Leroy, was born the following year on March 7, 1927 at Riverside Hospital.
Purdy’s Garage, no date. Courtesy of Margaret Purdy
Like so many others Ira yearned to have his own operation. In 1939 he left Doyle Motor Company, (Hunsinger had moved to Reno), to establish his own service station. He purchased several lots on the north side of Main Street, between Sacramento and Spring Streets and established Purdy’s Garage. It remained in operation until the mid-1950s, when health conditions forced him to retire. The property, that was Purdy’s Garage, would later become the home of the Lassen Advocate and that building sits vacant.
Of note, in 1989 Caltrans did a major reconstruction of Main Street. Caltrans consulted me as gas tanks were. It should be noted that by 1960 there were some 17 plus service (gas) stations on Main Street. Caltrans removed some, though Purdy’s Garage gas tank was actually located underneath Main Street, Caltrans even aware of that fact, did not remove it. Will it become a future sink hole?
