The 1950s were challenging times for the Fruit Growers Supply Company., especially with its sawmills. They were faced with dwindling timber supply and equally important the conversion from wooden box to cardboard. There was no need for three mills, each required costly upgrades.
The Fruit Growers’ Board of Directors had an Operating Committee. One their tasks was an annual inspection of the mills and the company’s timber resources. In the fall of 1954, when the Committee arrived at Westwood the hot topic as to wether to keep Susanville or Westwood open. It was the consensus one would have to close.
Westwood had an upper edge with recently installed Craveneer plant. The Committee withheld their decision until they returned Los Angeles, but it was apparent that Susanville would close.
After serious consideration it was decided to close Westwood and to build a Craveneer plant in Burney. It was noted Susanville still had sufficient timber resources, so it was spared. In 1955, Sunkist, the parent company of Fruit Growers announced complete conversion to cardboard and the wooden box as a shipping container was relegated to the past. It is interesting to note, that Fruit Growers considered converting the Susanville mill into paper/pulp plant to manufacture cardboard boxes.
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It was not until 1922 that the Lassen County Fair became an annual event. The first fair was held in 1878 and it was a joint venture with Plumas and Modoc Counties. The fairs were sporadic events. The next fair was held in 1891 and again in 1892. The nation’s financial crisis of 1893 put an abrupt halt to many activities. In 1902, a fair was once again resurrected. Included in the festivities, a bandstand was built at the west end of Main Street.
