In the spring of 1914, Lassen County Deputy Horticural Commissioner, L.W. Boggs, paid the community of Doyle a visit. George Thompson had planted 1,000 grape vines the previous year. Thompson informed Boggs that he intended to plant 4,000 grape vines for 1914. His neighbors were interested in doing the same. In addition to Thompson’s visit Boggs complimented the citizens of Doyle for grading the town’s streets and planting shade trees along them.
The following year the Sunnyside District near Janesville was promoted as an excellent wine producing region. There were no takers. In the meantime, Thompson’s grape vines did not work out. However, Ben Gibson of Litchfield was successful in growing commercial Concord grapes and more notably watermelons.
Main Street, Susanville, October 1924—Boyd Benham/Connie Boomer
This anonymous piece appeared in the Lassen Advocate in 1924. I think it is timeless. What do you think?
“Is Susanville Different.” – When it comes to some needed civic improvement we often hear the expression ‘our town is different, it can’t be done.’ Then someone ventures that ‘there will be some funerals here before we can get this and that done.’
“Now the truth of the matter is, our town is no different from any other, unless, indeed, it is after all better than most towns. Human nature is same everywhere, and we are all human. What we should remember is this; our town is not different , because other towns have the same troubles as we do in bringing public opinion to the. point of civic action. Individual minds move faster than the entire body of people. Opinions differ even as to methods granting that it is mutually agreed as to the necessity for certain developments. After all, the campaign is wholesome. Time usually brings about the happy medium between conservative backwardness and on the other hand the headlong optimism on the other. Susanville will have all she needs-better streets, tree plantings, parks, playgrounds, better traffic regulations and other other community aspirations fulfilled if we will all buckle on the armor of civic righteousness and quit trying to excuse ourselves with word on thought that ‘our town is different, it can’t be done.’
“And as to necessity for a few funerals-we can not agree with that, neither can the so common expression be other than deplored. Instead of a few funerals, we would suggest a few births of civic interest on the part of a greater number of people who have so long stood on the side lines and watched a few of the community boosters carry all the load.”
Abraham Farris in front of his store, 1937. Courtesy of Calvin Farris
The Lassen Townsite Company, incorporated in1912, was and still is Susanville’s largest subdivision. A topic for a future post. However, Lassen Townsite is a focal point on today’s topic.
In September 1912, Abraham 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.”
The Del Mar Building, 1937—Jere Baker
Farris, set up shop on the southeast corner of Main and Roop Streets, in the vacant Moody Drug Store building. All went well in the beginning until the owner of the property, O.M. Doyle evicted him in February 1914.. Doyle had plans for the property and in late March ground breaking began for the erection of a two-story brick building on the lot. Seasoned Susanville residents will know the property 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.
H.C. Watson’s Bieber Cheese Factory. Courtesy of the Big Valley Museum
In 1889, H.C. Watson tried his hand in dairy operation north of Lookout, Modoc County. In the beginning all went well, In the summer it was doomed, due to lack of water and feed.
In 1902, Watson entered the dairy trade again. This time around, he was affiliated with several cheese factories in Modoc County under the name of Mountain Valleys Dairy Products. Watson established the Bieber Cheese Factory. In time, Watson would acquire cheese/creameries at Alturas, Lake City and Cedarville. Watson would sale Lake City and Cedarville operations to Vincil Coppedge. In 1928, Coppedge married Watston’s daughter, Mildred In 1942, Coppedge purchased the Alturas Creamery and he renamed it Mountain Lily Dairy. In September 1944, Watson sold the Bieber Cheese Factory to Vince l Coppedge, Watson died a year a later, and it is my understanding during this time frame the Bieber Cheese Factory was destroyed by fire.
An interesting anecdote of the operation was relayed to me by Orville Watkins. He stated the catfish grew nice and fat in the Pit River at Bieber thanks to Watson-the excess whey that cheese factory produced was disposed by dumping it into the river.
What does Colgate toothpaste and the former railroad community of Wendel have in common? Not much, but a lot.
This is one of those quirky tales that involves an interesting inquiry, those I have numerous to draw from. Certain instances such questions can be rather confusing, because the person making such an inquiry is actually clue less of the topic.
In 1992, I received a call from Germany. The caller was attempting to make some initial plans for her boss to visit Wendel, Lassen County. Some of the questions left me perplexed. The first, I could handle question about the nearest international airport, though caller seemed dismayed that Wendel did not have one. The next question, I knew I was entering the “twilight light zone” wanting to make hotel arrangements at the Holiday Inn in Wendel.
Wendel Store, circa 1925. Courtesy of Alda Riesenman
In due time, I was connected to the inquirer-in-chief, Armin de Wendel. He is a part of the Colgate family The family were quite successful with their toothpaste enterprise and were prominent in New York City society. The family were acquainted with the Morans, also New York City residents, and the owners the Nevada-California-Oregon Railway. The Morans persuaded the Wendels into becoming major bondholders for the NCO. The Moran’s in turn honored the family naming a railroad station after them.
When I explained to Armin Wendel the realities, that Wendel was not thriving metropolis he envisioned, and after he received my photographs, he soon lost interest and cancelled travel plans to Wendel.
In today’s marketing world one of the most used terms is “brand.” However, the agricultural community, brands are more than a marketing gimmick.
One would not think a lumber company would have a brand for livestock. When Red River first set up shop in Mountain Meadows, Fletcher Walker’s goal that the entire operation would be self sufficient, as possible with certain limitations. It was an admirable goal.
Initially, Red River needed horses for logging, which they did not completely phase out until the late 1920s. Red River had its own dairy herd to provide for milk, etc which all was produced in its own dairy. Since Red River owned a sizeable portion of Mountain Meadows, they initially raised their own cattle. Due to the winter weather conditions there, the cattle had to be moved elsewhere. My grandfather, John Tanner, routinely during the 1920s would pasture a portion of Red River’s herd for the winter in the Honey Lake Valley.
It was only fitting that Red River’s used the initials of TB for its brand. For those not familiar with the company, the initials are of its founder, Thomas Barlow Walker, who routinely used his initials, “TB.”
My good friend Hannah, made this comment at a Farmer’s Market several years ago. She and I share this generation trait. Even though our ancestors settled in the Honey Lake Valley in the 1860s, one would think that we would be at least sixth generation born, but we are about that half that.
Some families have major age differences. I will use my mother’s family as an example. My grandfather, John Tanner was born in 1882. His wife Lola Murrer was born in 1899. They were married in 1927. My mother, their youngest daughter was born in 1931. My mother’s first cousin Verna Tanner was only three years younger than Lola. Verna married Bill Haley (Clint’s brother for the older valley folks) and her children were the same age as of my mother, but a generation apart. Now my mother’s uncle Alfred Murrer, who was fifteen years younger than Lola married Emma Lee Gelmsted in 1951- the same year my mother and father (Leroy Purdy) were married My brother Gary, and Alfred and Emma Lee Murrer’s son, Johnny were born in the same year. The bottom line, is my mother’s generation of first cousins spans over fifty years! If you are member of this wide generation shift you understand, while others ponder why wrote about it.
Bumpass Hell is well known hydro-thermal feature in Lassen Volcanic National Park. In May 1914, when Lassen Peak began its initial eruption, people flocked to the region. Very few people were aware how these features surrounding Lassen Peak received their names. The importance of instititopnal knowledge. A writer for the Sacramento Bee wrote that “its got its name from ‘bumping’ a man named Bumpass around in that super heated mushy caldron for a very insignificant portion of three days he would never have been taken from it , and world at large would never have known whether it was Bumpass ‘hell’ or Bumpass ‘heaven’. It all depends , you know”. There was a rebuttal story that the said writer remembers that the late Abe Holmes settled at Big Meadows, now Lake Almanor. told this story. “Mr. Bumpass, a visitor from the East, went to Morgan Springs and Drake’s thirty-five or more years ago. At the former place he was greatly impressed with the heat of the water, and when he saw the bubbling, boiling mud at Drake’s he remarked positively, ‘Well, that is hell.’ Since that time it has been known Bumpass Hell-and no more appropriate name could be given it-no more appropriate title needed. “
Both writers were wrong. Not only were they wrong about Kendall Bumpass, but Holmes mistook Bumpass Hell for Devils Kitchen!
On March 17, 1914, the Native Sons of the Golden West, Parlor. #198 held a St. Patrick’s Ball and midnight supper. Reports were rather vague about the festivities. It was held at the Janesville Odd Fellows Hall, with the Swain Orchestra providing the music. The attendance was better than expected. In fact, forty people from Susanville attended. As one newspaper reporter noted, “That ball was certainly a very pleasant affair.”
Of note, the local Native Sons was organized in Susanville in 1898. They were a very active bunch. Their hall was located on the corner of Lassen and Nevada Streets, the current site of the Masonic Hall. That hall caught fire on November 7, 1921 which was a complete. loss, but destroyed Susanville’s combination city/fire hall that was located next door. According to M.E. “Mul” Mulroney, he was under the impression that the local Native Sons had disbanded by 1930.
Elk, with the Wingfield residence in the background. Courtesy of Alphozene Terrill
In 1910, George Wingfield established a summer residence south of Susanville,. He had a special interest in wildlife and established his own little preserve. That fall, he fenced off eighty acres for an elk and deer park. In 1914, he added four buffalo to his collection. It was purported that the buffalo came from Nevada Governor Sparks. This became a major attraction to local residents to view these creatures.
Where the buffalo and elk roam at Wingfield Ranch. Courtesy of Lola L. Tanner
Wingfield also brought in such “exotic” species as peacocks and mammoth size frogs imported from New Orleans. He had two small lakes constructed on the property to plant with a wide variety of fish.
In 1923 Wingfield sold the property to the Lassen Lumber & Box Company who were primarily interested in the timberland he owned there. The buffalo were shipped to Reno. The fenced enclosure to keep the elk in, was no longer maintained and the animals began to roam the region, with spottings from nearby Bald Mountain to Willow Creek Valley. The elk were poached by hunters over the years, and were wiped out by the early 1940s.
