The Park Fire has crossed Highway 172 in upper Mill Creek and south of Lassen Park. Information about damages or even general particulars are scant.
State Highway 172, is not that well known to many. It is also a very short highway. It is really an old remnant Highway 36. When the highway was realigned over Morgan Summit, the old route became Highway 172.
Those who do take the route, usually are headed to the Mill Creek Resort, that is popular dining spot for locals. The resort originated as the Mill Creek Campsite by the Lassen National Forest. In 1924 the forest service surveyed for a planned 25 summer homesites, a store and resort. E.J. Foster and Leon Cordy of Cottonwood (Shasta County) built a store and several cabins. The forest service would expand the summer homesites to 118.
Being at the right place at the right time makes a big difference. The same goes in the opposite direction with bad timing. Lassen Volcanic National Park’s creation on August 9, 1916 was a perfect example of bad timing. Before the park observed its first anniversary the United States was at war with Germany, which affects set off World War I. Park funding, especially a new one was not high priority. In 1919, at the conclusion of World War I an economic crisis was looming on the horizon—a recession. It did not help matters, that with exception of Lassen’s volcanic eruption few people in Congress knew anything about the place. At least the park had a friend by the name of California Congressman John Raker. Raker lobbied hard to obtain the needed appropriations for Lassen Park and by the mid-1920s the spigot finally opened and money for park development finally came forth. In 1925, Raker led a special congressional delegation to visit the park and a stay at Drakesbad. It was successful, but Raker never lived long enough to see the fruition of his hard work, as he passed away in 1926.
Before the City of Susanville was incorporated, it went through its own evolution. First as a trading post, then a village. There were some citizens that were not pleased that the Lassen County Board of Supervisors dictated what the town could or could not do. Fire protection was a major concern, especially after the 1882 fire that destroyed a large portion of the town’s business district. The citizens wanted to form a fire protection district. To do so, an actual township needed to be created with a set of boundaries and a population count. With proposed boundary set, Susanville’s first special census was enacted. On April 8, 1884 a census was held and revealed there were 586 inhabitants. Thus, the foundation was laid for what eventually would become the incorporated town of Susanville in 1900.
Fruit Growers Supply Company, Camp 10, Pine Creek Valley, 1932.
Fruit Growers logging Camp 10 is unique that it lasted over twenty years and did not shut down until the end of the 1952 logging season. The camp was located at the northern end of Pine Creek Valley, near the creek. An interesting note, its water supply came from Bridge Creek Springs.
Camp 10, Cookhouse, December 15, 1950.
Camp 10’s remnants differed from that of Camp Harvey. One distinction is the camp was situated on both private and public lands. Also, due to the fact of its longevity there was bound to be lasting impacts. While there are structures at Camp Harvey, there are none to be found at Camp 10. Foundation remains of other residue are present.
Camp 10, 1950. The family cabins can be barely seen in the background.
The cabins were brought into Susanville and sold. There are a few that can still be spotted around town. Seasoned residents may recall a row on such cabins near Piute Creek and Roop Street that Dan Marmo rented. Dubbed by some as ‘wino shacks’ they had no plumping or heat. Some may know the location as the residence of Al and Joy Robbins, 713 Cherry Terrace, Susanville.
The ruins of the Methodist Church and Emerson Hotel, August 6, 1915
On August 5, 1915 a devastating fire destroyed the Emerson Hotel, Hyer House Hotel and the Methodist Church. between Main and and Cottage Streets. The three-story Emerson Hotel would not be rebuilt. The Methodist Church on the other hand were able to salvage the burnt out hull of their building.
The aftermath of the 1915 fire.
It would be a slow tedious process. Due to financial constraints the church did not want to take on any more debt. In 1917, the church was completed and fully functional. The one alteration was that the steeple was not replaced.
The application of “fort” to this landmark is somewhat of a misnomer. It had no military affiliation. It started out originally as a trading post on the Nobles Emigrant Trail.
In 1863, the abandoned structure became the focal point in the skirmish known as the Sagebrush or Boundary War. The Honey Lakers fortified themselves in the log cabin during a short battle with Plumas County authorities. Hence the “fort” appellation. The building is sometimes referred to as Fort Defiance.
The so-called war was a political dispute between Plumas County officials and the residents of the Honey Lake Valley. At issue was who had jurisdiction over the region—Nevada Territory or the State of California. While it was known that California’s eastern boundary from the Oregon border to Lake Tahoe was the 120th meridian. The problem was no one knew where it was. For a complete version see Sagebrush War.
On August 4, 1984 some 500 members of the fraternal organization known as E Clampus Vitus descended upon Susanville. The occasion was the chartering of the Neversweat Chapter #1863 of the E Clampus Vitus and the dedication of the Pioneer, the oldest establishment in Northeastern California. The organization has been around since days of the California gold rush, and was a spoof on the more refined fraternal organizations of the day. In the 1930s it went through a revival and focused on marking historical sites and having a good time while doing so. The Neversweat Chapter was not the first for Susanville, as a lodge existed in 1868. In the early 1880s there were several lodges in Modoc County.
Neversweats chartering festivities at the Pioneer, August 4, 1984.
Back to that day at hand, the Lassen Advocate summed it by reporting, “By 7:30 a.m. most area residents were awakening for breakfast and routine Saturday tasks, the revelry at the Pioneer was already in full swing. Clampers were 3 to 4 deep at the bar, the beer was flowing and festive mood in the air. The celebrants began arriving at 6:00 a.m. and spilled from the sidewalk into the eastbound lanes of Main Street. Traffic was undoubtedly light during the early morning celebration.”
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The Round Barn, Little Valley, Lassen County, prior to it being moved to Fall River Mills. Courtesy of Tom Glunt
Little Valley is a quirky place in northwestern Lassen County located south of Big Valley and west of Dixie Valley. It was originally known as Little Dixie Valley but over time Dixie was dropped. Accordig to Fairfield (1916), in 1870 Samuel Graves, Joseph Layton and Old Man Ralston were the first settlers. Fairfield stated that George W. Long purchased their holdings, but no official record exists of that transaction.
In the fall of 1871, James K.P. Eldridge (1840-1912) located there and became a well known stop for travelers. Eldridge resided there for the next thirty-six years. In 1914, his widow, Arabella sold the property to R.L. “Bob” Johnson. It was Johnson who built Little Valley’s most iconic landmark the Round Barn. In 1916, R.L. “Bob” Johnson constructed the “Round Barn.” Johnson needed a structure where he could train horses during the winter months, as they were in great demand in World War I. Over the years, the elements, etc., took a toll on the building. By 2004, the Fort Crook Historical Society had started a movement to relocate the barn to their museum complex at Fall River Mills. It was a slow process, but they succeeded, and is now restored to its glory.
Little Valley School, 1916.
Of course, every rural region back in the day had its own school and Little Valley was no exception. The Little Valley School District was established in 1885. In 1926, due to a decline in population the school was abolished. In 1929, Mary Gassaway purchased the abandoned schoolhouse from Lassen County for $75.
In 1930, Little Valley came into prominence with the arrival of the Western Pacific Railroad. Lively times were all the rage, but that is another story.
Since it is August, one of my favorite outings is a venture to Plumas Pines Resort on the west short of Lake Almanor, in the area referred to as Prattville. This, Prattville is not to be confused with the original town of Prattville that was destroyed in 1914 to make way for Lake Almanor. This current Prattville had its humble origins dating back to 1916. It was none other than the forest service who offered 88 lots for a special use permit fee of ten dollars a year..
In 1932, Adelaide and Fred Smith established the Plumas Pines Resort. The Smith’s operated it for the next twenty years. Since that time it has had numerous owners, but its always worthy a visit.
For several years prior to 1912, the Pioneer had a biergarten next door. Courtesy of Philip S. Hall
Earlier this year I wrote about how the Pioneer Saloon was moved from 722 Main Street to 924 Main Street. You can read about it here
924 Main Street, Susanville, July 2024–Jim Chapman
I wrote how the building has been modified over the years. A reader wanted to know what it looks like today.
In 1902, Susanville passed Ordinance No. 17 that prohibited the construction of wooden buildings in the heart of the town’s business district–Main Street frontage buildings from Roop to Gay Streets. In 1912, the ordinance was amended to include all buildings to Weatherlow Street.
