History

The Piute Logging Railroad

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Map of the line, showing spurs.

The completion of the Western Pacific’s highline in 1931 was not the only railroad development to make news. In the 1930s, Red River’s most unusual railroad logging line, the Piute, came to fruition—so named as it followed Piute Creek in its approach to Susanville.

Red River owned a large swath of timber west and north of Susanville. While they had already logged over its easily accessible timber in Mountain Meadows and Lake Almanor, the Piute line was not intended to service Westwood. The Piute was built to generate much needed revenue to sell timber to other parties, such as Fruit Growers and Lassen Lumber & Box. However, they had a back-up plan; should Red River’s timber sales fall flat, they could mill the timber at Westwood. Continue reading The Piute Logging Railroad →

History

Horse Lake Is Worth How Much?

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Horse Lake, 1916, photograph taken by William Wales

For those not that familiar with the region, Horse Lake is somewhat north and east of Eagle Lake depending on one’s  perspective which part of that body of water they have in mind. This is an intermittent lake, like, Honey, during wet precipitation years remains full, and in drought years, goes dry.

In my research one can come across the so-called  devil in the details. While a lot of research one views a lots of dry material. Every now then, there is that hidden gem. Case in point, while researching Pete’s Creek, I came across one such gem.

Horse Lake, June 21, 2019

In 1916, the newly formed Honey Lake Valley Irrigation District hired William Wales, a civil engineer, to do a thorough investigation of all water supplies of the region that the district might be able to tap into. Wales was very thorough and their was not a drop water he did not examine—even Butte Lake in far western Lassen County that he believed could be diverted all the way to eastern Honey Lake Valley.

Wales proposed a Petes Valley Reservoir. It was his opinion to drain Horse Lake for additional source of water. It should be noted that in 1893, William Harrison had dug a ditch to divert overflow water into Petes Creek, as he owned a ranch at Petes Valley. Wales noted Harrison’s previous work, but a more substantial and deeper channel would need to be done. Wales duly noted the water at Horse Lake was more or less wasted due  to evaporation. He estimated the water rights to Horse Lake was worth $4,000.

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News

Tuesday Tidbit-Historic Homes For Sale

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200 S. Roop St., Susanville, July 20, 2016. Courtesy of Annie Henriques Blank

Recently, three historic homes in Susanville are now on the market. There is the original McGowan residence on South Roop Street, picture above. It was built in 1924, for the president of the Lassen Lumber & Box Company.

The Taylor/Compton House, Weatherlow Street—Jere Baker

The Taylor residence on North Weatherlow Street, and subsequently owned Dr.C. Compton is now on the market. A short distance from that property is the original home of Thomas Hill built in 1913.

Tim

History

Ask Tim

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Bank of America demolition, Susanville, 1972

On a quarterly basis, I ask you the reader, if there is something you would like to learn more about or maybe its something you heard, but question its validity. So here is an opportunity to participate. I will do my best to answer any questions. It should be noted, it may take awhile for the answer to appear as a post. The primary reason, many of the daily posts are done nearly a month in advance. So by the time you read this I am already working on posts for the middle of May, or at least I should be. Whatever the case may be, I look forward to hearing from you. Of course, it should be noted that paid subscribers requests receive priority. In addition, you can always send a request at any time.

Tim

History

A Historic Day for Susanville

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Fruit Growers Susanville plant under construction, 1920–Ed Standard

Saturday, April 16, 1921 was the dedication of Fruit Growers Supply Company’s new mill facility at Susanville. Of course, there was usual amount dignitaries on hand to celebrate the moment and give speeches. Thomas B. Dozier, a Fruit Growers’ attorney served as master of ceremonies. Dozier’s opening statement was simple, “We will supply the boxes from the Snowkist woods for shipment of Sunkist—all from California.”  Dozier informed those assembled that the California Fruit Growers Exchange (renamed Sunkist in 1951) represented 10,500 growers, who produced three-quarters of the citrus in the United States.

Continue reading A Historic Day for Susanville →

History

Hallelujah Junction of Yesteryear

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H Junction
Hallelujah Junction, 1940s

For those not familiar with the place, it is located at the junction of Highways 70 and 395. Long before the highways existed, it was known Junction and later a stage-stop known as Junction House. It should be duly noted those “junctions” were located near Long Valley Creek, adjacent to the NCO railroad and the roads leading to and forth from Reno.

Since the 1850s, the region has always been referred to as a junction to Beckwourth Pass and the Sierra Valley. It has been told that emigrants in the 1850s, when they arrived at this spot, shouted “Hallelujah” whey they saw Beckwourth Pass—at 5228’ its the lowest pass over the Sierra.

The junction as it appeared in the 1950s.

In 1932, Orville Stoy took up an 80-acre homestead there. Stoy built a gas station and it became a popular stop, known as Hallelujah Junction. In time, a bar, restaurant and motel were constructed. There was even the “Hallelujah International Airport” that consisted of a couple of airplane hangers and a runway that was an abandoned stretch of Highway 70. In 1973, the State of California purchased Hallelujah Junction. It was obliterated for the construction of the four-lane freeway from there to the Nevada State line. In 1991, a gas station and convenience store was built at the junction of Highway 395 and 70.

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History

Lassen County Sheep Camps

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McCoy headquarters at Bridge Creek, circa 1906. Courtesy of the Worley/Crum family.

Beginning in the 1870s, sheep ranchers, mainly from Butte &Tehama counties would  bring their sheep to higher elevations for summer grazing to this region.  Western Lassen County was ideal for such.

Of course, tenders to these flocks needed some type of housing. Since the accommodations were seasonal, many were log cabins.

Griffin Logan’s cabin was a typical sheep camp cabin. Logan  Mountain was named for him. Courtesy of National Park Service

The 1920s and1930s were turbulent times for the sheep industry. Wool prices plummeted. Many outfits went bankrupt. The annual tradition of moving sheep from winter to summer ranges would be abandoned. Those summer headquarters suffered the same fate.

Tim

History

Camp Lasco, Lassen County

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The Camp Lasco commuter train. Courtesy of Ron Linebarger

In 1918, the Lassen Lumber & Box Company built a sawmill and box factory at Susanville with an average annual production of 30 million  board feet of lumber. Unlike the Fruit Growers Supply Company and Red River Lumber Company, who owned their timber, Lassen Lumber’s  main source of timber came from two timber sales they had purchased from the Lassen National Forest.  In 1919, they started railroad logging on the northside of Peg Leg Mountain.  From 1919 to 1922, they operated three logging camps. In the fall of 1922, construction began on its largest logging camp—Camp Lasco. It opened in the spring of 1923, and became a seasonal home to 250 plus loggers and their families. The camp remained in operation through the logging season of 1930. In the winter of 1930, the Company leased the camp to the Western Pacific Railroad who was in the process of constructing the railroad’s Northern California Extension

High Noon at Lasco, 1923.

The nation’s Great Depression took a toll on Lassen Lumber & Box. The company suspended its logging operations. They either purchased logs from its neighbors Fruit Growers or Red River, or in the majority of instances hired gypos, i.e., independent contract loggers.

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History

Susanville’s “Bermuda Triangle”

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An 1886 view where the triangle has already developed. Courtesy of Bud Lesser

Not quite like the Bermuda Triangle, but it is an interesting piece of real estate, that really belongs to no one. Actually, the owner is the federal government, due to Roop’s carelessness. The Lassen County Assessor does not even recognize its existence of this parcel.

500 Block, Main Street, Susanville, 1911—C.R. Caudle Collection

The property in question, is located at the west end of Susanville’s Main Street, which people are familiar is the triangle piece of property in front of the Elk’s Lodge, with the diverging Pine Streets going in different directions, creating kind  of like  a “fork in the road.” Currently, a community Christmas tree is placed there and in years past various other Christmas displays.

By the 1890s the local newspapers wrote editorials criticizing that it was an ugly patch of unkept property at the head of Main Street.  Relief came in 1902, when the Mountain Echo Band constructed a bandstand there. Four years later, the bandstand had been neglected and received community scorn for it being an eyesore, and was torn down shortly thereafter.

This parcel truly came into existence in 1922 with the construction of Highway 36. For years, the City of Susanville maintained it, by water the mowing the lawn. The Monticola Club would plant flowers along the lawn’s edge.  Today it is a dry patch of scorched earth.

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History

Butte Lake, Lassen County

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Butte Lake, circa 1920. Roy Sifford, of Drakesbad fame wrote: "The sign of the Manitou which means the sign of God. The shadows in the water made a long arrows which the Indians thought that was a sign of the Great Spirit (Manitou) or God gave them. Courtesy of the Sifford Collection.
Butte Lake, circa 1920. Roy Sifford, of Drakesbad fame wrote: “The sign of the Manitou which means the sign of God. The shadows in the water made a long arrows which the Indians thought that was a sign of the Great Spirit (Manitou) or God gave them. Courtesy of the Sifford Collection.

Butte Lake in the eastern portion of Lassen Volcanic National Park is worthy of a trip. Because of its location and access is from a dirt road off of Highway 44 tends to be crowd free.  This lake was originally referred as to Black Butte Lake and later Lake Bidwell. J.S. Diller named it Lake Bidwell in honor of General John Bidwell who came to California in 1841 and founded the town of Chico. The official name dates back to 1883 and no doubt received its name from two surrounding landmarks, Cinder Butte and Black Butte.

The French Canadian trappers of the Hudson Bay Company introduced the term “butte” to Western Americana. It was used to designate a landmark for an isolated peak, but not high or large enough to be a mountain.

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Exploring Lassen County's Past