The convergence of forest, meadow, and high desert environments made for good hunting opportunities and good sources of water. A walk in this park provides insight into past cultures, making it apparent why the first people chose such a beautiful place to live.

 

1857:  Captain William Weatherlow settles the land comprising the park.

 

1862:  Captain Weatherlow sells the property to William Black Long; the Long Family manages the    property as a ranch for two generations.

 

1885:  James Bagwell files a homestead claim on property to the north of the Long Property.

 

1893:  The Long Family purchases Bagwell’s property, expanding their ranch by 160 acres.

 

1919:  Fruit Growers Supply Co. opens large sawmill and box factory in Susanville.

 

1926:  Fruit Growers Supply Co. purchases the Long Family property and establishes a dairy, leased to the O'Kelly Family who operated the dairy under the name of Lassen Dairy until the 1930s.

 

1935:  Red River Lumber Company of Westwood completes the Paiute Creek Shortline Railroad line, which provided a connection from Susanville to Westwood Junction along Paiute Creek. The rail line is only used for two years due to winter storm damage. The rail line is converted to a road bed for logging trucks soon after, and becomes the Paul Bunyan Logging Road.

 

1935:  The property is purchased by Republic Electric Power Co., which later becomes CP National.

 

1984:  CP National donates the property to the County of Lassen, which leads to the creation of Susanville Ranch Park.

 

 

The meadows and hills that comprise Susanville Ranch Park provided a rich diversity of resources for native peoples for thousands of years before European settlers arrived in the region.