by Susan Couso
On the morning of June 6th, 1900, a devastating fire began in Stark’s blacksmith shop on the southeast corner of Roop St. and Main St. in Susanville. The fire was discovered around 3:15 a.m., but by that time it had already made a powerful rush through the upper part of town. Eventually the inferno decimated forty buildings in the main part of Susanville.
Several homes were lost, but most of the destruction was centered around the commercial buildings. The Methodist Church was destroyed along with the Lassen Mail printing office. Edward Frobel’s harness shop, Mrs. Bangham’s millinery, and Thomas Massey’s bicycle shop had been converted to ash. Hotels and a boarding house, an ice cream parlor, a paint shop, a saloon, warehouses and many more vital contributions to the town were reduced to rubble.
Notably, two structures survived the blaze. Nathan & Schmidt’s store, made of brick, and Alexander & Knoch’s stone-built store both stood as an example of fire-resistant construction.
Once again, the townspeople rallied to help reestablish Susanville as the center of the county, and some businesses reopened in temporary structures. Some insured establishments immediately began to rebuild, but a few decided to move on. It was a heavy loss for many.
Among the businesses which succumbed to the embers was Charles E. Emerson’s hardware store. Emerson was one of the leading businessmen of the area, and his holdings were not limited to the hardware business alone. As the damage was assessed, Emerson vowed to emerge from the ashes with a new endeavor. This new venture would be a fine hotel.
Construction of Emerson’s hotel began at the end of July 1900. This modern hotel would be made of brick and stone to resist fires and would be of the finest quality. It was to be the most extravagant structure Lassen County had ever seen. With three stories and almost almost 28,000 square feet, it would include several business spaces, among them Charles E. Emerson’s own store, 76 guest rooms, a restaurant, and a grand ballroom, along with personal living quarters for the Emerson family on the second floor.
By June of the next year the Emerson Hotel was ready for its grand opening. The $30,000 structure was the showpiece that Charles E. Emerson had imagined.
Emerson had planned a huge affair on June 3rd to entice locals and those living out of town to come see his new hotel and celebrate its opening. The savvy businessman offered round-trip tickets on the N.C.O. Railroad and the stage line for half fare, in an effort to lure celebrants. Extra passenger cars were attached to train No. 1 to ensure sufficient accommodations for those traveling to the fete.
As guests arrived through the Emerson’s elegant corner entrance, they were awed by it all. Music and dancing filled the grand ballroom on the second floor of the hotel with life, and all marveled at the opulence displayed throughout the structure. Modern electrical lighting sparkled everywhere, and telephones were available for the guests. Guest rooms were carpeted, and the furnishings were stylish and tasteful. Fine wood and plaster work highlighted each room.
The restaurant could seat 120 people, and it was filled with guests from as far away as San Francisco. Throughout the Grand Opening an estimated 1,000 curious delighted visitors streamed through the Emerson. The dancing lasted until 3:00 a.m., and then the exhausted revelers sought their beds. The Emerson had been established as ‘the place to be’ and Charles E. Emerson’s dream was a reality.
Emerson’s hotel provided a much-needed service for the area. Not only did the hotel provide the finest accommodations, but it also served as a meeting-place, and it became the venue for numerous social events. It was large, stately, and impressive.
The restaurant was forever busy with diners and ‘anyone who was anyone’ was often seen at the Emerson.
Susanville’s curse of fire danger was once again roused on the night of August 9, 1912. It all began in the Blue Goose Saloon, just west of the Emerson. The blaze spread to the roof of the Emerson and did thousands of dollars worth of damage to the hotel, Emerson’s store and his warehouse.
Fortunately, learning from the past, Emerson had insured the structures. He immediately began to repair the roof before winter. During the roof and interior repair, Emerson made plans to enlarge the hotel. He built an addition which encompassed the former Blue Goose Saloon and was 30’ X 140’ in size. Emerson also built a large new stone warehouse to be used by the hotel and his store. Charles E. Emerson seemed to forever take a disaster and turn it into an opportunity.
But, of course, all good things must end. A little after midnight on August 5, 1915, another fire began in uptown Susanville. It sparked into flame in Emerson’s warehouse, next to the Methodist Church. This time, a strong hot wind sent the flames surging towards the dry buildings.
Patrons of the Emerson barely escaped the hotel before the conflagration arrived. It soon became obvious that there was no hope for any of the buildings on the Emerson block, so the battle turned towards preventing the spread of the fire.
The fire was finally held in check with major effort. As the flames were beaten down, it could be seen that the devastation was ghastly. The Methodist Church, the Hyer Hotel, the Emerson Hotel, and everything else on the block lay smoldering in ash and ember.
August 5th was Charles E. Emerson’s 47th birthday and his hotel was gone. His losses amounted to nearly $200,000 and he was insured for only $90,000. It was the end of the Emerson.
The Methodist Church sustained about $40,000 in damage and was insured for $30,000. A major kermis was later held to raise funds to rebuild the church.
Fortunately, men such as Charles E. Emerson continue to face disaster with hope, and it didn’t take Emerson very long to begin new plans to fill the southwest corner of Main St. and Lassen St. with a new business venture and a new building. With investors to help push the effort through, the Hotel Mt. Lassen was created.
If you are a fan of our weekly history stories you should join the Lassen County Historical Society! It’s a fun way to be a part of our county’s rich history. When you sign up, you’ll receive regular Historical Society newsletters with interesting stories and information. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in area history.
Through your membership you help preserve local history. You can download a membership application by clicking here.
