Lassen County, California
Susanville, County Seat
The founder of Susanville, Isaac Newton Roop, was born in 1822 in Maryland. In 1851, he emigrated to California via Panama, found gold in Scott River, operated a hotel in Whiskeytown, and eventually joined his brother, Josiah, in a successful mercantile business in the town of Shasta. In 1853, after a devastating fire in Shasta destroyed his business, he moved to Honey Lake in the Sierra Mountains and established a community which was called Rooptown. The surrounding region was informally known as Roop County. It became an important stop on the Noble Trail which many nineteenth century emigrants used to reach California.
In 1856, Roop was involved along with Peter Lassen in the unsuccessful effort to found the independent territory of Nataqua. In 1858, with the establishment of the postoffice, Rooptown changed it's name to Susanville. Postmaster Roop named the community after his daughter Susan. In September 1859, Roop was elected the first Provisional Territorial Governor of Nevada, with offices in Genoa, Nevada. Not everyone in the Utah/California/Nevada region agreed with the territorial limits of the various states. In 1865, after the border between Nevada and California was finally settled, Roop County was incorporated into Lassen County. Roop was a Whig and his tenure as Governor was tumultuous. He was replaced as Governor of Nevada by James W.Nye, a Republican. Susanville was made the county seat and Roop went on to become Lassen County's District Attorney. He died in 1869 and Susan died in 1921.
Today's Susanville is a fairly large community (17,974 residents in the 2010 census) with an economy that depends on logging and mining and several large prison facilities. Susanville Ranch Park is an eleven hundred acre green space located on the northern edge of the city. It is operated by Lassen County. There are many hunting and fishing opportunities in the close proximity of Susanville. Eagle Lake is just north of town and offers recreational opportunities. Honey Lake State Wildlife Area is located at the mouth of the Susan River a few miles south of town. Lassen National Forest and Lake Almanor are just a few miles west of Susanville. To the east, the terrain is high desert with Pyramid Lake across the border in Nevada.
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