An Eastman Studios photo of Hallelujah Junction in 1947

Orville built a tiny hand-pump gas station to provide for the 1932 version of these travelers, and the stop’s popularity began to grow. In 1935 the Stoys added a circular dance hall to attract business, and by 1940 the property also included a bar, hotel, and restaurant.

A fire destroyed the home and gas station in 1938, and during the rebuilding process they added a lounge to the dance hall.

Orville grew weary of the work involved in running the Hallelujah Junction station, and finally decided to move to Eureka and lease the business out. It was a great relief.

But in 1945 fire once again struck. This time, the dance hall and lounge were destroyed.

Harold A. Stoy, Orville’s son, and his wife, Doris, were living in Tuolumne at the time, but came back to help Orville rebuild his business once again. About five years later, the younger Stoys bought the business from Orville, and immediately began improvements. Orville moved to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

The new improvements included an airstrip and two hangars which created ‘Hallelujah International Airport’. The airstrip was described as one of the longest and bumpiest airstrips in the country. It had been created from an abandoned section of the old Feather River Highway.

The Stoys had a four-seat white Cessna Skylane airplane of their own, but the ‘international’ part of the airport was created when a couple of pilots from Mexico landed at the strip.

The busy intersection was also isolated. Harold Eugene Stoy, Harold and Doris’ son, gained notoriety because he attended school in Reno, and had to make the long trip every school day.

In 1955 a uranium strike brought great promise, but soon ‘panned out’. There just wasn’t much to entice newcomers to Hallelujah Junction.

Then in 1967 the nearby Lassenite Industries pozzolan mine sparked interest in the area. The mine and processing plant, conveniently located next to the railway line, was expected to employ between 41 and 55 men and have an annual payroll of $275,000.00. Of course, everyone soon learned that most people would rather live in the Reno area than at the isolated junction.

By 1971, Harold Stoy, worn out from the work, sold to Charles and Laura Armstrong, before moving to Doyle.

In 1973 the State of California purchased the property in order to build a new $5.7 million four-lane freeway. The buildings; bar, hotel, home, hangars and everything was sold for as little as $1.00 each. Hallelujah Junction was no more, and very little remained of the business venture that did so well.

American composer John Adams, who reportedly has a cabin nearby, wrote a composition inspired by the area. It is aptly titled “Hallelujah Junction” and has been widely acclaimed. The piece was used for a ballet with choreography by Peter Martins. Today, you can find several versions of the composition on YouTube.

Our Egg Stuffing Volunteers after a job well done!

Awesome Volunteers Help Stuff Eggs for Big Fairgrounds Egg Hunt

Susanville’s annual Community Easter Egg hunt will be held Saturday, April 8th, at the Lassen County Fairgrounds, featuring lots and lots of candy-filled eggs thanks to some wonderful volunteers who spent Wednesday afternoon at the fairgrounds stuffing them all with tasty treats.

Around 40 volunteers came to help stuff the 12,000 eggs that will be strewn about the fairgrounds’ lawn on the morning of the hunt.

Thanks to our volunteers from Lassen County Public Health, Richmond 4H, Susanville FFA, Lassen County Junior Fair Board, California Scholarship Federation, the Susanville WalMart, Lassen High Cheer, Lassen FBLA, LHS Drill Team, Lassen Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Miss Lassen County and several really awesome families and individuals who showed up.

There is also no way this event would be possible without an enormous amount of work and help from the staff at the Lassen County Fairgrounds.

Thank you to everybody for your help! The Community Egg Hunt is free to all local kids to participate, just come on down and join in the fun.

The Easter Bunny will be at the fairgrounds so bring your cameras for a photo opportunity.

Each age group has a chance to find the ‘gold egg’ to be turned in for an Easter basket filled with assorted goodies and prizes. Don’t forget to bring your Easter baskets!

The egg hunt will feature a special session for Children with Special Capabilities. This session will be held inside in a calmer environment. There will be sensory bins, balloons on eggs, toys and candy in eggs, safe spaces for wheelchairs and walkers to maneuver. For more information contact Ronda Hall 1.530.260.0646.

Admission to the event is free.

Eggs can be delivered to Milford, Janesville, Susanville, Standish, Herlong and Doyle.

Click on this link to place your order or call 1.530.310.6882.

All funds raised from this fundraiser support Milford 4-H activities and the community service projects that the club works on throughout the year.

Looking west over Susanville in the late 1940’s From the Eastman Collection at UC Davis

Some Rain Falls in Dry Ice Try Over Susanville

March 30, 1948

Dry icing of clouds in the Susanville area was undertaken for the first time Monday afternoon when two enterprising weathermen took things in their own hands and went up to milk a few clouds. At the milk stoll was Julian Mapes, prominent Litchfield rancher, and veteran air corps pilot Chesley Agee. Playing milkmaid to a 25-pound carton of dry ice was Lassen Advocate reporter Billy Riley.

The sky heavily overcast all day with an 1800 foot ceiling, leaving slight traces of rain and snow. Taking off in a four-place Stinnon voyager, the cloud milking team scattered dry ice out above Susanville at 12,100 feet, at 4:15 p.m.

Vapor trails from the action were visible in streams about 500 feet long.

Climbing to about 12,500 the remaining dry ice particles were released, dropping through a large black cloud at 4:27 p.m. Observers in Susanville noted that the time the rain fell in town was almost coincident to the dry ice bombardment.

Commenting on his rainmaking project, Mapes said “Some non-believers may attach the success of the mission and maintain that it would have rained anyway. “I’m not discouraged over the meager rainfall and have hopes of sending up a group of planes in the future when the clouds are in better shape and more operative.”