Susanville, California


Susanville is the county seat of Lassen County, California, United States. Susanville is located on the Susan River in the southern part of the county, at an elevation of. The population was 17,974 in the 2010 census, up from 13,541 in the 2000 census. Much of the population increase is related to persons employed at two state prisons in the city.
Susanville, a former logging and mining town, is the site of two state prisons: the California Correctional Center, a minimum-medium security facility, which opened in 1963; and the High Desert State Prison, California, which opened in 1995. The Federal Correctional Institution, Herlong is nearby, having opened in 2001.
The prisons and their effects on the community, including the provision of much-needed jobs, were explored in the documentary, Prison Town, USA, aired on PBS. Nearly half the adult population of Susanville works at the three prisons in the area, where 6,000 people are incarcerated.

Etymology

It was originally known as Rooptown until 1857, named for Isaac Roop, a pioneer of the Honey Lake District. Roop later renamed the town Susanville in honor of his daughter in 1857.

Geography

Susanville is located at the head of Honey Lake Valley, east of Lassen Peak. Susanville is located at. The elevation of Susanville is approximately above sea level. It is considered a gateway city to Reno on U.S. Route 395.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.03 square miles, of which 7.95 square miles or 98.93% is land and 0.09 square miles or 1.07% is water.
Eagle Lake is located north of the town.

Geology

Susanville is underlain by igneous rock, which provides the parent material for its well-drained brown stony to gravelly sandy loams or loams. On the western outskirts under forest cover, the soils are often reddish brown. The most common soil series in Susanville's urban area is Springmeyer gravelly fine sandy loam.

History

Susanville was named after Susan Roop, daughter of Isaac Roop, an early settler. It was first called Rooptown, and the present name was adopted in 1857. The Susanville US post office was established in 1860. Susanville was incorporated in 1900.
Formerly the center of farming, mining and the lumber industry, Susanville suffered from the loss of jobs as these industries changed or declined in the 20th century. Since the late 20th century, the only area of growth in the economy has been associated with the construction and operation of two state prisons in the city and one federal prison in the area. In 2007 half of the adult population of Susanville worked in the prisons: the California Correctional Center, a minimum-medium security facility, which opened in 1963; the High Desert State Prison, California, which opened in 1995; and the Federal Correctional Institution, Herlong, which opened in 2007.

Climate

Susanville has an alpine climate with cool winters and hot, mostly dry summers except for occasional afternoon thunderstorms. Records have been kept at several stations since 1893, including Susanville Airport and Susanville 2 SW, southwest of the town center, along with two other stations with shorter records.
Average January temperatures are a high of and a low of. Average July temperatures are a high of and a low of. Temperatures reach or higher on an average of 36.9 days annually, and drop to or lower on an average of 164.6 days annually; freezing temperatures have been recorded in every month of the year and summer nighttime temperatures are usually cool, but extreme cold is rare and temperatures under are reached only on 2.9 days per winter. The highest recorded temperature in Susanville was in July 1931, and the lowest recorded temperature was on February 1, 1956.
Annual precipitation averaged from 1971 to 2000, with an average of 66 days with measurable precipitation. Susanville Airport has averaged a somewhat higher between 1893 and 2012. At the airport the wettest calendar year has been 1907 with and the driest 1976 with, though the wettest "rain year" was from July 1937 to June 1938 with as against between July 1906 and June 1907 and in the driest rain year from July 1975 to June 1976. The most precipitation in one month was in March 1907, and the most in 24 hours on January 31, 1897.
Annual snowfall averages at Susanville 2 SW and at the airport, though the median at Susanville 2 SW is only. The most snowfall in one year was in 1937, with the most in one month in January 1895.

Demographics

2010

At the 2010 census Susanville had a population of 17,947. The population density was 2,238.7 people per square mile. The racial makeup of Susanville was 11,269 White, 2,249 African American, 612 Native American, 198 Asian, 111 Pacific Islander, 2,928 from other races, and 580 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4,259 persons.
The census reported that 9,439 people lived in households, 108 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 8,400 were institutionalized.
There were 3,833 households, 1,357 had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,645 were opposite-sex married couples living together, 499 had a female householder with no husband present, 233 had a male householder with no wife present. There were 327 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 16 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,161 households were one person and 405 had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.46. There were 2,377 families ; the average family size was 3.05.
The age distribution was 2,559 people under the age of 18, 2,547 people aged 18 to 24, 7,633 people aged 25 to 44, 4,024 people aged 45 to 64, and 1,184 people who were 65 or older. The median age was 33.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 273.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 327.3 males.
There were 4,256 housing units at an average density of 530.9 per square mile, of the occupied units 1,974 were owner-occupied and 1,859 were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.7%. 5,039 people lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,400 people lived in rental housing units.

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,541 people in 3,516 households, including 2,250 families, in the city. The population density was 2,294.8 people per square mile. There were 3,882 housing units at an average density of 657.9 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 76.0% White, 12.5% African American, 3.2% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.9% Pacific Islander, 3.5% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.6% of the population.
Of the 3,516 households 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 29.9% of households were one person and 10.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.10.
The age distribution was 20.0% under the age of 18, 13.6% from 18 to 24, 41.5% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 198.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 231.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,675, and the median family income was $45,216. Males had a median income of $29,973 versus $27,044 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,238. About 11.0% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.5% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

The current city council members are:
PositionName
MayorKevin Stafford
Mayor Pro TemJoe Franco
City CouncillorBrian Wilson
City CouncillorBrian Moore
City CouncillorMendy Schuster

List of mayors

This is a list of Susanville mayors by year.
In the California State Legislature, Susanville is in, and.
In the United States House of Representatives, Susanville is in.

Airport

, southeast of Susanville, serves as a public, general aviation airport. Lassen Rural Bus, operated by the Lassen County Transportation Commission, provided bus service within the city. Sage Stage, operated by Modoc County, connects Alturas, Susanville, and Reno, Nevada, with connections to Redding, California and Klamath Falls, Oregon
The Quincy Railroad no longer serves Susanville on the former Southern Pacific Railroad line since 2004. A Union Pacific Railroad caboose has been placed on an intact section of track next to the rail depot.

Prisons

Two California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities, High Desert State Prison and California Correctional Center, are in Susanville.

Transportation

Susanville lies at the junction of California State Routes 36 and 139. Highway 139 heads north to the Oregon border as a direct route to Klamath Falls. Highway 36 runs west to Red Bluff, then east to where it terminates with U.S. Route 395 just outside Susanville's city limits. U.S. 395 connects Alturas to the north and Reno to the south.

Economy

Top employers

According to Susanville's 2014 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
#Employer# of Employees
1High Desert State Prison1,250
2California Correctional Center1,000
3Lassen County441
4Susanville Indian Rancheria295
5Lassen College267
6Banner Lassen Medical Center197
7Diamond Mountain Casino179
8Walmart150
9Susanville School District101
10Lassen Nursing & Rehabilitation Center101
11Lassen Union High School District85
12Northeastern Rural Health81
13Safeway80
14City of Susanville62
15Susanville Supermarket IGA48

Notable people

This is a list of notable people of Susanville.