lot of 2 never used, Antique RPPC Postcard by the Eastman & Co of the Fruit Growers Supply Co in Susanville Calif (Lassen county). one is marked Fruit Growers Supply Co, Susanville Calif, photo by Eastman & Co No 7. The other is marked Fruit Growers Supply Co, Susanville, Calif. Both are undivided and unused, edges show minor wear. These are coming out of an estate of a 98-year-old.
History of Fruit Growers:Fruit Growers Supply Company began in 1907 as a cooperative purchasing agent for California citrus growers, created to address a severe shortage of wooden shipping boxes for fruit. Prices for boxes had soared to 12–23 cents each, prompting the California Fruit Growers Exchange (later Sunkist) to form a separate company to secure supplies
Expansion into Northern CaliforniaWhile its first operations were in Hilt, Siskiyou County, Fruit Growers expanded in 1919 to Susanville in Lassen County. This was a distinctive part of its operations — the only mill designed by the company itself ..The Susanville site became a key hub for logging and sawmilling, supporting both the company’s timberland and its box production.
Operations and LegacyFrom its Susanville mill, Fruit Growers also managed large timber tracts, including Westwood and the Burney Tract in Shasta County The company’s timberland holdings eventually exceeded 400,000 acres in Northern California
. Over time, the business shifted from sawmilling to timberland ownership, and by the late 2010s it began liquidating assets, selling tracts to Sierra Pacific Industries
Modern HistoryIn 2026, a fire destroyed the old Fruit Growers mill on Riverside Drive in Susanville. While no injuries were reported, the loss was significant for the community, as the mill was a historic landmark tied to the town’s identity
In summary: Fruit Growers Supply Company’s Susanville operation was part of a broader cooperative and industrial history that began with citrus box shortages in 1907, expanded into Northern California logging, and left a lasting mark on local communities, even as the company’s focus shifted from sawmilling to timberland management.
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