Volume XVIII Issue 250

Friday, July 17th, 2026

Lassen County Fair Parade Grand Marshal Alice 
Dresel Shares a Century of Curiosity & Courage

By Theresa Phillips

This story about Fair Parade Grand Marshal Alice Dresel originally appeared in the February issue of the Ruralite Magazine.

Step into Susanville resident Alice Dresel’s home and you’ll see a story hanging on the wall – a wedding photo that almost never happened.

“I guess I’m a kind of miracle,” Alice says with a smile. “I should have never been born.”

Her father, Howard John Thomas, served in World War I, and by all rights, he shouldn’t have made it home. A bullet aimed at his heart was stopped by a small Bible tucked into his breast pocket. Fate intervened, and he returned to the States, married Alida Faie Rambo, and on February 2, 1926, welcomed their 3rd child – a baby girl named Alice.

Alice’s first memory? A bowl of steaming chocolate pudding.

“I think that’s why I don’t care for chocolate,” she says.

At 2 years old, she pulled the bowl her mother had placed in the middle of the kitchen table toward her and tumbled headfirst into it, burning her tiny face. She remembers recovering in her mother’s bed, playing with a jewelry box full of broken bits of jewelry. Decades later, while cleaning out her mother’s home, she found the tube of salve prescribed for those burns – a tangible link to her earliest memory.

Alice grew up on a 180-acre farm during the Great Depression.

“There wasn’t a lot of money, but we had chickens, ducks, and geese,” Alice says. “We didn’t go hungry like many others.”

Alice and Ralph settled in Susanville, where they raised 2 sons. Her mother sold cream to the local creamery and kept a large garden. Life was hard, but it was full.

Electricity didn’t reach the farm until Alice was 11, when San Joaquin Light and Power energized the community.

“Oh, it was a big deal,” she says. “It really changed the way we did things.”

Her father, injured in the war, spent years at a time in and out of hospitals, so much of the farm work fell to Alice and her siblings. Alice’s chores were outside.

“I collected eggs, fed the chickens, and tended to the garden,” she says.

At six, she helped her brother build a car from spare parts. By 9, she was driving hay out to the fields.

“Can you imagine?” Alice asks. “9 years old and hauling hay.” Those early days sparked a love of mechanics and dreaming. “I loved to read, but not girly stories,” Alice says. “There was 1 book about people who lived in the trees. I’d walk the fields and imagine living in those big trees.”

Alice attended a 2-room schoolhouse through 8th grade. She would walk the mile to school and back every day. She fondly remembers her first-grade teacher, Mrs. Heaten.

“She took a special interest in me,” Alice says. “I had a hard time saying certain words, and my speech was affected. She helped teach me how to recognize words and speak properly. I’ll never forget her.”

When she graduated from 8th grade, she started taking the bus into town to attend high school. Since it was more convenient to stay in town, Alice took a job as a household helper with a local family in exchange for room and board. She graduated in 1943, as World War II raged.

“Some of my classmates enlisted before school was out, and sadly, a few were killed before graduation,” she says.

Alice and her husband, Ralph Dresel, on their wedding day in 1952.

Alice’s career developed from her skills in math and art. “Our school had a row of evergreen trees,” she says. “I’d sit there and draw house plans in the dirt.”

She combined the 2 skills and became a draftsman, an unusual career for a young woman at the time.

During the war, the government offered drafting programs for women. Alice excelled and, at 17, landed a job at Joshua Hendy’s Ironworks in Sunnyvale, drafting plans for engine turbines used on ships.

“I was too young for the war department—you had to be 19— but the ironworks needed draftsmen, so they hired me,” Alice says.

When the war ended, Alice wondered what was next. While many women her age were marrying, Alice wasn’t ready to settle down. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1948 and began teaching high school art at Tulare Union High School.

One summer, she took a road trip with friends to Portland. Along the way, they camped at Silver Lake near Susanville.

“I fell in love with the area,” she says.

That trip set the stage for the biggest turn in her life. In 1949, at a Beta Sigma Phi convention, Alice met a group of women from Susanville. They told her about an opening for an art teacher at the high school in Susanville. She applied and got the job. Two years later, she met Ralph Dresel at a ski club meeting.

Alice and the family’s cat on the porch of her parents’ farm in rural California.

“I sat behind him and thought, He sure has broad shoulders.” Alice says.

A year later, they married in Paso Robles. Alice and Ralph eventually settled in Susanville and raised 2 sons, Ralph III and Tom. Alice worked part-time as an engineering aide for the city – a rarity for women at the time.

“I was a woman ahead of my time,” she says proudly.

Ralph ran the local Standard Station for nearly 20 years before joining the sheriff’s department. He passed away in 2023 after 70 years of marriage.

“I miss him,” Alice says softly, her blue eyes full of memory.

Today, Alice stays active with Beta Sigma Phi, where she’s been a member for 77 years.

“We make giving back a priority,” she says. “This year, we adopted a family through the Salvation Army and even got a bike for the kids.”

She spends her days reading and watching documentaries.

“Just the other day, I thought, ‘Wow! I never knew that,’” she says. “You should never stop learning.” After a century on this planet, Alice has learned a few things and stays true to her beliefs and words of wisdom.

Howard with his wife and Alice’s mother, Alida Faie Rambo.

“I learned that we have a God who takes care of us,” Alice says. “I feel very strongly that if you have a belief in the All Mighty and if you try your best to live by the rules he gave us, and that you are guided by your beliefs, then that’s what life is all about.”

Her advice is to stay curious and listen to others. “People need to be curious,” Alice says. “That’s how your mind stays sharp. And listen. We all need to listen more to each other. We don’t always agree but at least listen. That’s so important.”

Jr. Livestock exhibitors purchase their market animals in the Fall or Spring depending on species and are responsible for feeding, grooming and taking care of their animal. They are also responsible for calculating their average daily gain (how many pounds they need to gain per day) to produce the best quality meat product for the buyer.

The 4H and FFA kids spend the week at the fair, taking care of their animals, showing their animals and making friendships and connections that can become lifelong.

After a long hot week of washing, grooming and showing, the Jr. Livestock Auction is where the kids will sell their animals.

The 4H and FFA Junior Livestock Auction will be held Sunday morning, July 19th, in the judging pavilion at the fairgrounds. Buyer registration and a good morning social begin at 7:30. The auction begins at 8:30.

If you have questions about the Junior Livestock Auction you can email juniorlivestockauction@gmail.com.

A smiling Jim Wolcott, with Fred Wemple at the wheel, in the 
Parade Grand Marshal entry in the Lassen County Fair Parade

Fairs Honors Jim Wolcott by Renaming Annual Pageant Award

The Lassen County Fair is honoring the memory of long-time Fair Manager Jim Wolcott, who passed away last week, just before the start of this year’s fair. Reflecting on Wolcott’s lasting impact on the fairgrounds and the people of Lassen County the fair released a statement saying that during his 15 years as Fair Manager, Wolcott demonstrated “a deep commitment to agriculture, generations of exhibitors and the countless volunteers who bring the event to life each year.”

“Jim’s legacy reaches far beyond the years he spent here. His dedication, leadership, and love for the Lassen County Fair helped create traditions and memories that continue today. His impact will always be part of these fairgrounds and the community he cared so much about.”

Miss Lassen County Pageant Director Shelley Bennett also shared her memories of working alongside Wolcott for 15 fair seasons.

“He admittedly knew nothing about ‘beauty pageants’ but he was willing to learn and would do anything possible to make our event a success,” Bennett said. “He loved to tease and joke around but he also had a deep appreciation for these young women and made sure they felt like true princesses whenever he was around.”

To permanently honor his dedication to the community, the pageant has renamed its annual Community Service recognition. Moving forward, the contestant who earns the highest score in this category will receive The Jim Wolcott Community Service Award.

Fair organizers expressed their gratitude for Wolcott’s years of service, friendship and unwavering dedication, extending their heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and everyone whose lives he touched.

We tried deep-water nymphing with a fly I call the “Hexy Leech.” It’s a balanced leech tied with a mix of materials that imitates a Hex nymph, but it also looks a lot like the small pond smelt the fish are feeding on right now. The Hex hatch had already ended, but this pattern was still drawing plenty of attention.

That kind of fishing can be productive, but it doesn’t feel much like fly fishing because you’re simply dropping the flies straight down instead of casting. We worked it for a while and caught several rainbow trout, but no real size. The lake was glassy and beautiful, and I wanted my buddy to see more of the scenery, so we eased the boat over to another area where I’d been picking up some solid smallmouth bass.

I rigged him with a rod set up with a leech hanging about 4 feet down and a beaded rubber-leg fly at the end of the 7-foot leader. A few casts later, he brought a gorgeous Lake Almanor smallmouth to hand.

We landed a few smaller ones, then moved again to a spot where trout like to gather. He kept fishing the bass rig, and I switched to a similar setup, using one of my “Hexy Leech” flies and another pattern I call the “Green Weenie.”

The Green Weenie got its name from the colors of a rubber bass worm I used as a kid while fishing Walker Lake and Lake Almanor. It’s a balanced leech with a chartreuse bead and an olive body, along with some blue accents. We started hooking fish almost immediately and began landing some beautiful rainbow trout. We kept them in the water and released them carefully, with no harm done.

We were having a great time — fishing, talking, laughing, and just soaking in the lake and each other’s company. The action stayed steady, and our bobbers kept dipping under. We missed more than a few fish because of long casts and long leaders, but we were still connecting often enough to keep things exciting.

Then came the moment of the day. I made a long cast into a shaded stretch where I knew fish were holding. My bobber dropped, I saw two bright silver flashes under water, and almost instantly, two fish burst into the air, each with one of my flies in its mouth. They were big fish, and they shot off in opposite directions. I knew my leader wasn’t going to survive, and sure enough, the fish on the bottom fly snapped off.

It was incredible to watch those powerful fish launch six feet out of the water. We both cracked up, hooted and hollered for a few seconds, and then I got back to the business of landing and releasing the fish still attached to my rod.

All in all, it was a fantastic day on the water, and we stayed until the very last minute. We raced to the dock, tied off the boat, jumped in the truck, and took off. We were hungry, so I rolled the dice on the construction and stopped at Peninsula Market for a couple of hearty turkey sandwiches from the deli.

While we waited, I mentioned that I’d been writing these articles and worried about finding fresh material each week. My friend smiled and said, “Just have fun with it.” He brought up the double hookup from the day, along with John Gierach, one of the best-known fly-fishing writers. I’ve read many of Gierach’s books, and I know he found joy in telling stories about his fishing adventures. I appreciated my friend’s encouragement, and I took that “just have fun with it” advice to heart.

We left the market and headed back to Susanville, knowing we were tempting fate and might end up late for my doctor’s appointment. As we neared the construction zone, I watched the oncoming traffic to gauge our timing. When I saw the first cars approaching, I knew we were in trouble — we were still too far from the flagger and were going to miss the next cycle. But as we rounded the corner and finally spotted the flagger, we also saw the back of the line of cars disappearing around a corner.

I knew I’d hit the zone at exactly the wrong moment and would be first in line, but when I pulled up, the flagger held out the slow sign and waved us through. My buddy was saying, “Go, go,” and I went. We caught the piloted traffic, made it through in plenty of time for my appointment, and I dropped my friend at his car so he could head to the Reno airport before I went on to my doctor’s office.

The lesson in all of it is that outdoor adventures aren’t always about the fish — or even about the main purpose of the trip. Sometimes, they’re about the people, the place, the surprises, and the memories that build along the way. My friend and I had one day on the water, but it held enough moments to make it unforgettable.

Last Minute Entries Being Accepted for Tomorrow’s Fair Parade

The Lassen County Fair Parade is coming to Main Street Susanville tomorrow, July 18th, and groups all over town are fine tuning their floats and entries. If you want to showcase your business, club, or organization to the entire community, there is still time to get involved!

Coordinated by the Lassen County Chamber of Commerce, this year’s parade kicks off at 10:00a.m. It’s the perfect opportunity to show off your creativity, community spirit and fair pride.

Compete for the Blue Ribbon

Whether you are riding, walking, driving, or decorating, you have a chance to take home some bragging rights. Ribbons will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place across more than 21 different categories, split into two divisions:

• Senior Division: Participants over 18 years of age
• Junior Division: Participants 18 years of age or younger

Important Safety Reminder

To keep our roadside spectators safe, parade participants may only distribute candy or other items by hand. Throwing, tossing, dropping, or using pressurized candy cannons to launch items into the crowd is strictly prohibited.

How to Register

Don’t wait until the last minute to join the excitement. Gather your friends, polish up those classic cars and tractors, and get your entry ready! Entries can still be submitted up until the time of the parade. You can submit your parade entry form online here.

Questions? For more information, contact the Chamber of Commerce office at 1.530.257.4323.

Let’s make this year’s trip down Main Street the biggest and best one yet!

Diamond Mountain Custom Mill taken in 1938, from the Eastman Archive at UC Davis



Heavy Work on Believe it or Not Mine

July 17, 1938

Holmes and Bates Acquire New Associates Assuring Immediate Development of Mine and Mill; Mill 40-Ton Capacity, Arrastra and Flotation Process

“Believe It or Not” is a gold mine—or will be soon, with a mill and everything.

C. C. Snell of Tacoma and R. L. Chester of Sacramento have associated themselves with John Holmes and J. W. Bates in the development on the Gregg property five miles south of Susanville on the road to Diamond Mountain.

In the new organization the necessary capital is assured to open up the mine and build a mill for the extraction of the yellow metal.

Chas. Evans today has a bulldozer at work clearing ground and shaping up a reservoir where tailings from the mill will be impounded.

Other immediate activities include the placing of a head frame, hoist, ore bins and timbering the present working, to be immediately followed by taking out the ore.

It is expected the mill of the arrastra type together with a flotation process will be in operation within 30 days, and to begin with will have a capacity of 40 tons a day. This will be enlarged as developments require and eventually will be supplemented with a stamp mill.

The bulldozer will be used to “strip” the surface of the entire area in which the “Believe It or Not” association is interested, and present indications are that all of the ground will justify milling with the modern processes to be used.

Holmes and Bates have followed the bulldozer’s every sweep with a pick, digging up samples and panning. Everywhere they are rewarded with “colors” sufficient to make them enthuse of prospect of a profitable undertaking of unlimited possibilities.

Ownership of the mine is entirely held by Holmes, Bates, and their new associates and Bates will be in charge of operations on the property. He has had many years experience in Nevada and the Mother Lode country, and will in the main design the mill especially for handling the character of ore in which the gold has been found.

Reverend Ethan C. Gebauer – June 9, 2026

Melvin Eugene Nierstheimer (Gene) – June 3, 2026

Cathryn Ann Farmer – June 5, 2026

Paul Moore – June 14, 2026

Michael Nelson Rose – 2026

Dennis “Pop” Jones – June 14, 2026

Every single dollar that our readers contribute goes towards making SusanvilleStuff a stronger voice in the community with better, more comprehensive content. If you appreciate what we do, please consider contributing.

Click here to find out how you can contribute to SusanvilleStuff