Christened in 1917, Lassen Street borrows its name from Lassen County, which itself honors Danish immigrant Peter Lassen (1800-1859), a blacksmith, rancher, and explorer who came to Northern California in 1840. “Don Pedro” Lassen was deeded the 22,206 acre Rancho Bosquejo, near present-day Susanville (in Lassen County, naturally), in 1844, while California was still Mexican territory. Following some disastrous investments, Lassen sold the ranch and moved 40 miles southeast to Honey Lake Valley. He was shot to death while prospecting for silver near Nevada’s Black Rock Desert – his killer was never found. Lassen County was formed in 1864 from parts of Plumas and Shasta counties.
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