Susanville, California: Where the Bars Outnumber the Bars (On Your Doors!)
Susanville, California, population 13,000-ish. Sounds quaint, right? Maybe a charming Main Street with a friendly bakery and a gossipy barbershop quartet. Well, hold your horses (unless you're escaping, of course). Susanville boasts a surprising claim to fame: it's practically a prison paradise.
Not Your Average Tourist Destination
Now, don't get us wrong, Susanville probably has a lovely bakery (we haven't tried it, but hey, there's always next time). But the real industry here is corrections. There's more barbed wire than baker's twine, and the guard towers definitely outnumber the gas stations (although, let's be honest, who needs gas when you've got excitement?).
So, How Many Prisons Are We Talking About?
Here's the clincher: Susanville isn't just playing in the prison game, it's winning. We're talking two state prisons (the California Correctional Center, formerly known as "Club Fed West" by those in the know, and the imposing High Desert State Prison) plus a nearby federal prison (Herlong FCI, which sounds fancy, but cafeteria mystery meat is cafeteria mystery meat everywhere).
That's right, folks, Susanville has more prisons than Starbucks locations (although, with all those guards working up a sweat, maybe they should open a franchise).
The Plot Thickens (Like Gruel)
Now, some folks might find this whole prison-palooza a bit unsettling. But Susanville wears its correctional crown with pride. Nearly half the adult population works in the prison system! That's a lot of corrections officers, parole board members, and yes, even bakery owners who probably supply enough donuts to feed a small army (or, well, a large prison).
Susanville: More Than Just Orange Jumpsuits
Look, we're not saying Susanville is all clangs and clinkers. There's gotta be something else going on, right? Well, there is! They have an annual rodeo (dust off your cowboy hats!), and apparently, the stargazing is phenomenal (who needs cable TV when you've got celestial bodies?).
So, the next time you're planning a vacation and want a unique experience, consider Susanville. Just don't forget to pack your sense of humor (and maybe some contraband snacks – prison food, they say, is an acquired taste).
