dventure 051, Site 137 – Jamestown

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 051, Site 137 – Jamestown

California Landmark Number: 431

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  September 27, 2012

Location:

Latitude: 37° 57.199′ N

Longitude: 120° 25.378′ W

Address: Marker is mounted on a mine-car at the southwest corner of Rocca Park, Jamestown

Description:

We come into town looking for the Jamestown state marker and pass by this little park. Is that where it is? After parking the car, we come across the Ramirez-Preston Building and then back to the park. Yes we do find a sign. But is it the state marker? There are no state emblems or numbers? Even as we write this, we are not sure. But we do see it is commemorating Jamestown as a historical place. And it is, between being Railtown 1897 and having a historical district, the town just oozes with time-warp. So we too celebrate what was.



From the State Historical Landmarks(our plaque is the same as HMDB):

NO. 431 JAMESTOWN - James Woods first discovered gold in Tuolumne County west of this point, on Woods Creek, shortly before the town was founded by Colonel George James on August 8, 1848. Large quantities of gold were recovered from the stream. The town became known as gateway to the Mother Lode and the southern mines.
Location: NE corner of Main and Donovan Sts, Jamestown



Inscription from HMDB:
Founded in 1848, one mile from the first gold find in Tuolumne County, at Woods Crossing. Arriving in 1849, Col. George F. James, a merchant popular for supplying free champagne to patrons, was elected acalde, and the town was dubbed “Jamestown.” Poor mining investments indebted him and he quietly left town. Angry miners changed the name of the town to “American Camp.” Eventually, “Jamestown” was restored. Jamestown’s population was approximately 4,000, before the devastating fire of October, 1885.

About Jamestown from HMDB:

This site was designated as California Registered Historical Landmark No.431 on March 16, 1949.

Colonel George James came from San Francisco and had Native Americans and other miners working for him. He lived lavishly with a well stocked tent and trading post and the town was named in his honor after he plied the locals with free champagne. He suddenly left one night leaving many unpaid and in anger they changed the name of the camp from Jamestown to American Camp. The name didn't catch on and the disrespectful name of "Jim Town" became its nickname. Then on May 25, 1851 the citizens voted and the official name of Jamestown won.



References:

• Wikipedia
  
• Historical Marker Database (HMDB.org)
  
• Waymarking
  

Overall Landmark References:

• David Schmitt's California State Historical Landmark (Schmitt)
  
• Wikipedia: California's National Landmarks (WCNL)
  
• State of California's California Historical Landmarks (CHL)
  
• Wikipedia: California State Landmarks (WCSL)
  
• State of California Historical Resources (CHR)
  
• Historical Marker Database (HMDB)
  
• WayMarking (WAY)