Adventure 051, Site 125 – Fourth Crossing

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 051, Site 125 – Fourth Crossing

California Landmark Number: 258

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  September 27, 2012

Location:

Latitude: 38° 7.837′ N

Longitude: 120° 38.071′ W

Address: On State Hwy 49 (P.M. 14.0) at San Antonio Creek, 5 mi S of San Andreas

Description:

Going along Highway 49 you just see these landmarks all over the place. It is sort of like hunting duck in a barrel. So up we come, in the middle of nowhere on this landmark sign saying Fourth Crossing. We are wondering what about the first three where are they? But a plaque is a plaque and the camera comes out—directly into the setting sun.

Later on, looking at sites like California Gold Country and the Sierra Nevada Geotourism, there is a bit more to it than just a crossing. Such as the first judge of Calaveras County came from here. Also the original bridge where the land was originally bought from David Foreman is still standing. This area was rich in gold in its own right.

NO. 258 FOURTH CROSSING - Located on the Stockton-Murphys Road at a crossing of the Calaveras River, this early mining settlement, once called Foremans, was famous in the 1850s for its rich placer ores. Later, as an important stage and freighting depot, it served the southern mines until after the turn of the century.
Location:  On State Hwy 49 (P.M. 14.0) at San Antonio Creek, 5 mi S of San Andreas

From HMDB:
This settlement was located on the old Stockton Road between Stockton and Murphys Diggin's. It was the fourth crossing of the Calaveras River. Today the site sits on the San Antonio Creek, which in the 1850s was called "South Calaveras". The settlement was first called Foreman's Upper Ranch. It was acquired by William B. Reddick in 1858 and was then known as Reddick's or 15-Mile House.

Postal authorities established a Fourth Crossing Post Office in 1855. This was discontinued in 1888 and then re-established in 1892. It was then discontinued again in 1925.



References:

• Wikipedia
  
• Historical Marker Database (HMDB.org)
  
• Waymarking
  
• California Gold Country
  
• Sierra Nevada Geotourism
  

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)