Capture Calif

Capture California

What is a YOLT? Well, you may have heard the term YOLO. Gary and Sherri think we can live again, not as James Bond, but as being reborn. Consequently, we are having fun in our life, after all, You Only Live Twice.

Showing posts with label Angel's Camp. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Angel's Camp. Show all posts

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Adventure 051, Site 130 – Carson Hill


Capture California, the Game-2012
Adventure: 051, Site 130 – Carson Hill
California Landmark Number: 274


Team: Thing One, Thing Two
Date:  September 27, 2012
Location:
Latitude: 38° 1.659′ N
Longitude: 120° 30.4′ W
Address: State Hwy 4 (P.M. 3.3), 3.7 mi S of Angels Camp on Hwy 49

Description:
No gold for us today, only Capture California points :-). On another plaque, there was a tribute to Jim Carson, which is noteworthy of the kind of man he was: James H. Carson (1821 - 1853) -- soldier, gold prospector and miner, writer, sportsman. Discovered gold at Carson's Creek. He inspired a mutual confidence between man and man.



There is another marker which commerates one of the E Clampus Vitus folk: He (ARCHIE STEVENOT ) was born Sept. 25, 1882 on the old Stevenot Homestead one-half mile west of this marker. Son of Emile K. and Sarah E. Stevenot and the grandson of Gabriel K. Stevenot, Calaveras County pioneer who pitched tent there in April, 1850.

Student, salesman, miner, rancher, post master, school board member and general superintendent of the nearby Carson Hill Mine, he has spent a productive lifetime in this region. He established the Mother Lode Highway Association in 1919, serving as president or director until 1950 when it joined into the Golden Chain Council. One of the organizers of the California State Chamber of Commerce. One of organizers of Mother Lode baseball league. A native son and one of the state's favorites, there is hardly an activity for the benefit of California and the Mother Lode with which he has not been identified.

To our Supreme Noble Grand Humbug of the Grand Council of E. Clampus Vitus, Inc. this marker is affectionately dedicated this 14th day of October, 1961.



NO. 274 CARSON HILL - Gold was discovered in the creek just below here in 1848 by James H. Carson, whose name was given to the creek, hill, and town. In November 1854 the largest gold nugget in California, weighing 195 pounds troy, was found. It was worth $43,000 at that time.
Location:  On State Hwy 4 (P.M. 3.3), 3.7 mi S of Angels Camp on Hwy 49



References:



Overall Landmark References:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,
Location: Angels Camp, CA, USA

Adventure 051, Site 129 – Angel's Hotel


Capture California, the Game-2012
Adventure: 051, Site 129 – Angel's Hotel
California Landmark Number: 734
National Registry ID: 72000220


Team: Thing One, Thing Two
Date:  September 27, 2012
Location:
Latitude: 38° 4.117′ N
Longitude: 120° 32.358′ W.
Address: NE corner of Main St and Bird Way, Angels Camp

Description:
Date Built: 1856

As with the Leger Hotel in Molelume Hill, you want to stop and lounge around. But home we go and can only enjoy the whiff of air which Samuel Clemens had 150 years ago.

NO. 734 ANGELS HOTEL - The canvas hotel that C. C. Lake erected here in 1851 was replaced by a one-story wooden structure, and then in 1855 by one of stone - a second story was added in 1857. It was here that Samuel Clemens first heard the yarn that was later to bring him fame as Mark Twain, author of The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.
Location:  NE corner of Main St and Bird Way, Angels Camp
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places:  NPS-72000220 






From Waymarking:
In 1863, a young aspiring journalist named Samuel Langhorne Clemens stayed in this hotel on his way from San Francisco, CA to Virginia City, NV. Here he heard a yarn about a notorious gambler who lost $40 to a con artist in a frog jumping competition. The story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County was first published in New York in 1865.
Not only the young journalist who later changed his name to Mark Twain gained fame through the story. It also put the tiny mining town Angels Camp on the world's map, and and since the late 1800s, the town celebrates the famous writer and its very own frog jumping history with an annual Frog Jumping Jubilee.
From NRHP:
The Angels Hotel was erected b£ C. C. Lake in 1851 at the northeast corner of Main Street and Chinatown Road (Bird Way). At first it was a huge canvas structure that was quickly replaced by a one story wooden building.... In 1855 Lake had the frame hotel torn down and on the site began the construction of a one story stone building, to which a second story was added in 1856.

Lake's commodious hotel was dedicated January 1, 1856 at which time a grand ball was given. It was during these early days that Mark Twain, who lived for a time with his friend Steve Gillis at Jackass Hill in Tuolumne County made visits to Angel's Camp (1860's)and stopped at the Angels Hotel. On one of his visits, Ross Coon, a bartender and part owner at the hotel, told him of the frog jump which had taken place on Main Street between Scribner's store and the Hotel. Mark Twain, thinking this a humorous event, on his return to Jackass Hill, wrote the story "The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County". Annual festivities at Angels Camp make use of this legend as the central theme of the celebration.



References:



Overall Landmark References:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,
Location: S Main St & Birds Way, Angels Camp, CA 95222, USA

Adventure 051, Site 128 – Angel's Camp


Capture California, the Game-2012
Adventure: 051, Site 128 – Angel's Camp
California Landmark Number: 287


Team: Thing One, Thing Two
Date:  September 27, 2012
Location:
Latitude: 38° 4.113′ N
Longitude: 120° 32.365′ W
Address: NE corner of Main St and Birds Way, Angels Camp

Description:
Angel's Camp is noted for frog jumping. But in its day, frog jumping was just a side-light. The main attraction was that which glitters—to the tune of over $100 million dollars worth. But on top of this marker is the frog and that is what we take a picture of but, as Thing Two notices, there are plaques lining the sidewalk commemorating winners of frog jumps from previous years.

But Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, owes Angels Camp a lot—probably as much as Angel's Camp owes mark Twain. The story of Jim Smilley as told in the Angel Hotel—see the next adventure—is what brought Twain to fame. You can read the story online at Gutenberg in Twain's book, Sketches New and Old.





NO. 287 ANGELS CAMP - Founded in 1849 by George Angel, who established a mining camp and trading store 200 feet below this marker, this was in a rich gravel mining area that was also one of the richest quartz mining sections of the Mother Lode-production records reached over $100 million for Angels Camp and vicinity. Prominent in early-day California history, it was said to be frequented by Joaquin Murieta, Black Bart, and other early-day bandits, and was the locale of Mark Twain's famous story, The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.
Location:  NE corner of Main St and Birds Way, Angels Camp



From HMDB:
The Calaveras County Fair aka The Frog Jump Jubilee is held the third weekend in May. The main attraction of the fair is the annual frog jumping contest which is a tribute to the famous Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) short story The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.



References:



Overall Landmark References:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,
Location: S Main St & Birds Way, Angels Camp, CA 95222, USA

Adventure 051, Site 127 – Altaville Foundry and Machine Works

Capture California, the Game-2012
Adventure: 051, Site 127 – Altaville Foundry and Machine Works
Local Registry ID: Unnumbered

Team: Thing One, Thing Two
Date:  September 27, 2012
Location:
Latitude: 38° 4.775′ N
Longitude: 120° 33.308′ W
Address: On Highway 49, Altaville

Description:
I think by now Thing One and Thing Two were going marker crazy. They thought they had bagged the marker for Altaville, instead it was the historical marker denoting the core of Altaville's prosperity—the Foundry and machine Works.



Inscription From HMDB:
Is the site of the longest running continuously operated foundry west of the Mississippi River. All quartz machinery needed for the numerous mines surrounding the Altaville, Angels Camp area was cast here. It was previously known as Altaville Foundry and Machine Works, Calavaras Iron & Steel Co., and lastly California Electric Steel Co. Previous owners: D.D. Demarest & T.H. Fullen, 1860, Lawrence Monte Verde & Demarest Family 1892, Lawrence Monte Verde Family 1928.
The State Landmark for Altaville, 288, notes that: Altaville has been the foundry town of Calaveras County since D. D. Demerest established a foundry there in 1854. Most of the stamp mills and a large part of the mining machinery erected in Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties were built at the Altaville Foundry. A brick schoolhouse was built at Altaville in 1858 and the townsite was established in 1873.



References:



Overall Landmark References:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,
Location: Altaville, Angels Camp, CA 95222, USA

Adventure 051, Site 126 – Altaville Grammer School


Capture California, the Game-2012
Adventure: 051, Site 126 – Altaville Grammer School
California Landmark Number: 499
National Registry ID: 79000471

Team: Thing One, Thing Two
Date:  September 27, 2012
Location:
Latitude: 38° 5.041′ N
Longitude: 120° 33.682′ W
Address: 125 N. Main Street (State Highway 49), Altaville CA 95221

Description:
Date Built: 1858

What a quaint and delightful school house. It is well maintained and refreshing to stop in this park setting for a few minutes. As a note: this was not the original site of the school. In the 1980's the building was on the verge of collapse when a group of citizens put out an effort to save it. It had been in use till 1950.



NO. 499 RED BRICK GRAMMAR SCHOOL - This brick building, erected in 1848 with funds raised by a dance in the Billiard Saloon of the N.R. Prince Building (which still stands, 1955) is one of the oldest schools of California. It was in use until 1950, when it was replaced by the Mark Twain Elementary School in Altaville.
Location:  Division of Forestry Station, 125 N Main St, Altaville



References:



Overall Landmark References:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,
Location: 125 N Main St, Angels Camp, CA 95222, USA

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:



Overall Landmark References:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,
Location: San Andreas, CA, USA

Adventure 051, Site 131 – Mark Twain's Cabin

Capture California, the Game-2012
Adventure: 051, Site 131 – Mark Twain's Cabin
California Landmark Number: 138


Team: Thing One, Thing Two
Date:  September 27, 2012
Location:
Latitude: 37° 59.484′ N
Longitude: 120° 28.13′ W
Address: Marker is 7.6 miles north on Highway 49 of Sonora

Description:

Even though we ha just traveled Highway 49 a few months before, we had not noticed the plaque for Mark Twain's cabin. We knew that he had been to Angels Camp and heard the frog jumping stories, along with other stories of the gold country. But we had not realized how much of a residence he had taken up with a couple of his friends.  (The replica of the cabin is about a mile away from the plaque.)



NO. 138 MARK TWAIN CABIN - This is a replica of Mark Twain's cabin, with original chimney and fireplace. Here on Jackass Hill, young Mark Twain, while guest of the Gillis Brothers in 1864-65, gathered material for The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, which first brought him fame, and for Roughing It.
Location: 1 mi NW of Tuttletown off State Hwy 49



References:



Overall Landmark References:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,
Location: Sonora, CA 95370, USA

Adventure 051, Site 124 – San Andreas

Capture California, the Game-2012
Adventure: 051, Site 124 – San Andreas
California Landmark Number: 252


Team: Thing One, Thing Two
Date:  September 27, 2012
Location:
Latitude: 38° 11.769′ N
Longitude: 120° 40.855′ W
Address: NW corner of State Hwy 49 and Main St, San Andreas



Description:
We were coming southbound on Highway 49 when we saw the San Andreas marker. We stopped and it took Thing Two a while to cross the busy Highway 49 to get to the other side of the highway for a five second picture. The fake windows on the building behind the landmark depict what you could see if you could look through them onto the hills behind the building.



NO. 252 SAN ANDREAS - Settled by Mexicans in 1848 and named after the Catholic parish St. Andres, the town has been a noted mining camp since early days. Gold from the surrounding ancient river channels and placer mines contributed greatly to the success of the Union during the Civil War. The first newspaper was published here on September 24, 1846. Destroyed by fire June 4, 1858, and in 1863, San Andreas became the seat of Calaveras County in 1866. It was said to be a rendezvous for Joaquin Murieta - notorious stage robber Black Bart was tried here and sent to prison.
Location:  NW corner of State Hwy 49 and Main St, San Andreas



From HMDB:
San Andreas was settled by Mexican Gold Miners in 1848. By 1850 over 1000 tents dotted the hillsides. The first church, built in 1852 was a canvas structure with a simple cross over the door designating it a church of the Roman Catholic faith. It was named for St. Andrew (San Andreas) and the name of the town was taken from this church.
In August 1852 the large San Andreas Nugget was found in a claim just north of where the town is located and sold to the Wells Fargo company for $12,000. In 1859 over $500,000 in gold dust was shipped. The channels were producing gold, although lack of water hampered the efforts of the miners until the miner's ditches were completed.
Two infamous names from the Gold Rush often tied to San Andreas, are Black Bart and Joaquin Murieta. Handsome and debonair, Black Bart was a gentleman bandit who never harmed drivers or passengers and left bits of original verse behind signed "P08". Black Bart held up the Milton-Sonora stage at Funk Hill on November 3, 1883, leaving several articles behind in his hurried flight. One of which was a handkerchief with a laundry mark traced back to a San Francisco Laundry where the mark was identified as belonging to C.E. Bolton one of the city's leading citizens. He was arrested and brought back to San Andreas where he confessed to the robbery. His trial was held in the court room in San Andreas and he was sentenced to six years in San Quentin Prison. The jail where he was held still stands and is a part of the Calaveras County Historical Museum Complex.
In 1866, the County Seat was moved to San Andreas from Mokelumne Hill and in 1869, a county hospital was moved to the Gold Hill house.
Source: Calaveras County Visitors Bureau



References:



Overall Landmark References:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,
Location: Golden Chain Hwy & N Main St, San Andreas, CA 95249, USA

Friday, June 29, 2012

Adventure 096 - Moaning Cavern


Capture California, the Game-2012
Adventure: 096 – Moaning Cavern
Team: Thing One, Thing Two
Date:  June 29, 2012
Location: Angel's Camp/Vallecito

Description:
The first modern discovery of Moaning Cavern was in 1851 by gold miners. When they found out that there was not gold at the bottom of the cavern, they moved on to other possible happy diggings. Of course, judging by the pre-historic bodies which have been found at the bottom of the cavern, others found the cavern, but maybe only briefly lived to see it. Then in 1919, the cavern was rediscovered and realized it could be a pretty good tourist attraction. It is thought that the first tourists were lowered down in ore buckets, with candles of whale fat to light their way. Access was made “easier” when a 100', 144 step, steel spiral staircase was installed. The stair case was built from a World War I battleship. Now visitors take a 235 step staircase, including the spiral staircase, down into the pits of the cavern.



From there you see such rooms as the the Meat Grinder with its stalagmites ready to tenderize you, Godzilla’s Nostril's-a muddy tunnel which has a repugnant fragrance, Pancake Squeeze—you can guess how come, Santa's Nightmare-with a narrow vent, and The Guillotine-a head-size tunnel missing only a blade. The general public is allowed only into the first 165' of its 411' depth. But one can also do spelunking and zip-lining at the facility.



Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , ,
Location: Vallecito, CA, USA
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)