We Remembered a Friend with Twin Pines in December, and Celebrate 170 Years of Golden History Today

January 24, 1848, a hard working man named James Marshall looked down into the cold waters of the South Fork of the American River running through the mill race at Coloma, and the story of the pretty little valley was destined to change once again.

Seventy years ago a huge Centennial celebration was held and a stamp was issued showing what became a rather well known scene with the mill and two pines which grew close by, and very close to each other, so close that they almost seem to be grown together, perhaps they are. I have gathered together here several images I have found showing the trees, and the mill at its original site, which at this time is sometimes in, sometimes out of the riverbed.

Visitors at that large centennial celebration in 1948 lined up  at the Coloma post office to send out first day of issue letters to those family and friends they could think of. These are very popular collectibles now, and a lot of the covers have the two trees and mill on them.

I have a couple of postcards that show the lines of happy people waiting to mail their choice of first day covers.  There were many choices, some even hand painted!

There are several postcards you can still find that have copies of lithographs of the mill that show the two pine trees.

Those pines grace the cover of history books:

 They even get gilded and stamped onto coins for the local event!

The replica of Sutter's Mill at the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in Coloma has recently been relocated from near to the Grange Hall and Bayne Road Bridge to much closer to the spot where the mill actually stood in 1848.  Park Superintendent Barry Smith had been considering planting Ponderosa pines to replicate the old lithographs. In the spring last year we lost a dear friend, Tony Angi. Tony had many ties to Coloma, Lotus, Garden Valley, the Divide, and many, many friends.

Our good friend Dick, and Tony's very good friend Paul asked the Ranger if we could plant trees in Tony's honor, and everyone discovered he was on the same page! We all got called to meet in Coloma on Friday, December 1st, at 2:00 p.m. What a beautiful day it was! I was able to drive down Bayne Road past a beautiful two story farmhouse with a wrap around porch which Tony designed and which sits almost directly across from the gold discovery site.

On December 1, 2017 we who could (retired folk, mainly, Rich had to work) gathered at the park and Ranger Barry introduced himself and there were quite a few staff there, and although we had brought shovels and some even wore gloves (good guy, David!) we found they had already very carefully planted the trees.

After he was introduced, Paul entertained us with his stories of his friendship with Tony, which went back forty years, to when Tony had first come to Lotus. I think Paul looks like what I used to call "a miner 49er" when I was a little girl.

The photo below is of Kathy, Tony's wife, and Dick, his good friend and associate.

The Ranger had an amusing story about the golden shovels that we each used to add a scoop full of fertilizer to the trees. They were forgotten in a closet at the park but were perfect for this ceremony,
with the mill's outline stenciled on each one.

Above Tony's son addresses us and below Craig helps a little one with her scoop.

The photographer Cheryl below finally is in a shot herself. She is fiancé to Craig, above.

Pam, wife of Dick, puts muscle into her gardening, she excels at zumba and golf, so she can shovel with the best of them!

Oh, and yes, I was there too. I was trying to show off the mill on my shovel.

And finally, below, here we all are, Tony's friends and family, and we will be checking on his trees, because most of us live close by, and if any of us are still around for the 200th year celebration perhaps we can mail a new stamp with an image of Tony's trees.

Once Upon a Time in Placerville No. 22: The Spencer Home on Washington Street

Good morning. Tina here once again with another Once Upon a Time.

This is the Spencer house which was on Washington Street. Washington Street has been reconfigured, I believe when the freeway went through town, so this home may have been torn down then. It used to meet with Mosquito Road at some point near where Broadway now begins at the east end of Main Street. The photo below was dated 1889.

I wish I knew more about this home which was lost to the wrecking ball. At one time quite a few years ago these photos were for sale on ebay and I didn't win the bid, but I saved the copies of the photos.

The Spencers are gathered here in the photo above, circa 1899. It looks like they have upgraded the home with more porch additions and fencing. It also looks like the kids are getting older.

This shot of the street itself shows a fairly flat area. As the street now begins, it heads south up a steep hill and then for a bit goes fairly flat and then heads downhill again to Cedar Ravine.

The Spencer family plays croquet near their home in 1905. The elevated railway and possibly Hangtown Creek is behind them.  It isn't easy to read the names but they appear to be Maxine, George, Annie, Ray, Frank, Larry (or Lorrey?) and Mabel. I found Annie L. Spencer, housewife, in the Precinct Register for Placerville in 1938, and a Miss Lorena Spencer and N. L. Spencer Jr., a mechanic.

One last shot of "Our dear old home". When I think of all the old homes that are no longer standing in our lovely historic town, I get such a feeling of loss. Memories are gone to ash, streets are rearranged and trees and gardens destroyed. This little area above is completely unrecognizable. It just makes me sad.

I wish I knew more about the Spencers and their home, but hopefully I can help keep their memory alive just by sharing this post.

Wagons Ho! The El Dorado Roses Ride with Wagon Train 2016 from Pollock Pines to Placerville

Finally! Computer trouble all day. It took forever to load the pictures on here, and then they were all backward. The summer solstice was working against me.

The beginning of June I was lucky again to be able to ride with the Wagon Train. This time it was longer, we went all the way from Pollock Pines to Placerville.

My seatmates in the surrey with the fringe on top were the 2015 El Dorado Rose, Bonny, and her Court (Judy with Bonny above.)

I was told to be there at 9:00 am. Unfortunately, the rest of the group were told 7:30, so they waited a long while, since the Wagon Train headed out about 9:45.

I sat with Carol, on the right below. 

There is a lot to do to get ready, so as we waited we watched the wagon in front of us hitch up their horses.

In front of us on the surrey were two seatmates who are in third and fourth grades. They had a book they were sharing. They had just met the day before, but seemed to get along very well.

Annette (that is the back of her below) is the grandmother of one of the girls, and the other girl's mom was riding a horse a way in front of us.

Just like last year we had single riders who rode alongside and in front and back, watching over all the wagons and helping keep the pace.

We took several breaks, and the horses got water at each one. This stop below was at the Cedar Grove Grocery. I lived close to here for almost four years, so that was fun for me.

The day was perfectly glorious, in the eighties, breezy, it couldn't have been nicer.

After leaving Pony Express Trail we were on Carson Road and soon entered the town of Camino. We stopped right in front of the hotel for a break. There were many people there to great us.

Below Doc Davey Wiser and his wife bring their buggy to a stop for some R & R.

In front of the hotel were large plates of giant cookies, bottled water and other drinks. I chatted with our driver Annette's mother for quite a while. She has lived in Camino for about seventy years.

The people of Camino were very welcoming! All along the entire route the neighbors came out to wave, some could even wave from their windows! I saw several people I knew.

After our refreshments we moved on, passed High Hill Ranch where we had started last year, and came to our lunch stop at Boa Vista, where I think the tri tip sandwich and the blueberry turnovers were the popular favorites.

Then on the road again. In front of us was a small wagon, and the people riding in it had to sit on hard wooden benches, I was so glad to be in our surrey with padded seats and shocks! What luxury!

I had taken a picture of the house below last year. Since then, it has new owners and the yard is all cleaned up, and they were sitting on the porch waving. Not a lonely home any longer!

This is Ladybug, she was with us last year too but I didn't get a decent picture of her. Here she is sitting next to me ready to head into town. She was so good. 

We stopped for a while on Jacquier Road in Smithflat, I am not sure why, however, we stopped there last year also.  One of our single riders let his horse have a bit of appetizer along the side of the road while we waited.

Finally, after another break on Smithflat Road almost to Broadway, we began our trek towards downtown. I was getting low on pictures, so I waited to begin taking more until we were closer.

Kicking back in front of the soda works, above, and scooting by the Chamber of Commerce, below.

Again, my friend Marilyn, who I worked with at the Heritage Museum, was out to greet us. I threw her a kiss as we went by.

I always have to get a good shot of the Courthouse, I spent a lot of time there (working) and I love that old building.

This lady (I didn't catch her name) was a sort-of portable MC as we neared the bell tower.

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 Bell Tower now in view! It only took about six hours to get here!

When I was young we watched the much bigger Wagon Train parade from our doctor's offices, which were in this building above the theater. It was a great vantage point!

The bell tower was where the action was, and I spied some familiar faces in the crowd. My El Dorado Rose Court ladies, Anita and Suzanne were there sitting on a bale of hay. (I missed getting their photo), and below a family I well know, with little Dax getting his first gander at the Wagon Train.

The bookery workers and their families gathered near the door.

My final shot of the day was well dressed ladies on the balcony of the Cary House welcoming us to town.

It was a very fun trip, quite long compared to last year, but we rode in comfort. The surrey owner and driver, Annette, does not charge the Roses for the ride, and it costs her quite a bit to bring the horses and surrey to town for the trip. She is not sure if she will continue to drive it next year. If she doesn't, I doubt if I will be along for the ride, but I am very thankful I was able to ride along for two years!

Loungechair Road Trip No. 15: Pacific House on Highway 50

Good morning Tina here.

It is a beautiful day, and we are going to lounge and at the same time go up Highway 50 and pay a visit to Pacific House.

This beautiful piece of art above is painted by my good friend, and fellow high school and college art class member Jonni Hill. She trained with George and Carol Mathis and her work is wonderful!

I have always enjoyed seeing this lovely rock-covered building. My mom had a friend who lived on the hill across the highway in a cabin made of rock which overlooked Pacific House. She has passed away and the house burned down.

The postcard above is the same as the one above it however, this one has a description included.

A great postcard showing the inside long ago.

The photo above I was able to get from the internet and unfortunately I didn't put down the photographer's name, and I am so sorry, I would love to give credit.

Above and below are two older postcards I have purchased fairly recently. The lobby, and a lovely rock fountain.

Now we get to the present, the poor place needs a new roof and sits sadly decaying.

Below are remains from the great old two story building that once sat here. I have an old postcard but it is not on my computer so I can't show you right now.

A piece of history crying out for help.

But here I sit in my lounge chair and I am not much help.

Enjoy the great spring day.