November - December 2019

Ralph Gibson

Museums Administrator

It was 170 years ago when tens of thousands of gold hungry men settled into their tents or cabins to experience their first Christmas in the Gold Fields. Yes, there were some who spent their first Christmas here in 1848, but for the 49ers, December 25, 1849 would be their first. At the Gold Rush Museum we give visitors a glimpse into Christmas Day with three journal entries from miners who were either enroute to California, or in Auburn on Christmas Day 1849.

One such account describes a tyrant sea captain aboard a Clipper Ship bound for California with a hull full of would-be miners. Another entry reveals a cold, bleak Christmas Day on the overland journey as a group of emigrants divides their last rations. A third journal entry recounts a humorous encounter with taffy in an Auburn cabin. These reflections of Christmas Day 1849 from three different perspectives reveal the growing significance of the Holiday in American culture. This was most likely due to the popularity of the novel A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and the influence of Queen Victoria.

Enlisted men at DeWitt General Hospital, December 1943.

Col. William Smith, Commanding Officer at DeWitt General Hospital with Santa Claus, Commanding Officer of the North Pole, December 1943.

The Holidays are celebrated at our other museums as well. The Bernhard decked out in Victorian Christmas; the grand Christmas Tree in the foyer of the historic Courthouse will sparkle with gold ornaments just outside the gallery of the Placer County Museum; the DeWitt History Museum will give visitors a touch of wartime Christmas spirit; and at the Griffith Quarry Museum visitors can learn some of the Welsh Christmas traditions Griffith Griffith likely brought to Penryn. I hope everyone has a wonderful, warm, merry and happy Holiday Season!

Jason Adair

Exhibits Technician

The Educational Video Series was conceived in a way to get local history research off our shelves and out into the public eye. The Placer County Archives has more than 30,000 local photographs in our care, and a duty to make them available to the public. The museums staff put together a plan for creating a series of ten-minute single subject videos that would highlight different aspects of Placer County’s history.

With a collection as large as ours, including thousands of pages of volunteer authored research, it can be difficult to choose a topic. Fortunately for us the sesquicentennial of the Transcontinental Railroad happened to be this year. Seeing as the railroad runs from one end of Placer County to the other, what better subject could we ask for to create something for all our citizens?

The staff set about the difficult work of figuring out just what story we would tell. What aspects of this infrastructure project were unique to Placer County? Who was the story about? Did it have to be about a person, or people? Was there a way to make the County itself a main character? It was that last question that brought everything into focus.

Making the county a character was a simple enough decision, but it did set up some strange story structure elements. When you’re dealing with an event that was a fight against seemingly insurmountable odds, it naturally begs to be made into a hero’s journey. With that in mind, when you’re pitting man and machine against rugged terrain and the terrain ultimately loses the fight, in some ways it makes the county itself the villain. Maybe not a villain like Darth Vader but definitely like the death star. Is that going to be okay?

That kind of thought process concerning a story may seem ridiculous but if you don’t think in those terms, you run the risk of making a slide show instead of a short film. This is especially true when your video is made of still photos. The audience needs an angle in order to come along on the whole journey.

After sifting through our photo collection and reading hundreds of pages of source materials we began writing. Whenever a group of people from different disciplines with different interests get together to tell a story it has the habit of exploding into eight different stories. This project was no different. Since there is so much in the way of interesting source materials it was difficult to stay focused on the story.

“Have you ever heard of the Placer County Railroad wars that Griffith Griffith was a part of?”

“Stop. Not a part of the story we’re telling. Though we should definitely put a pin in that for a future exhibit or blog post or something because it sounds awesome.”

Another guiding principal in our drafts was, “We’re not a railroad museum.” This was to remind ourselves that we shouldn’t get to deep on any topic of which we weren’t adequately informed. The nuts and bolts of the railroad story was not something we could effectively tell without more research and time. Instead we chose to focus on what we did know, and that’s the geography and history of our county.

After finishing the first draft of the text things began to take shape. Several pages were added, and then pared down, and added more, and pared down again until we had a tight nine-page piece of narration. The final test with voiceover text is to read it out loud. This allows you to see where the tongue twisters and overly long and complex sentences are. Once those were fixed or edited out we were ready to record.

I took a first run at recording the narration myself. My voice was not right but it did give me something to begin editing the video with while we searched for someone else to fit the bill. Fortunately, we had a volunteer docent named Paul Clement who seemed like the perfect candidate. We also have a small recording space in the DeWitt History Museum. This came in handy when I messed up the whole first day of recording by not knowing how to use the program.

A couple days of sitting at a computer pushing buttons and yelling at the screen later and it was done. We uploaded the movie to YouTube and have had nothing but positive feedback. I credit this to the great staff we have working here, our amazing docents and volunteers, the fact that we focused in on our institutional expertise, and because we chose to make the story the most important part.

Watch it today at: Mastering the Mountains on YouTube

Kasia Woroniecka

Curator of Collections

There are several objects in our collection that are not what they appear to be or hold some interesting secrets.

 

This beautiful Art Deco piece of jewelry looks like a necklace until you turn it over. It has a compartment in the back that holds a pair of folding eyeglasses. Necklace c. 1920-1939, Placer County Museums.

This looks like a uniform button, but it is a locket, manufactured by the Liberty Manufacturing Company of Los Angeles. Known as a “liberty button,” it opens to reveal a place for photos of an unknown woman and a girl. These buttons were indistinguishable from standard issue military buttons allowing a soldier to pass inspection while holding a picture of his loved ones. Button locket c. 1918-1940, Placer County Museums Collection.

This little brooch has a compartment on the back that holds a lock of blond hair. The popularity of hairwork reached its height during the Victorian Period. Hair jewelry was often a mourning accessory, made from the hair of the deceased family member or friend and fashioned into fobs, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings and brooches. Hair accessories also served as keepsakes, symbols of friendship or tokens for engaged couples. Mourning pin, Placer County Museums Collection.

Schuco was the trade name for Schreyer & Co, a German toy company founded in 1912 in Nuremburg. In 1924 Schuco introduced a series of miniature bears known as Piccolo Bears. They ranged in size from three to six inches and came in many colors. In 1927 a series of Compact Bears was produced, which was designed to fit in a ladies’ bag and contained a mirror, a compact, a lipstick and either a powder puff, a perfume bottle or a manicure set. This bear has a small compact and what little is left of the lipstick. Schuco teddy bear compact c. 1927, Placer County Museums Collection.

This little silver and brass compact in the shape of a walnut shell opens to reveal a small removable powder puff, a photo of an unknown woman and a small bottle for perfume or smelling salts. Decorative compacts, small vanity cases containing powder, lipstick, mirrors, or more, were fashionable from the early 1900s through the 1960s. Compact c. 1910, Placer County Museums Collection.

April McDonald-Loomis

News from Placer County Historical Society

Karen Bleuel and Sherri Schackner

The plaques for the Old Town businesses are complete and mostly delivered! Karen Bleuel, Sherri Schackner, and Mike Holmes were the board members who set out on “no power” Wednesday to deliver the them. Most of the businesses in Old Town were open and had power, unlike most of us in town.

The overall response was very favorable, and several merchants are planning to frame the plaques. We have a few more to make as some of the addresses now have two storefronts. Thanks to John Knox for being the consummate researcher.

The December dinner is always special. The speaker will be Michael Stark and the topic will be Yankee Jim. Plus, we will have our annual fundraising raffle/drawing. The menu will be prime rib, roasted red potatoes, seasonal vegetable, rolls & butter, and ambrosia. Please RSVP at least a week before to assist our caterer.

Speaking of dinner meetings, it has been suggested that we try using the back room at Sizzler for one of our meetings next year. Please let me know what you think. We would still have a speaker. If you are coming to the dinner, remember to bring something for our annual raffle/drawing.

When: December 5, 2019
Time: 6:00 Dinner, 7:00 Program
Where: Veterans Memorial Hall, 100 East Street, Auburn
Cost: $16 per person
Menu: Prime rib and sides.
Program: The speaker will be Michael Stark on the subject of Yankee Jim. The program will also include the annual fundraising raffle/drawing.
PLEASE RSVP BY Nov. 27th and mail dinner checks to: PCHS c/o Jane Hamilton, 1871 Crockett Road, Auburn, CA 95603. (530) 885-7839 or hamiltonjane1@me.com
DO NOT BRING ALCOHOL.

The Cemetery Tour

The cemetery tour put on by the Docent Guild and museum staff was a huge success and brought in over four hundred people. This is such a fun outing, look for the next one if you missed it this time.

Carol Cramer, organizer, April McDonald-Loomis, researcher, Delana Ruud, greeter.

Joanie Maxwell as Alma Bell.

Pastor Dan as Rattlesnake Dick.

Diane Fishburn as Mrs. Mabel Spear.

Jim Vessely as John Kern.

Heidi Spearer as Carolina Ludwig

 

Bev Call as Minnie Foster.

Christie Brzyscz as Ann Murphy Fogarty.

Calendar of Events

Historical Organizations

Colfax Area Historical Society
Chris Miller
(530) 346-8599
colfaxhistory.org

Donner Summit Historical Society
Bill Oudegeest
(209) 606-6859
donnersummithistoricalsociety.org

Foresthill Divide Historical Society
Sandy Simester
(530) 367-3535
foresthillhistory.org

Fruitvale School Hall Community Association
Lyndell Grey
(916) 645-3517

Golden Drift Historical Society
Sarah Fugate
(530) 389-2121

Historical Advisory Board
Glenn Vineyard
(916) 747-1961

Joss House Museum and Chinese History Center
Richard Yue
(530) 346-7121

Lincoln Area Archives Museum
Elizabeth Jansen
(916) 645-3800
laamca.org

Lincoln Highway Association
Bob Dieterich
bobd@iname.com
lincolnhighwayassoc.org

Loomis Basin Historical Society
Karen Clifford
(916) 663-3871
ppgn.com/loomishistorical.html

Maidu Museum & Historic Site
Kaitlin Kincade
(916) 774-5934
roseville.ca.us/indianmuseum

The Museum of Sierra Ski History and 1960 Winter Olympics
David C. Antonucci
(775) 722-3502
tahoemuseum.org

Native Sons of the Golden West Parlor #59
Dave Allen
(530) 878-2878
dsallen59@sbcglobal.net

Newcastle Portuguese Hall Association
Mario Farinha
(530) 269-2412

North Lake Tahoe Historical Society
(530) 583-1762
northtahoemuseums.org

Old Town Auburn Preservation Society
Lynn Carpenter
(530) 885-1252

Placer County Genealogical Society
Toni Rosasco
(530) 888-8036
pcgenes.com

Placer County Historical Society
April McDonald-Loomis
(530) 823-2128
placercountyhistoricalsociety.org

Placer County Museums Docent Guild
Fran Hanson
(530) 878-6990

Rocklin Historical Society
Hank Lohse
(916) 624-3464
rocklinhistory.org

Roseville Fire Museum
Jim Giblin
(916) 538-1809
rosevillefiremueum@gmail.org
rosevillefiremuseum.org

Roseville Historical Society
Denise Fiddyment
(916) 773-3003
rosevillehistorical.org

September - October 2019

Ralph Gibson

Museums Administrator

As I write this, we are completing the installation of our last exhibit for this year: two displays for the Gold Country Fair.

After that, we’ll take a deep breath, catch up on some things, and start planning our next exhibit: Postmortem. This will replace the “What Killed the American Hat” exhibit in the Courthouse gallery.

Something else we are working on is the Cemetery Tour for October. The Old Auburn Cemetery Tour will be Sunday, October 6th at 1:30 pm. Like last year, a variety of docents and volunteers will be on hand to reenact the colorful lives of past Auburn residents. There is no need to call ahead or purchase tickets. Show up between 1:30-3:30pm at 170 Fulweiler Avenue, and the dead will rise to tell you their stories.

Fall Living History gears up at the end of September and runs through the first week of November and then we’ll start decorating for the Holidays – but that’s another issue. I hope everyone had a great summer and will have a great fall. Happy Halloween!

Kasia Woroniecka

Curator of Collections

Tea became popular in Europe after it arrived from China in the early 1600s. As the demand for exotic beverages like tea, coffee, and chocolate grew, so did the variety and size of the porcelain and silver-plate sets used to serve them. Some of the most elaborate tea services were produced in the Victorian era and could contain more than 40 pieces. The tea kettle and the coffee pot were added to the larger tea services and coincided with the fashion for taking mid-afternoon tea. The tea pots were typically short and round which allowed tea leaves to expand and steep, while coffee pots were tall and slender to retain the heat.

Tea service patterns were often influenced by the neoclassical elements of Greek and Roman art, while the curved forms were informed by the Rococo style. Silver tea sets were popular because they matched the pattern of any porcelain tableware. By the end of the 19th century, many silver service designs were influenced by the simplicity of the Arts and Crafts movement. Teaspoons, sugar spoons, and sugar tongs often accompanied these sets.

Tea is still enjoyed around the world today, with tea sets—old and new—part of the experience.

Haviland & Co. three-piece tea set: tea pot, sugar bowl and creamer. Haviland & Co. started in 1840’s New York as a porcelain importer. In 1842, impressed with the quality of French porcelain, it opened a factory in Limoges and began production for the American market. Haviland & Co. became the chief supplier of porcelain services for the office of the President of the United States, including Presidents Lincoln, Cleveland and Harrison. Placer County Museums Collection

A William Adams silver plated tea and coffee set. This set includes a coffee pot and teapot with black resin handles and knobs along with a kettle stand and burner, a sugar bowl with a lid, and a creamer. Made in Sheffield, England, circa 1902. The town is famous for Sheffield plate, the process of plating copper objects with silver, which made them cheaper than those made of solid silver. Placer County Museums Collection

Porcelain tea set by unknown maker c. 1880-1900. The set includes a tea pot, sugar bowl with lid, a creamer, a candy dish, a set of cups and saucers, and a bowl. The bowl could be a slop bowl, which allowed tea drinkers to pour out the cold tea and leaves left at the bottom of the cup. Slop bowls became standard tea set equipment in the 18th century and came in different shapes and sizes. They were eventually replaced by the tea strainer and seldom appear in modern tea sets. Placer County Museums Collection

Chinese tea set with tea pot, cup and, basket. Circa 1930. Originally tea was valued for its medicinal qualities, aiding digestion and boosting immunity. When tea was introduced to England in 1600s, it was drunk using the traditional handless bowls the Chinese used and referred to as a “dish of tea” rather than a cup. The teacup handles were introduced at the turn of the 19th century. Placer County Museums Collection

Mermod Jaccard quadruple plate four-piece tea set. Mermod Jaccard & Co. was a St. Louis retail jewelry store that also sold silver. The company dates to about 1845. Mermod Jaccard silver was made by various silver manufacturers, but the store marked pieces with its own name. This set includes a tray, teapot, sugar bowl, and creamer. Placer County Museums Collection

Kelsey Monahan

Curator of Archives

Newspapers are one of the most important resources we have at the Archives and Research Center. They contain important information on historical events, vital record information like birth or marriage announcements, and give us insight into what life has been like in Placer County over the years. One of our most frequently researched newspapers, available to the public in our Research Room, is The Placer Herald. The Herald dates to 1852 and was published weekly on Saturday. As you can imagine, some of the volumes are beginning to show their age. Ralph Petri has been volunteering for the Archives since 2014, and he has been hard at work repairing these bound volumes.

Ralph examines each page looking for tears or missing pieces that need to be repaired using a special material called Filmoplast. This acid-free tape is transparent, does not affect the chemistry of the material it is applied to, and it can be removed with water.

Once Ralph has inspected and repaired the pages of an annual volume, he puts them into a book vise, and double sews the pages together. The pages are then given a hinge that is glued with an archival adhesive. Equipped with this hinge the pages and the original covers can be reunited using a new spine cover.

To protect our historic newspapers during this process, all methods and materials are designed for archival purposes and are completely reversible. Once the covers have been attached the volume is ready to be returned to the Research Room for public use.

Repairing the bound volumes of the Placer Herald collection not only makes them easier to access and research but ensures the newspapers will be preserved for future researchers. This project is a perfect example of the important work done by volunteers to make our collection more accessible for researchers, staff, and other volunteers.

Ralph has now repaired almost 70 years of bound volumes! We are so grateful for his work on this project and his book binding expertise.

News from the Placer County Historical Society

April McDonald-Loomis, President

Who doesn’t love Fall in the Foothills? This is probably my favorite time of year, not too hot, not too cold! A few Society projects have been completed.

Part Two of the Art Sommers Collection has arrived and is in capable hands at the Placer County Archives. Art has also decided that there might be a Part Three. If that should happen, we would assist with financing. In the meantime, Art has donated several Placer County related books for the December Society Dinner Meeting.

The research books the Society helped fund for Kasia at the Placer County Collections Facility have arrived and she is delighted with all of them. All the research work has been completed for the plaques for the Old Town businesses. We just need to get them printed and distributed.

Mark your calendar for October 6, 2019 for the Cemetery Tour given by the Museums Docent Guild. This event gets better every year! These terrific individuals, all eighteen of them, will reenact stories of Auburn’s past residents. Beside the regulars like Alma Bell and Rattlesnake Dick, they have several new stories to tell this year. Be on the lookout for poor Katy Andrews, who died way before her time, Hattie Fellows, murdered in her back yard, and many more. These Docents do a fabulous job, making the tour enjoyable for everyone involved. It runs from 1:30 to 3:30 and is free, although like any non-profit, the Guild is always happy to receive donations. It is held at the Old Auburn Cemetery a 170 Fulweiler Avenue.

The Society is involved with other historical organizations in the county that are interested in presenting an annual History Award to an individual who has significantly contributed to Placer County History. If you want to nominate someone, we can provide you with the criteria for the award.

Placer County Historical Society Dinner Meeting

When: October 3, 2019
Time: 6:00 Dinner, 7:00 Program
Where: Veterans Memorial Hall, 100 East Street, Auburn
Cost: $16 per person
Menu: TBD
Program: We are honored to have historian Phil Sexton for our speaker. Phil has been involved with the California State Parks for many years and is considered an expert on many facets of California history. The topic for the presentation will be the Transcontinental Railroad.
PLEASE RSVP BY SEPT. 26th and mail dinner checks to: PCHS c/o Jane Hamilton, 1871 Crockett Road, Auburn, CA 95603. (530) 885-7839 or hamiltonjane1@me.com
DO NOT BRING ALCOHOL.

Come see Placer County Museum's Latest Exhibit, A Season to Remember

on show now at the Historic Courthouse, 101 Maple Street, Auburn, CA

Calendar of Events

Placer County Historical Organizations 

Colfax Area Historical Society
Chris Miller
(530) 346-8599
colfaxhistory.org

Donner Summit Historical Society
Bill Oudegeest
(209) 606-6859
donnersummithistoricalsociety.org

Foresthill Divide Historical Society
Sandy Simester
(530) 367-3535
foresthillhistory.org

Fruitvale School Hall Community Association
Lyndell Grey
(916) 645-3517

Golden Drift Historical Society
Sarah Fugate
(530) 389-2121

Historical Advisory Board
Glenn Vineyard
(916) 747-1961

Joss House Museum and Chinese History Center
Richard Yue
(530) 346-7121

Lincoln Area Archives Museum
Elizabeth Jansen
(916) 645-3800
laamca.org

Lincoln Highway Association
Bob Dieterich
bobd@iname.com
lincolnhighwayassoc.org

Loomis Basin Historical Society
Karen Clifford
(916) 663-3871
ppgn.com/loomishistorical.html

Maidu Museum & Historic Site
Kaitlin Kincade
(916) 774-5934
roseville.ca.us/indianmuseum

The Museum of Sierra Ski History and 1960 Winter Olympics
David C. Antonucci
(775) 722-3502
tahoemuseum.org

Native Sons of the Golden West Parlor #59
Dave Allen
(530) 878-2878
dsallen59@sbcglobal.net

Newcastle Portuguese Hall Association
Mario Farinha
(530) 269-2412

North Lake Tahoe Historical Society
Marnie Carr
(530) 583-1762
northtahoemuseums.org

Old Town Auburn Preservation Society
Lynn Carpenter
(530) 885-1252

Placer County Genealogical Society
Toni Rosasco
(530) 888-8036
pcgenes.com

Placer County Historical Society
April McDonald-Loomis
(530) 823-2128
placercountyhistoricalsociety.org

Placer County Museums Docent Guild
Fran Hanson
(530) 878-6990

Rocklin Historical Society
Hank Lohse
(916) 624-3464
rocklinhistory.org

Roseville Fire Museum
Jim Giblin
(916) 538-1809
rosevillefiremueum@gmail.org
rosevillefiremuseum.org

Roseville Historical Society
Denise Fiddyment
(916) 773-3003
rosevillehistorical.org

July - August 2019

Ralph Gibson

Museums Administrator

I was born during NASA’s Gemini program and was seven years old when Apollo 17, the last lunar Apollo Mission, splashed down on December 19, 1972. I remember most of the launches, moon walks and splashdowns that were covered. I thought I would grow up in a world where humans physically explored all the planets in our Solar System and beyond. But, of course, that’s not what happened.

On July 20th we’ll celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. It happened so long ago that a growing number of people believe that the landings were faked. How could we have gone to the moon with such primitive technology?

Of course, they forget we developed the Nuclear Bomb in 1945, the Hydrogen Bomb in 1952, and had been testing and building highly sophisticated missiles, rockets, and planes throughout the 1950s and 1960s. When it came to Apollo, if it didn’t exist, we developed the technology needed.



Construction of railroad at Cape Horn

The same can be said of the Transcontinental Railroad. There were engineers who thought cutting a passage through the Sierras was impossible. Like NASA, if it didn’t exist, they developed new techniques and technologies to make it happen.

The Transcontinental Railroad turned 150 years old on May 10. Two months and ten days later, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of our first steps on the lunar surface. If you happen to be one of those who thinks we didn’t land on the moon, you might as well not believe in the Transcontinental Railroad either.

Kasia Woroniecka

Curator of Collections

Moving passengers and freight over thousands of miles made accurate timekeeping essential. Timetables governed train arrivals and departures and ensured trains did not collide. Prior to 1883, most towns in the United States had their own local time.

On November 18, 1883, railroads began using a standard time system with four time zones: Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific. All clocks were synchronized within each zone. In 1891, a massive train collision near Cleveland, Ohio killed nine people and the following investigation revealed that the watch of one of the engineers was 4 minutes late. The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad appointed Cleveland jeweler Webster Ball to investigate time keeping issues. Ball developed a system for ensuring that all railroad timepieces were precise. A commission was appointed to adopt a universal set of timekeeping standards by all railroads.

Workmen in front of a locomotive. Location unknown. Watch chains visible on front pockets of three men on the right side of the image. PCM Archives.

By 1893, the General Railroad Timepiece Standards were in effect. Watches that fit this description became known as railroad watches. Not all railroad watches were railroad approved and watch requirements differed. The railroad industry referred to the watches as “standard watches,” since they met the railroad’s time service standards. Conductors were not the only ones required to carry watches. Many railroad regulations required engineers, switch yard controllers, foremen, flagmen, and porters to carry them.

Until the 1970s, when the watch mechanism was replaced with a battery, all watches were mechanical. Actual jewels, or stones, were used in watches to reduce friction and wear in the watch mechanism. Today, train traffic is controlled by satellite communication and a centralized traffic control system. Wristwatches replaced pocket watches for railroad staff, but pocket watches remain very popular among collectors.

There are several railroad style watches in our collection. None of them have a provenance indicating they were used by someone working for a railroad company. However, they fit the typical requirements for a railroad watch in the late 19th-early 20th century: they are large size 16 and 18 American made watches with open face dials that include the seconds dial, and a minimum of 15 jewels.

Waltham

Waltham Watch Company and Elgin Watch Company were both used as early as the 1860s and 1870s as railroad standard watches. The Waltham Company was founded in 1850. Until the second part of the 19th century most watches were hand made. The company focused on producing watches at a lower cost using interchangeable parts and became the first to mass-produce watch movements on an assembly line. The company went out of business in 1957.



Elgin

This watch (right) has a dial with Roman numerals. It wasn’t until the early 20th century that Arabic numerals became an official standard in railroad watch design. Elgin, also known as the Elgin National Watch Company, was
founded in 1864 and became one of the biggest watch companies in the United States. Elgin made many railroad grade watches, including their first watch, the size 18, 15 jewel B.W. Raymond, named after the company’s president. Standardized watch sizes allowed customers to purchase internal watch movements separately from the cases and have those fitted later with the design of their choice. The company went out of business in 1964.


Hampden

The Hampden Watch Company was founded in 1877 in Massachusetts. In 1888 the company relocated to Canton, Ohio, where it introduced the first size 16, 23 jewel movement made in America.

This watch (below) was produced after the merger of The Hampden Watch Company and the Deuber Watch Case Company in 1923. After the company went out of business in 1927 it sold its machinery to the Soviet Union. Dueber-Hampden watchmakers and other technicians were hired to train Russian workers at a watch factory in Moscow.



Dueber-Hampden

Century U.S.A, Seth Thomas Watch Co.

Railroad watches became popular with people who did not work on the railroad but appreciated the reliability and accuracy of a well-made watch. This open face railroad style watch with an image of a locomotive, labeled “Century U.S.A,” was made by the Seth Thomas Watch Co. The company was founded in 1853 in Connecticut. They were known for making full-case clocks, as well as tower and street clocks. Between 1884 and 1915 the company manufactured a line of pocket watches. The pocket watches were lower grade watches and most likely not used in railroad service.

Elise McQuaide

Administrative Clerk

Placer County is home to several festivals and markets focused on the area’s rich agricultural tradition. Many of the posters for these seasonal celebrations have made their way into the museum collections.

Harvest Festival poster, 1989, artist unknown

This painted poster advertises the Harvest Festival that was once held at the Bernhard Museum. Mr. Bernhard produced wine the first year the family lived on the property, but more than wine, he focused on fruit. Newspaper articles listed the apples, pears, plums, figs, apricots, nectarines, oranges, and peaches that were grown on the property. This is one of two versions of this design we have and is the most recent to be entered into our collection. No artist is credited on the poster.

20th Anniversary Foothill Farmer's Market poster, 2009, artist Jan Kapple Klein

Other images celebrating agriculture in Placer County include posters for the Foothill Farmers’ market, several of which feature work by local artist Jan Kapple Klein. This poster celebrates the 20th anniversary of the festival (1989-2009). The Foothill Farmers’ market continues to be held today.

Mountain Mandarin Festival poster, 2014, artist Larry Hausen

Another popular event is the Mountain Mandarin Festival, held every year in November. When the county’s pear crop was destroyed by tree disease in the mid-20th century, mandarins became a staple crop. Their popularity continues today, and the Mountain Mandarin Festival celebrates the local fruit and highlights different orchards through January. Local artists are featured in posters, many recently being done by California artist Larry Hausen. These vibrant posters are bright and colorful, inviting visitors to look forward to bounty available through the winter.

As the “fruit basket of the nation,” not only does the museum document the history of the county’s farmers, but the constantly growing portfolio of the art celebrating them as well.

News from the Placer County Historical Society

April McDonald-Loomis, President

The Historical Society is heading into the relatively quiet summer phase. There will not be a general Dinner Meeting until October 3rd. Please also note the July Board Meeting will take place on the 11th, due to the 4th of July holiday. If anyone has any suggestions for speakers or topics for our meetings, please contact me or any board member.

Art Sommers recently came down from his new place in Oregon and brought with him more of his extensive Placer County Collection. It is hard to describe how important this one man’s hobby has been to documenting our county’s history. Photos, postcards, and other paper documents – a treasure trove! Another big collection that has come to the Museums through the Historical Society is the Haswell-Birdsall Collection.

The Haswell-Birdsall families have a long history in Placer County. Frederick Birdsall was instrumental in setting up the early water system, and also built the first firehouse that is on El Dorado Street today. He used the top floor for the office of his water company. This is a valuable collection that will be of immense use to researchers.

It is donations from people like these that help make our Archives and Collections Facility such a unique and valuable repository. Next time you are spring cleaning or looking through the attic, keep the museums in mind.

Remember, what might seem “modern” to you and I are now hitting the “historic” mark! Were the 1960s really that long ago? I checked with Bryanna Ryan, the Supervising Curator and former Archives Curator, for some guidelines. She said there is no specific date. The Archives look for items and photos that specifically relate to Placer County events, people or places. Ryan states that the key question to ask about any artifact is whether it holds any historic or informational value to future generations. Contemporary photos, for example, the erection or removal of a building or a modern-day parade would be considered for preservation.

For photos, the Archives will either accept direct donations, or the images can be scanned and the originals returned to you. If you have items you are unsure about, call the Archives at 530-889-7789 or Collections 530-889-7705.

Nothing much is happening on the Salmon Statue for Central Square; the advocates have withdrawn the original proposal as it didn’t fit the space. They will most likely return to the Historic Design Review Committee with another proposal. The Society is still lobbying against the statue, not on artistic principle, but rather the fact that salmon have no viable historical significance for the Auburn area. To put this statue in such a conspicuous public space would be misleading to the public. The Central Square, as laid out by the Streetscape Committee several years ago, is meant to feature people and activities that are symbolic of Auburn. The Committee has been very careful in selecting the tiles that grace the Square, making sure they are historically symbolic or significant. This statue does not fit the criteria.

Don’t forget to start collecting some “not so valuable/not so historic/not so informative” items for the raffle in December!

Placer County Historical Organizations 

Colfax Area Historical Society
Chris Miller
(530) 346-8599
colfaxhistory.org

Donner Summit Historical Society
Bill Oudegeest
(209) 606-6859
donnersummithistoricalsociety.org

Foresthill Divide Historical Society
Sandy Simester
(530) 367-3535
foresthillhistory.org

Fruitvale School Hall Community Association
Lyndell Grey
(916) 645-3517

Golden Drift Historical Society
Sarah Fugate
(530) 389-2121

Historical Advisory Board
Glenn Vineyard
(916) 747-1961

Joss House Museum and Chinese History Center
Richard Yue
(530) 346-7121

Lincoln Area Archives Museum
Elizabeth Jansen
(916) 645-3800
laamca.org

Lincoln Highway Association
Bob Dieterich
bobd@iname.com
lincolnhighwayassoc.org

Loomis Basin Historical Society
Karen Clifford
(916) 663-3871
ppgn.com/loomishistorical.html

Maidu Museum & Historic Site
Kaitlin Kincade
(916) 774-5934
roseville.ca.us/indianmuseum

The Museum of Sierra Ski History and 1960 Winter Olympics
David C. Antonucci
(775) 722-3502
tahoemuseum.org

Native Sons of the Golden West Parlor #59
Dave Allen
(530) 878-2878
dsallen59@sbcglobal.net

Newcastle Portuguese Hall Association
Mario Farinha
(530) 269-2412

North Lake Tahoe Historical Society
Marnie Carr
(530) 583-1762
northtahoemuseums.org

Old Town Auburn Preservation Society
Lynn Carpenter
(530) 885-1252

Placer County Genealogical Society
Toni Rosasco
(530) 888-8036
pcgenes.com

Placer County Historical Society
April McDonald-Loomis
(530) 823-2128
placercountyhistoricalsociety.org

Placer County Museums Docent Guild
Fran Hanson
(530) 878-6990

Rocklin Historical Society
Hank Lohse
(916) 624-3464
rocklinhistory.org

Roseville Fire Museum
Jim Giblin
(916) 538-1809
rosevillefiremueum@gmail.org
rosevillefiremuseum.org

Roseville Historical Society
Christina Richter
(916) 773-3003
rosevillehistorical.org

Calendar of Events

Heritage Trail in July and August

July 6th, 10am-4pm
Placer County Museum, Gold Country Medical History Museum, The Joss House Museum & Chinese History Center

July 13th, 10am-4pm
Maidu Museum & Historic Site, Roseville Telephone Museum, Roseville Historical Society Carnegie Museum

July 20th
Wheatland History Museum (10-2pm)
Lincoln Area Archives Museum (10-4pm)

July 27th, 8am-12pm
Fruitvale School

August 3rd, 10am-4pm
Colfax Area Heritage Museum, Golden Drift Museum, Donner Summit Historical Society Museum.

August 10th & 11th, 9:30am
Donner Summit Hike

August 17th, 10am-4pm
Truckee Old Jail Museum, Truckee Railroad Museum

August 24th, 8am-12pm
DeWitt History Museum, Placer County Museums Archives and Collections Facility

August 31st & September 1st, 10am-4pm
Foresthill Divide Museum