January-February 2017

Administrator’s Notes 

by Ralph Gibson 

This past year brought us an unusual number of celebrity deaths, from movie stars to musicians, sports heroes, news reporters and newsmakers. This year began with a death that hit close to home for us: Alan Rickman.

On August 27, 2007, we took our volunteers to the Sonoma State Historic Park and to General Vallejo’s home (now a museum) for our annual Volunteer Appreciation Trip. While in Old Town Sonoma, we noticed part of the street was blocked off and there were two huge cameras and tall lights next to the street. We soon learned the movie, Bottle Shock, was being filmed.

Bill Pullman, Alan Rickman, Rachael Taylor, and up-and-coming actor Chris Pine were starring in the movie.

We got as close as we could to the action and watched with fascination. Rickman, Pine, and Taylor got out of an old truck, walked across the street, and entered a business while people dressed in 1970s clothing walked on the sidewalk. It was a simple scene, but most of us were riveted.

During a break, Pine talked and laughed with the impromptu audience and Rachael Taylor brushed passed me on her way to the bathroom. The crew set up a different scene.

When it was time, Rickman appeared out of nowhere. The three actors walked out of the business, crossed the street, got into the truck and attempted to drive of — “attempted” because the truck wouldn’t start. It was not acting.

After the mechanic finished, the truck roared to life and Pine drove down the road about a half block, backed up, and parked where they had started. Everyone then filmed the same scene over and over again. The truck broke down at least two more times but they finally wrapped for the day and we went on to General Vallejo’s home.

Alan Rickman passed away on January 14, 2016. He acted in seventy films, including the eight Harry Potter films, Galaxy Quest, and the first Die Hard. We will always remember him for his role in Bottle Shock. Rest in peace, Alan.

Wedding Cakes and Cupids 

by Kasia Woroniecka, Curator of Collections

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and a popular day to “pop the question.” Since decorated cakes are an important part of wedding celebrations, I chose this beautiful cake topper that was used during the wedding of Adeline and Anthony Perry in 1910 to highlight romance-related objects in our collection and set the mood for this amorous holiday.

Decorating wedding cakes became very popular during the 19th-century. Early designs included flowers, bells, or other small objects and were often made of sugar or non-edible materials like glass, paper, wood, or plaster of Paris.

Our ornate dessert-ornament is made of plaster of Paris with a figure of a cupid blacksmith forging a ring—a symbol of love, fidelity, and commitment. Behind him is a candleholder carved with ornate floral and scroll design.

The cupid blacksmith was also a popular Valentines card theme in the 19th-century.

Here is an intricate pop-up card from our collection showing a similar composition to the cake topper.

The anvil as a symbol of romance was made famous in Scottish Gretna Green, a little village known as one of the world’s most popular wedding destinations.

A law enacted in England in 1754 made marriage legal only if it was performed in a church and with parental consent. The law did not apply in Scotland where almost anybody had the authority to conduct the marriage ceremony. The blacksmiths in Gretna became known as “anvil priests” and lasting symbols of Gretna Green weddings.

While the tradition of creating special cakes for weddings can be found in Roman times (made with nuts, fruit and honey), white wedding cakes appeared in Victorian times. A sign of purity, white created a visual link with the bride and became especially popular after Queen Victoria’s wedding in 1840. Her white wedding cake was covered in royal icing and measured nine feet in circumference.

Unnamed couple. Circa 1950. Placer County Collection

Decorative cake toppers and the use of figurines of the bride and groom grew more popular after the First World War. This tradition was reinforced by Emily Post, American etiquette expert, who mentioned the toppers in her 1922 best-seller Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics, and at Home. Soon, American retailers like Sears and Roebuck started to market and sell cake toppers showcasing the bride and groom. The 1927 Sears catalog had an entire page devoted to wedding cake ornaments.

Today, there are practically no rules about wedding cakes. They can be of any color, flavor or shape and the possibilities are endless. All we can hope for is that they taste good!

Jail Break in Auburn, October 4, 1860

by Bryanna Ryan, Curator of Archives 

The Archives preserves a variety of records that document early criminal activities in Placer County. Of particular interest are the Court of Sessions case files that range from 1851 to 1863. This was a period of dramatic growth throughout the area. Communities were quickly developing and citizens hurried to establish and maintain a sense of law and order that would transcend to even the most remote reaches of the county.

The case files include locations like Mendenhall’s Corral, Salt Spring Ranch, El Dorado Saloon, Illinoistown, Whiskey Bar, and Mad Canyon.

Throughout this time period, the Court of Sessions heard 364 cases covering crimes including: theft, bribery, fraud, swindling, being a cheat, peddling without a license, keeping house for playing games of chance, keeping a house of ill fame, dueling, larceny, arson, assault, murder and mayhem (among others).

Placer Herold 7/28/1860

In the year 1860, thirty-five cases were heard and they were overwhelmingly for crimes involving theft. On the night of October 4, twenty inmates were serving time in the Auburn jail.

Court of Sessions Case #295

Among the prisoners that night were an assortment of burglars and robbers— including a gang of four men arrested for highway robbery.

Using their distinctive skillsets, thirteen of the twenty inmates made a daring escape—one that had been developing for several days and which bought the fugitives a 3-hour head start.

The escapees included:

• Henry Sprague, N.A. Robbins, Lawrence Sumsall, and Gabriel Rocus—Iowa Hill Stage Robbery (Wells Fargo treasure box of $11,020)

• William Dixon and Monroe Croyer—The “Mountain Springs Robbers”

• Artemarano Okaner and Aystube Tomline—Horse Thieves

• Thomas King, Daniel Gray, Ah Bow, William Wild, and Thomas Lawrence—Burglars

The October 6, 1860 Placer Herald published many of the details of the escape gathered in the aftermath.

Someone had smuggled in a Chilean crowbar, the steel hoops from a fellow “China woman” prisoner were manipulated into lock picks and chisels. A hole was carved through the jail wall and concealed under a piece of muslin whitewashed with lime.

All of the cell doors had been either picked or broken open. Thirteen men were gone.

Seven inmates opted to stay behind, having been arrested for lesser crimes. As witnesses, they divulged details of the sensational event. According to one, on the evening of October 4, 1860, the prisoners were “in quite a jovial mood, singing and hallooing,” a device discovered was cleverly used to drown out the noise of their work.

The Placer Herald rightly observed: “From their number, and the known proficiency of some of them as old rascals, there would appear to be a want of proper vigilance on the part of the officers.”

The Scoop

by Beth Rohlfes, Curator of Education 

Wendy, Beth and Daphne

There is no bad time to celebrate volunteers, but this is a particularly wonderful and unique time of year to recognize those who donate their time and talents to Placer County Museums.

Bolstered by holiday spirit, we gathered staff and docents for our annual Holiday Luncheon in December to honor seasoned volunteers for their commitment of, collectively, 26,550 hours! As we celebrated these dedicated individuals, we also welcomed docents who just completed their New Volunteer Training Classes and will begin volunteering in January.

Cindy

Nine new volunteers are now inducted into our ranks. Look for them in our museums and please congratulate them: Wendy Burgess, Paul Clement, Cindy Combs, Terry Davis, Marti Jamison, Diego Ortega, Lisa Paulson, Doug Reagin and Sherry Rodriguez.

We also honored eighteen docents for their accumulated volunteer hours. Archives volunteers John Knox and April McDonald-Loomis have given an exemplary 5000 hours each!

Addah and Bettie

Others also logged impressive time at our museums and archives: Chris Francee (4,500); Frank Hampton and Ron Petersen (3,000); Fran Hanson (2,500); Daphne Lake (2,000); Addah Owens (1,500); Carmel Barry-Schweyer, Barbara Hydinger, Margie Raymond and Mary Williams (1,000); Kim Hemmer, Linda Kreuger and Terry Rose (500); Bhakti Banning, Muriel Davis and Carol Shepard (300).

We launch into 2017 with great confidence, ready to wow our public with so many new and seasoned docents. We wish you all a happy new year and hope it will be the best ever for Placer County Museums and its volunteers!

Placer County Historical Society Dinner Meeting

By Addah Owens, Program Chair 

When: February 2, 2017

Time: 6:30 Dinner, 7:30 Program

Where: Veterans Hall, 100 East St, Auburn

 Cost: $16 per person

Menu: Chinese New Year buffet by Lisa Bloom, owner of A Window Opened in Meadow Vista.

Program: “Hidden History Beneath Folsom Lake: Hiking Across a Dry Lake Bed in Time of Draught.”

Kevin Knauss of Granite Bay will PowerPoint his historical trek through time. A must-see presentation. Books available.

For a downloadable preview, click “Kevin” at www.insuremekevin.com.

Mail Checks to: PCHS c/o Jane Hamilton, 1871 Crockett Road, Auburn, CA 95603. (530) 885-7839 or hamiltonjane1@me.com DO NOT BRING ALCOHOL. County directives prohibit it, and, we can't get liability coverage.

News From Placer County Historical Society

by Michael Otten, immediate past president 

Tired of all this rain? Mark your calendar. Make your reservations now. Join us for our annual Chinese New Year dinner 6:30 pm Thursday, Feb. 2, for some rare discoveries revealed during the recent drought period. That was when one could walk across the Folsom Lake bed from Placer County into El Dorado and Sacramento County without getting wet. Gold Rush places like Mormon Bar are now under 100 feet of water or more thanks to the Folsom Dam that came a century to save Sacramento from regular flooding.

Kevin Knauss

Our speaker, Kevin Knauss, a Granite Bay health and life insurance agent, was so moved by his dry bottom discoveries in 2015 he wrote a book: “Hidden History Beneath Folsom Lake: Hiking Across a Dry Lake Bed in Time of Drought. During that period, he also served as Placer County Jury pro tem foreperson.

With his PowerPoint presentation, Knauss intends to delight us with chronicles of the area’s early inhabitants, the 1850s rush for riches and efforts to tame Mother Nature. For a downloadable preview click “Kevin” at www.insuremekevin.com A must-see presentation. Books available for $20 at dinner.

Feb. 2 also marks the end of the official seven-day celebration period for the start of the year of the Rooster (sometimes called the year of the chicken). Lisa Bloom of A Window Opened, will cater our Chinese Fare in the downstairs dining hall of Auburn Veterans Hall, 100 East St. Call Bonnie Wilson to make reservations at 530 878-6640 Email: bonwally@hotmail.com The cost is $16.

The early American River community Dotan’s Bar with its own “China Town” had bridged the newly formed Placer and El Dorado Counties during the Gold Rush. James W. Chinn, a 49er from Virginia, was a Wells Fargo agent-shop owner there in 1854 and served as an early Placer County Supervisor.

To learn more, visit www.placercountyhistoricalsociety.org

 

Early map and Rice Bowl discovery.

The PCHS, founded circa 1910 in Auburn, is a good nonprofit organization that relies primarily on its dues and volunteers to keep it going. You can make a difference. Donations and inquiries can be sent to PCHS PO Box 5643, Auburn, CA 95604

Special notes:

• Volunteer with the Placer County Historical Society: Please! There is an urgent need to replace our veteran membership secretary, Barbara Burdick, who finds her schedule has changed so that she can’t continue. Computer skills advisable to maintain membership roster. Other posts available too.

• The Gold Country Medical History Museum, 219 Maple St., Old Town Auburn, will be holding one of those don’t miss fund-raising open houses at 5:30 pm Wednesday, March 22. Laura Kenny, author-chef-caterer, will be providing tasty treats. Amour Prive’ and Sips will be pouring wine. The museum will be open only on Saturdays until then or by arrangement with curator Rod Moser.

otten@ssctv.net or call (530) 888-7837 

Click to enlarge

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

Historical Advisory Board
Glenn Vineyard
(916) 747-1961

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

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

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

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

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

Roseville Fire Museum
Jim Giblin
JGiblin@roseville.ca.us, rosevillefiremuseum.org

Maidu Museum & Historic Site
Glenie Strome, (916) 782-3299
roseville.ca.us/indianmuseum

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

Golden Drift Historical Society
Jim Ricker, (530) 389-8344

Newcastle Portuguese Hall Association
Aileen Gage (530) 885-9113

Placer County Historical Society
Walt Wilson, (530) 878-6640
placercountyhistoricalsociety.org

Placer County Museums Docent Guild
Tom Innes, (530) 888-8969

Rocklin Historical Society
Barbara Chapman, (916) 415-0153
rocklinhistory.org

Roseville Historical Society
Phoebe Astill, (916) 773-3003
rosevillehistorical.org

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

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