November-December 2021

Ralph Gibson

Museums Administrator

The Old Auburn Cemetery Tour was a much-welcomed event as some of our programs and activities are finally coming back after a year of shutdowns due to COVID. There were 460 visitors to the Cemetery Tour who were eager to get out of the house and do something fun and interesting. It was, by far, the most people we’ve ever had for the Cemetery Tour. The Ghost Tours, too, are underway and the tickets sold out in just minutes. But this is the Holiday edition of the Placer, so I need to pivot to Christmas Trees and twinkling lights.

We are preparing for S’mores & Stories at the Bernhard Museum on Friday, December 10th from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. We’ll have the museum open for night tours; a campfire where we’ll roast marshmallows, make s’mores and tell stories; and serve hot cocoa. But before that program begins, there is going to be a very special ceremony commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the effort to save the Bernhard House by the Placer County Historical Museum Foundation (now the Placer County Historical Foundation) and the Placer County Historical Society. Two plaques will be unveiled. One will be an interpretive plaque that tells the story of the house & restoration and the other will recognize the Bernhard House for being on the National Register of Historic Places. The ceremony will kick off at 4:30 pm.

As always, the Museum spaces on the first floor of the Historic Courthouse will be open from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm for Old Town’s Classic Christmas event on December 11th and 18th. Kids can decorate an ornament and we’ll provide free hot apple cider and cookies! We hope to see you at the Bernhard on the 10th at 4:30 and at the Courthouse for Old Town’s Classic Christmas!

Kelsey Monahan

Curator of Archives

In 1945 a group of astronomy enthusiasts founded the Sacramento Valley Astronomical Society (SVAS). The Society grew quickly and by 1948 they had 80 active members and 400 associate members. The Society was made up of men and women of all different ages and professions, all with a passion for star gazing. In addition to holding regular meetings, the group held lectures, viewing events, and telescope maker forums.

Sacramento Valley Astronomical Society, c. 1964. Courtesy of Walter Heiges.

In the early 1960s the Sacramento Valley Astronomical Society decided to build an observatory near Colfax, on the property of Bill Fisher, an SVAS member. Society members worked on almost every aspect of the project: designing the telescope, buildings its machinery, and even cutting and grinding the glass for the telescope’s mirror. When completed in 1969, the observatory was dedicated to Carl E. Wells, a charter member of the SVAS and recipient of the G. Bruce Blair gold medal for service to amateur astronomy.

Sacramento Valley Astronomical Society, c. 1964. Courtesy of Walter Heiges.

The Carl E. Wells Observatory was in use until about the 1980s, when the Henry Grieb Observatory was built in Blue Canyon. The Sacramento Valley Astronomical Society still uses the Blue Canyon observatory to this day to fulfill its mission to foster interest in astronomy, to encourage and assist members in the study of astronomy and in the making and use of astronomical instruments.

Katy Bartosh

Curator of Education

The SNOW Sports Museum is slated to open in Placer County’s Olympic Valley in 2025-2026. I was excited to learn about this new project that will encompass the history and spirit of our region’s winter sports. Jill Short Milne, the museum’s Executive Director, was able to share a bit about the new museum:

The SNOW Sports Museum will showcase the 1960 Winter Olympics and 200 years of Sierra Nevada Ski History, plus a Western Ski Hall of Fame to honor California and Nevada athletes and entrepreneurs from over 32 ski resorts. Located at the entrance to Olympic Valley, the proposed state-of-the-art, 20,000 sq. ft. environmentally sustainable building will also be a center for arts and culture, providing the community and visitors with the technology and space necessary for lectures, films, classes, and special events. The reception area will include a North Lake Tahoe Visitor’s Center, a café, and a museum store. Outside, the original Tower of Nations will be part of a landscaped “Olympic Park”.

Milne shared the museum’s 2021-2022 Vision Report, which was enlightening. Their vision is to “establish a place where the evolution of winter sports in the Sierra Nevada and the Olympic Winter Games 1960 can be researched, studied, and displayed in an environmentally harmonious building.” Curious about the name? “A new name, Sierra Nevada Olympic and Winter Sports Museum, better represents the geographic region and core values of the museum. The catchy acronym will resonate with all generations: The S.N.O.W. Sports Museum.”

This will be a welcome addition to the plethora of museums and historical organizations in Placer County.

Artist rendering of the S.N.O.W. Sports Museum 

John Knox & April McDonald-Loomis

The Placer county bumper crop that you never heard of - Soap Root 

If you have read much Gold Rush history or Native American history you might have come across the mention of soap root. The Native Americans used it for washing clothes, shampoo, bathing, food, fishing, as an antiseptic and many other ways. The 49er’s used it also, a practice they learned from the Native Americans or from the local Spanish. Below is Henry B. Livingston’s recollection of his 49er days from the San Francisco Call in 8 Dec. 1895.

Less known is that by 1867, Placer County was producing vast amounts of soap root, the fiber was used for stuffing mattresses, cushions, sofas, chairs and the like. It replaced horse hair. It was still used for soap and toothpaste but also for one very unusual use – a cure for baldness.

On June 8, 1867, the Sacramento Bee reported that there was a factory in Dutch Flat on the Little Bear River. It employed twenty-two men. The factory was 70’ x 30’ and the owners had plans to enlarge it to twice that size. The raw material grew in abundance all over Placer County. The harvesting was mostly done by Chinese workers. The roots were dug out of the ground and bound in bundles of about one hundred pounds each and brought on poles to the factory. It was not easy work, soap root is notoriously hard to dig out of the ground.

 
Local men involved in the soap root industry included Allen Towle of the Towle Brothers Lumber Company, Nathan W. Blanchard a very successful lumberman from Dutch Flat and James L. Gould who supervised hydraulic mining efforts near Gold Run and Dutch Flat. For an idea of the volume of product, the San Francisco Examiner reported on June 15, 1872, that there were 250 tons of soap root baled and stored in Colfax awaiting the decision in a pending law suit. The value of the 250 tons was $8,621. 19. Hittlel’s Commerce & Industries of the Pacific Coast of North America in 1882, noted that 700 tons were exported to Europe in 1876. The article stated that the best soap root was grown “near the snow belt of the Sierra, and on the shaded side of the mountains.” The soap root plant can still be found in our area growing wild. The Effie Yeaw Nature Center in Carmichael has some growing along their trails and it can be seen from spring to autumn. The root goes dormant in the winter.

Other uses of soap root:

The glue made from soap root was used to waterproof baskets, to attach feathers to arrows and to hold together brushes, that were also made of soap root.

For fishing, the pulverized bulbs were thrown into slow moving streams or damned waterways to temporarily stun fish so they could be gathered. This is now illegal.

 The juice was used for tattoo ink.

Medicinal uses included laxatives, as an antiseptic, a diuretic or a pain relieving rub.

The sap was used for tanning hides.

The root was slow cooked overnight for food. An interesting note, although soap root is found below 5,000 feet, when the Donner Party was camped high in the Sierra that fateful winter, an Indian man passed by carrying a heavy pack of roots and gave stranded people some of his cargo, it was soap root. One of the survivors, Patrick Breen, wrote in his diary that the roots tasted like a sweet potato.

News from the Placer County Historical Society

April McDonald-Loomis

Greetings from the Placer County Historical Society

I missed the last Society Dinner in October but hear it was quite a success. Anne Holmes gave a great presentation on Dutch Flat. This was our first dinner meeting since the restrictions on gatherings due to Covid restrictions. We certainly hope all will be back on schedule from now on. Our next dinner meeting is scheduled for December 2nd at the Veteran’s Hall. It is our annual raffle, so if you have anything to donate it would be very appreciated if you could bring it along! We will also hold our long delayed election of Board Officers.

I also missed the annual Cemetery Tour that the Museums and the Docent Guild sponsored. It too was a great success. Our own membership chair, Carol Cramer, is the mastermind behind this terrific event. I understand the attendance was over 400 people!

 

Carol Cramer, photo by John Knox

Speaking of Carol Cramer, she is also the recipient of the 2021 History Award. This is a great honor and one richly deserved. Carol has been involved in so many of the museum’s programs and is a terrific Walking Tour guide, we are delighted she has been recognized for her many contributions to local history. On December 10th she will be awarded the honor at the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the restoration of the Bernhard Museum. That will take place at 4:30 right before the S’mores and Stories program at the Bernhard Museum. At that event there will be two new books available, one on the Bernhard restoration project and the other on the Bernhard family. We will also be unveiling the two new plaques we helped to fund, one designating the house as being listed on the National Register of Historic Places and another that commemorates the restoration project.

Those of you who have an interest in the appearance of the Placer High Campus should take a moment to look at the current renderings of the building that is now going up. Then take a look at the non-structural changes being proposed by a local citizens committee led by a highly respected, local architectural firm (pro-bono). Those minor changes would bring the building more in conformance with the historic nature of most of the rest of the buildings on campus. At this point the school board seems reluctant to even consider these small changes. A letter to the school board and/or a letter to the Auburn Journal might help. Maintaining this beautiful campus and holding on to its historic roots is a cause worth taking up!

50th Anniversary of the Effort to Save the Bernhard House

Donna Howell

On December 10th at 4:30 there will be a program commemorating this important anniversary and the unveiling of two plaques. In December of 1971, articles of Incorporation were filed to create the Placer County Historical Museum Foundation with the purpose of preserving the Bernhard House and turning it into a museum. With help from the Placer County Historical Society and Community leaders, over $300,000 was raised, including over $100,000 from the sale of pickets which were engraved with the donor’s name. The restoration was completed in 1982 and the museum opened to the public on July 2, 1982. The original board for the Placer County Historical Museum foundation were: Wendell Robie, President; Dan Higgins, 1st Vice President; Lauren McCann, 2nd Vice President; Berenice Pate, Secretary; and Harry Rosenburg, Treasurer. The current board, now under the name Placer County Historical Foundation, are: Hal Hall, President; Donna Howell, 1st Vice President, Karri Samson, 2nd Vice President; Mike Lynch, Secretary; and Al Stohl, Treasurer.

Placer County Historical Organizations Calendar

Please confirm all meeting times and locations which each organization

Foresthill Divide Historical Society Meeting: Monday, November 15th at 6:00pm

Golden Drift Historical Society Meeting: Monday, November 1st at 7:00pm

Historical Advisory Board Meeting: Wednesday, December 15th at 5:30pm

Loomis Basin Historical Society Meeting: Wednesday, November 17th at 6:00pm; Wednesday, December 15th at 6:00pm

Placer County Historical Society Meeting: Thursday, November 4th at 2:00pm, Dinner Meeting: December 2nd at 6:00pm

Placer Sierra Railroad Heritage Society: Tuesday, November 23rd at 7:00pm

Rocklin Historical Society Meeting: Monday, November 8th at 6:00pm; Monday, December 13th at 6:00pm

Roseville Historical Society Meeting: Tuesday, November 9th at 4:00pm; Tuesday, December 14th at 4:00pm

Placer County Historical Organizations

Colfax Area Historical Society 

Dirk Gifford, (530) 346-8599 

colfaxhistory.org

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

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

Fruitvale School Hall Community Association
Mark Fowler

Gold Country Medical History Museum 

Lynn Carpenter
(530) 885-1252

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

Historical Advisory Board
Glenn Vineyard
(916) 747-1961

Joss House Museum and Chinese History Center
Larry Finney
(530) 305-9380 

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

Lincoln Highway Association
Trey Pitsenberger

vice.president@lincolnhighwayassoc.org

https://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/ca/

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

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

Phil Sexton
(530) 583-1762
northtahoemuseums.org

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

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

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

Placer County Museums Docent Guild
Craig Norris 

Placer Sierra Railroad Heritage Society
Chuck Spinks
chuck.spinks@outlook.com

Rocklin Historical Society
rocklinhistorical@gmail.com 
rocklinhistory.org

Roseville Historical Society
Denise Fiddyment
(916) 773-3003

S.N.O.W. Sports Museum 

Jill Short Milne, (415) 254-5686

thesnowmuseum.org

September - October 2021

Ralph Gibson

Museums Administrator

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love it when the leaves turn, the pumpkins ripen, and the warm days are tempered by a cooler wind. Okay, okay, and Halloween – you all know it’s my favorite holiday. I’ve been wearing Halloween shirts since June this year. Last year we didn’t get much of a fall because of the pandemic. There was no Cemetery Tour, no Ghost Tours and I didn’t decorate the outside of my house like I usually do. This fall, though, looks to be a little different. The Cemetery Tour is planned for October 3rd from 1:30 to 4:00 pm at the Old Auburn Cemetery. We’ll have actors portraying significant people from our history near their plots with plenty of “Ghost Hosts” in the cemetery to help guide you. As always, the Cemetery Tour is free! The Old Auburn Ghost Tours are slated to happen October 23rd, October 30th, and November 6th at 6:00 pm. Tickets go on sale soon.

We will also decorate the Treasury of the Placer County Museum for Halloween and once again will have a creepy challenge for visitors. This year, we’ll have Creepy Dolls on display and all you need to do to win some candy is tell the docent how many creepy dolls you found. If you found them all, you get some Halloween candy.

Of course, all of this is heavily dependent upon how we navigate the new variants of COVID-19. We all sincerely hope that as more people are vaccinated and mitigation tools likes masks and distancing are adhered to, that the virus will finally wain and life will return to normal by early 2022.

All of us at the Placer County Museums wish you and yours a very safe, healthy and Happy Halloween!

Kelsey Monahan

Curator of Archives

At the Archive and Research Center we recently received a donation of scanned images of a photograph album kept by Maud Remler, c. 1913. Maud was the daughter of Leonard Remler, who was a pioneer resident of Foresthill, opening his store there in 1864.

In addition to some great photographs of the Remler family and their Foresthill home, there are several pages of photo strips and small stamp-sized photos glued in.

Page from the Maud Remler album, c. 1913

 
At first glance my assumption was that the strips of photos were photobooth images, due to their small size and format. However, upon further research, I found that the first automatic photobooth was not invented until 1925, after the c. 1913 date of the album.

Sacramento Star, March 19, 1910

It turns out these types of photographs are often called “ping pong photos,” and were invented in the 1890s. The term ping pong comes from the rapid movement the camera would make to capture multiple poses. This style of photography became popular because it was affordable, and often available in penny arcades and photo studios.

 

Mabel Lardner from Maud Remler album, c. 1913

The accessibility of ping pong photos and other advancements in camera technology made getting a photograph taken more casual than it had previously been. It was around this time that smiling in photographs became more commonplace, and many of the photo strips in this album contain both serious portrait poses and candid smiling snapshots.

 from Maud Remler album, c. 1913

It is not hard to see why these types of photos were so popular, and why the later invention of the photobooth was such a success. There is something about seeing multiple snapshots of the same person that almost seems to bring them to life.

Christina Richter

Administrative Clerk, Archives & Collections

A part of Golden Gate Bridge history resides in Roseville, but few people could you tell you where it’s located. Hidden in plain sight, the telltale orange beams are part of the beautiful Miners Ravine Trail opened by the City of Roseville in 1992.

Prior to 1992 the Miners Ravine Parkway was inaccessible, as there was no way to cross the creek. The trail was originally built in 1988 as an access road to a sewer line but was otherwise unused. That all changed when developer Nick Alexander came upon a creative solution to help open the trail to the public.

Through his network he was notified of the availability of retired I-beams from the Golden Gate Bridge that could be purchased at a relatively inexpensive cost. The beams were acquired and work crews began to create the concrete abutments for six bridges to cross Miners Ravine Creek along a two-mile pathway.

The Press Tribune, June 29, 1992

At 51-feet long and 25-tons each, three Golden Gate 1940s-era steel I-beams were cut in half and anchored onto the concrete abutments. According to a June 26, 1992 Press Tribune article (above), “the sections were so heavy they burned out a crane that removed them from the trucks delivering them from the Bay Area…” Once successfully moved, the I-beams were cut in half, then each was placed in the pre-engineered area for the six bridges.

 

The Press Tribune, January 3, 1997

One of the benefits of these heavy bridges is that they will withstand a 100-year flood, and that fact was proven in 1997 when Roseville experienced one of its worst floods in a century. The bridges performed beautifully and proved to be a solid addition to the trail.

 

Portion of the Miners Ravine Trail with bridge

This portion of the Miners Ravine Trail can be accessed from the back of the United Artist Movie Theater parking lot off Eureka Blvd., and from the trail parking lot off Orvietto Drive.

Katy Bartosh

Curator of Education

Rules for Teachers. One, you will not marry during the term of your contract. Two, you are not to keep company with men. And thus starts the list of twelve rules for teachers in 1915, attributed (on this particular poster) to the Carnegie Museum. In the same style is a 1848 “Punishments” poster that lists twenty-four offenses and the accompanying number of lashes that students would receive for breaking them

I found these two lists in the cabinet at our new Fruitvale School Museum. They seemed to be an excellent addition to the new living history and exhibit content I’m creating. It’s not hard to imagine an old rural schoolteacher in Placer County following these rules. “You may not loiter downtown in ice cream stores.” They’re amusing, and believable, in that “oh, those silly old-time sensibilities!” way.

However, a quick Google search to find more information led to more questions than answers. The “1915 Rules for Teachers” appear verbatim on material from The Little Red School House in Humboldt, “One-room Schools of Knox County,” the University of Hawai’i, and the Portage County Historical Society – to name just a few. And, to further complicate matters, each of these websites quote a different source. Are they from Placer County? Maybe Cabell County West Virginia? Or the Pennington Institute for Young Ladies? Are they even real?

A 2013 article from Open Culture explored this conundrum. According to the author, these rules are generally attributed to Sacramento, but their exact source is still unknown. But I think a quote from the New Hampshire Historical Society captures the bigger issue at hand. “The sources for these ‘rules’ are unknown; thus we cannot attest to their authenticity – only to their verisimilitude and charming quaintness.”

How many times have I had a local insist that there are definitely tunnels under [insert historic Auburn building or site here]. Our past is full of facts and figures, but urban legends and embellished histories abound. It’s easy to imagine a secret tunnel running under the courthouse. Not only could you quickly rationalize why such a tunnel might exist, but it also makes a great story. But is there actually a prohibition era tunnel from the Historic Courthouse to the White House? No.

Rules for teachers; these could be completely accurate (and I’m determined to track down their origin), but it’s not their veracity that’s spread them far and wide. We tend to like the past to be charming; interesting, but in a harmless, anecdotal way.

These rules serve as an interesting reminder of how we study the past, versus create The Past. I’ll keep you all posted.

Getting Back to the Bernhard Museum

The Bernhard Museum has been closed since March 2020. We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors, and students, back to the property in mid-September. The Museum now has a beautiful asphalt driveway and parking lot. Throughout August, contractors were busily grading, framing, pouring, and paving. There is also a new cement sidewalk that winds around the lot, up to the porch, and over to the carriage barn.

This paving project will make the museum more easily accessible for all visitors, and hopefully help cut down on dirt and dust within the museum.

 

April McDonald-Loomis

President, Placer County Historical Society

As most of you know, we had to cancel our much anticipated August Dinner Meeting due to the fire in Colfax. The county planned on using the Veteran’s Hall and requested that we cancel our meeting. As it turned out they didn’t have to use the facility after all. We will tentatively plan for the October 7th Dinner Meeting and will let you know via email and newspaper press releases. Everything just seems so unsettled right now.

Some good news, our plaques are up on Firehouse # 1 thanks to Matt at the City’s Public Works Department. The plans for the Bernhard Anniversary celebration are moving forward. That will be on December 10th in conjunction with the Museums Christmas event at the Bernhard. The book on the Bernhards by John Knox and Carol Cramer will be available at that time. This is a terrific book that includes primary source examples along with the narrative, it has only had limited publication up to now. The Society and the Placer County Historical Museum Foundation are funding a large run. So this is a great opportunity to add to your local history book collection. It will be available through our website soon.

The History Award Committee has received several really formidable candidates for the yearly award. That award will be handed out at our December Dinner Meeting. Hopefully we will be back to our regular schedule by then!

your summer if going well despite the smoke and the fires. Hopefully we will all get together again in October!yle="text-align: center;">

Calendar of Events 

Please confirm all meeting times and locations which each organization

Foresthill Divide Historical Society Meeting: Monday, September 21st at 6:00pm

Golden Drift Historical Society Meeting: Monday, October 4th at 7:00pm

Historical Advisory Board Meeting: Wednesday, October 20th at 5:30pm

Loomis Basin Historical Society Meeting: Wednesday, September 15th at 6:00pm; Wednesday, October 20th at 6:00pm

Placer County Historical Society Meeting: Thursday, September 2nd at 2:00pm, Dinner Meeting: October 7th, 6:00pm

Placer Sierra Railroad Heritage Society: Thursday, September 23rd at 7:00pm; Thursday, October 28th at 7:00pm

Placer Genealogical Society Meeting: Thursday, September 23rd at 7:00pm; Thursday, October 28th at 7:00pm

Rocklin Historical Society Meeting: Monday, September 13th at 6:00pm; Monday, October 11th at 6:00pm

Roseville Historical Society Meeting: Tuesday, September 14th at 4:00pm; Tuesday, October 12th at 4:00pm

Historical Organizations 

Colfax Area Historical Society 
Jay MacIntyre, President
(530) 346-8599 
colfaxhistory.org

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

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

Fruitvale School Hall Community Association
Mark Fowler

Gold Country Medical History Museum 

Lynn Carpenter
(530) 885-1252

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

Historical Advisory Board
Glenn Vineyard
(916) 747-1961

Joss House Museum and Chinese History Center
Larry Finney
(530) 305-9380 

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

Lincoln Highway Association
Trey Pitsenberger

https://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/ca/

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
Sierraskimuseum.com

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

Phil Sexton
(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 

Placer Sierra Railroad Heritage Society
Chuck Spinks
chuck.spinks@outlook.com

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

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

Roseville Historical Society
Denise Fiddyment
(916) 773-3003

July - August 2021

Ralph Gibson

Museums Administrator

We all have family stories.

The lore of our roots is as fascinating, hilarious, and tragic as any great novel. I link it to fiction because if you listened to your grandpa tell you the story of his parents or grandparents, you can usually tell when a story is being embellished – sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. But beyond embellishment, family stories are from someone’s perspective of an event and it may be remarkably different from the perspective of someone else who experienced the exact same event. Memory, too, plays a key role. Case in point is my family tragedy.

The variations of the story I was told, depending on who was telling the story, was that we lost 8-11 family members when a drunk truck driver going the wrong way on a Texas or Arizona highway hit them head-on. There is some truth there, but I was able to decipher what that truth was by accident. While researching something else, I found several articles about the accident, but none mentioned the other driver being drunk. He was driving a pickup truck over 70 mph with his wife and two dogs as passengers. He mistook a “Reduce Speed” sign as a veer left sign and he went left, directly into the path of a station wagon carrying nine of my family members, including my great grandparents. Neither driver touched the brakes. The only survivor was one of the pickup truck driver’s dogs. I think the drunk driver aspect of the story was an emotional reaction to the overwhelming tragedy. It can’t just be a simple mistake, it must have been something darker, more menacing to take out five adults and four young children. There are a lot of complex things that happen in our brains when we forge a memory and even more happens to that memory overtime. But that doesn’t mean these mistakes of memory aren’t important. They are, it’s what makes us human. This is why we view oral histories with our eyes wide open. We know memory is fallible and we know this is just from one person’s perspective. But that perspective, however flawed, is still important.

Redlands Daily Facts, July 1, 1961

As I write this, it is exactly sixty years to the date from the accident that took nine members of my family in Jean, Nevada - June 30, 1961. The facts I got from newspaper articles and death records. But the deep feelings I have about this tragedy, I learned from my family.

Kelsey Monahan

Curator of Archives

Some of my favorite projects to research in the last 15 months have been the self-guided walking tours for Auburn, Dutch Flat, and Foresthill. Through our deed records, photograph collection, and other archival records, I got to dig deeper into each building and how it fit into the town’s history. Frequently, I discovered items in our collection that while fascinating to me, never found their way into the tours themselves.

In my most recent project for Foresthill, every time I embarked on researching a new building, one oral history interview continued to pop up: Norman McLeod’s interview of Matthew B. Langstaff in 1986. Thanks to the work of Darryl Elliott to digitize the oral history tapes, I was able to hear Langstaff’s stories in his own voice.

His interview gave me insight into many buildings in Foresthill that ended up in the self-guided tour— he attended school in the schoolhouse that eventually became the Foresthill Public Utility District building, he owned the old Rea and McAninch Stagecoach Barn, and he later owned the old Garrison store next to the Odd Fellows building.

The interview has so many great stories that it seems impossible to choose just one. Some of my favorite parts of his interview had to do with his experiences of running the mail between Colfax and the Foresthill Divide: “You’ve seen the old rural boxes where the box would be hanging out and the mailbag. They’d hang it on a post then, you never even slow down. When you’re good at it, you just reach out and whip that sack off there and set it on the seat and you’d have a strap that you’d strap it as you go along. Sometimes you’d bring a big lizard in with it. The first earwigs I ever saw came into the cab and I had to stop and climb out of there. I had a lizard and a bunch of earwigs.”

Matthew B. Langstaff at 10 months old, 1916. PCM Collection.

The progress Darryl has made digitizing the oral history tapes has made me so excited to see what other voices of Placer County we will get to hear. If you’d like to hear the Matthew B. Langstaff oral history recording, or get a copy of the transcript, please email me at kmonahan@placer.ca.gov. Be on the lookout for the Foresthill Self-Guided Tour on our blog!

Christina Richter

Administrative Clerk, Archives & Collections

From 1905 to 1941, Auburn’s women’s jail consisted of a small cubbyhole underneath the Historic Courthouse steps. Today, the cell is part of the Placer County Museum and is curated to represent the space’s original purpose.

The space is small, only large enough for two cots, a washbasin, and open toilet. With no windows, the only light comes through a heavy iron screen over the door, making the air stale and still. A 1937 article in The Placer Herald decried these conditions. The women’s jail was called a menace to health, with bad plumbing and a distressing odor. The report was disputed by Sheriff Elmer Gum, but it was widely acknowledged that the conditions at the jail were poor.

A jail register from 1895 to 1923 provides details on the women who were incarcerated in Auburn. Crimes included consorting with a Chinaman, abusing a horse, child desertion, and writing fraudulent checks. In 1905 Mamie Gardener and Rose Sherwood were arrested for attempting to rob a Chinese man of $15.00. Mamie was sentenced and became the first woman housed in the women’s jail cell. These early records provide insight into Placer County’s social environment. Offenses included “disturbing the peace” with ten charges, “vagrancy” with seventeen charges, and an incredible thirty-six women being charged with “insanity”. Being “insane” accounted for a little over 30% of the known crimes that put women in jail at that time.

One of the most infamous prisoners held in the women’s jail was Alma Bell, a young lady who shot and killed Joe Armes. Alma freely admitted to her crime, claiming that Joe had been her lover and had promised to marry her before “throwing her over.” Alma was reported as saying “I killed him because I believed I was right in doing so.”

At that time, a man could be found guilty of a “breach of promise.” For this reason, the public generally sided with Alma with reports of “He got what he deserved” and “Show by your verdict that the man who seduces a woman under promise of marriage must keep that promise under penalty of death.” Yet the prosecution found no credible evidence of the engagement.

At a time when Women’s Suffrage made regular headlines, Alma Bell was acquitted, “not guilty by reason of insanity.”

When you visit the women’s jail and peek into the cold, dark walls of the past, think of the women who were housed in that place. Especially remember that some of the crimes women were accused of, and acquitted of, were truly a reflection of the times.

Katy Bartosh

Curator of Education

On June 18th, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an apology on behalf of California to the Native American Peoples of the state for the “violence, discrimination and exploitation sanctioned by state government through its history.”

A meeting between tribal leaders from around the State with Governor Newsom in Sacramento, June 18, 2019. 

This two-page executive order recognized and apologized for the state sanctioned abuse and genocide of native peoples during the Gold Rush and beyond. Tribes were removed from their traditional lands, children were separated from their families, and Native Americans could be forced into servitude. Stated plainly by California’s first Governor Peter Burnett, “That a war of extermination will continue to be waged between the races until the Indian race becomes extinct must be expected.”

This executive order forms the background of our newest painting (on-loan) at the Placer County Museum. Commissioned last year by Placer County Superior Judge Garen Horst, the piece was created by Derek Smalling, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. His painting features Lady Justice in vivid color.

Lady Justice, commissioned by Judge Horst from artist Derek Smalling

As described by Smalling, “She adorns herself with a silver gorget of her rank and her shawl denotes the daytime sun and the nighttime moon of her vigilance. She staves off attack with the Inter-locking Arms Shield that represents to the Southeastern Tribal Nations the fundamental concept of Community. And, She wields a Pen Lance for that is how we must now affect change in both our Tribal Nations but in our broader community of the United States. She is an active agent of protection, securing her families, clans, Country, and Tribal Nations.”

Smalling’s Lady Justice was chosen to represent The Presidential Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. This task force was created in 2019 to help identify the insufficiencies and jurisdictional issues between state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. Lady Justice is both a reminder and a call to action, for the murder and missing Indigenous women, girls, and two spirit people of this country.

Smalling with his original Lady Justice

Reflecting on justice, Judge Horst relates to trial jurors the symbolism of the three Lady Justice statues presiding over the three entrances to the Historic Courthouse in Auburn. They symbolize hallmarks of the American justice system, like equality under the law, due process, and accountability. To Judge Horst, this painting of Lady Justice, from a Native American point of view, provokes us to think about justice from another perspective, akin to the contemporary restorative and reparative justice movement.

“How extraordinary that in this empire, which is the United States of America, our histories are threading in a more honest and complete fashion never encountered in human history, and in so short amount of time.” D. Smalling

April McDonald-Loomis

President, Placer County Historical Society

Good news!!! The dinner meetings are back! We don’t usually meet in August but are making up for lost time! Mark your calendars for August 5, Thursday at 6:00 pm. The details will be announced later: menu, price, RSVP date. Watch your email or check our website. We will also hold our long over-due election of directors and officers. See the slate of candidates below. We will have a selection of our newest books available for purchase at the meeting, we can take cash or checks, no cards. The booklets are $5.00, the larger books are $21.00. We will not have change! The following titles will be available for purchase: Auburn Dry Diggins and water, Auburn Images, Auburn's Landmarks and Monuments, Infamous Crimes and Criminals, Notable and Interesting Women Vol. 1 & 2, Sam Hollady's 1849 Journey and the History of Placer Co. 1882 & 1924. 

We will go back to our regular schedule for the rest of the year, meeting in October and December. In December we will be presenting the winner of the Placer County History Award. The Board is contemplating moving the general meetings to noon instead of 6:00 pm for October and December with a luncheon not a dinner. If you have any opinion on this please contact me at April.pchs@gmail.com We would really like some feedback on this.

The corrected plaque for Firehouse No. # 1 arrived and was handed over to the City. Hopefully it will be up by the time this newsletter is out. Always nice to get our history right.

President – April McDonald-Loomis
1st Vice-President – Mike Holmes
Secretary – Karen Bleuel
Treasurer – Al Stoll
Director – Jean Allender- 2021
Director – Delana Ruud - 2021
Director – John Knox - 2021
Director – Ed Weiss - 2020
Director – Carmel-Barry Schweyer -2020
Director – Sherri Schackner – 2020

The Gold Country Medical History Museum 

The Gold Country Medical History Museum is in dire need of volunteer docents. They are looking for docents to work four hours a month on Saturdays, 11-3. No medical knowledge necessary! Just a willingness to learn and help visitors enjoy this unique and education museum. 

Contact Dr. Rod Moser at 530-906-9822

Calendar of Events 

Please confirm all meeting times and locations which each organization

Foresthill Divide Historical Society Meeting: Monday, July 19th at 6:00pm

Golden Drift Historical Society Meeting: Monday, August 2nd at 7:00pm

Historical Advisory Board Meeting: Wednesday, August 18th at 5:30pm

Historical Organizations Committee Meeting: Tuesday, August 10th at 10:00am

Loomis Basin Historical Society Meeting: Wednesday, July 21st at 6:00pm; Wednesday, August 18th at 6:00pm

Placer County Historical Society Meeting: Thursday, July 1st at 2:00pm, Dinner Meeting: August 5th, 6:00pm

Placer Genealogical Society Meeting: Thursday, July 22nd at 7:00pm; Thursday, August 26th at 7:00pm

Rocklin Historical Society Meeting: Monday, July 12th at 6:00pm; Monday, August 9th at 6:00pm

Roseville Historical Society Meeting: Tuesday, July 13th at 4:00pm; Tuesday, August 10th at 4:00pm

Historical Organizations

Colfax Area Historical Society 
Jay MacIntyre, President
(530) 346-8599 
colfaxhistory.org

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

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

Fruitvale School Hall Community Association
Mark Fowler

Gold Country Medical History Museum 

Lynn Carpenter
(530) 885-1252

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

Historical Advisory Board
Glenn Vineyard
(916) 747-1961

Joss House Museum and Chinese History Center
Larry Finney
(530) 305-9380 

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

Lincoln Highway Association
Trey Pitsenberger

https://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/ca/

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
Sierraskimuseum.com

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

Phil Sexton
(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 

Placer Sierra Railroad Heritage Society
Chuck Spinks
chuck.spinks@outlook.com

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

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

Roseville Historical Society
Denise Fiddyment
(916) 773-3003

May - June 2021

Ralph Gibson

Museums Administrator

As we look ahead to a summer that promises to be a little brighter than last summer, staff has been busy with reopening procedures and plans for all our museums. When we get to June, only the Bernhard Museum will remain closed. We hope to reopen that museum later in the summer, but there is another possibility floating in the warming wind. Sometime later this spring, perhaps at the May 25th Board of Supervisors meeting, we will request the Board approve the acquisition of the Fruitvale School near Lincoln. The schoolhouse began as a one room schoolhouse in 1888. In 1923, a second room was added.

The Fruitvale Community Hall Incorporation (FCHI), which owns the schoolhouse, lost the one person with the vision and energy to keep that historic site going. In desperation, they reached out to Supervisor Weygandt who then asked the Museums Division to see how it could help. The FCHI wanted their schoolhouse to be part of the Placer County Museums system. After inspections, estimates by Building Maintenance to make repairs and address immediate Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) issues, we have moved forward with a budget that scares me a little, but upper management has yet to flinch. The schoolhouse will operate as sort of a Museum/Veteran’s Hall hybrid as one of the main sources of revenue is in rentals

But for us, its value is its priceless history. We plan to not only expand the Fruitvale Living History program but explore and develop new educational programs that target grades 8 and above. The historical and educational potential of this site is immense.

I hope all of you have a terrific summer as we finally emerge from this pandemic. And perhaps, as more sites open for the public to explore, we’ll have one more museum in our County system for people to enjoy.

 

Kasia Woroniecka

Curator of Collections

Powder flasks were an essential accessory used by hunters and soldiers to store gunpowder used with muzzle-loading firearms. Gunpowder was sold in bulk and flasks of different shapes and sizes were used to carry it in the field. It would pour easily when dry, but would cake and fail to burn when damp, making well-sealed powder flasks necessary.

Embossed and fluted copper powder flask with four hanger rings and a leather strap, c. 1860. Donated by Mark Presley of Auburn. PCM Collection, 1964.18.3

Paper cartridges filled with black powder were in use since the 15th century, but they were not patented until 1808. People were forced to carry separate containers of black powder, bullets, and wads. Muzzle-loading a musket required multiple steps, but a well-trained soldier could load and fire two or three times a minute. Generally, a small amount of loose powder was poured into a measure and then down the barrel of the gun. A lead ball was placed on a lubricated patch on the muzzle, and then pushed down the barrel. A small amount of powder was placed on the firing pan, which was located between the cock and the frizzen. The cock was pulled back, the frizzen was closed, and the weapon was ready to fire.

Small copper flask with an embossed eagle with a shield, arrows, and olive branch and a brass spout. Made for the Colt pocket model or similar revolvers. Donated by Arthur Nicholls of Berkeley. PCM Collection, 1969.24.1

Powder flasks were made of different materials, most often copper, silver, wood, bone and leather. Early flasks were plain, but decorated ones with embossed designs or hunting scenes, became very popular. By the 1860s powder flask production was an increasing industrialized process and factories produced flasks for hunters and the military. Some notable companies include The American Flask & Cap Co., Robbins and Lawrence Company of Windsor, Vt., Samuel Colt, James Dixon & Sons G. & J. W. Hawksley or Bartram & Co. A majority of the flasks in our collection are made of copper, leather, and brass. Here are a few examples:

Violin-shaped copper powder flask with embossed design nd four hanger rings. Possibly English, c. 1845-1880. Donated by Guy and Adeline Gilchrist. PCM Collection, 1948.14.7

 

U.S. Military rifleman's powder flask. Embossed with "Public Property" and a small bugle. Purchased at a yard sale in Pilot Hill. These flasks were made around 1825-1830 in England under contract with the United States Army. The "Public Property" mark was added by the Army to prevent soldiers from stealing them. Donated by William Blotti of Foresthill. PCM Collection, 1991.36.1

Detail on a leather shot flask with an embossed hound, c. 1860. PCM Collection, 2010.0.7

Bryanna Ryan

Supervising Curator

Last month, an exciting new collection has been acquired by our Museums division and is slated to become an installation at the Bernhard Museum Complex. It is a forge, anvil, and bellows that came from the Auburn Iron Works building on Lincoln Way. This building is an official California Point of Historical Interest for reportedly being one of, if not the, oldest continually operating blacksmith shops in California. It sits in the area of town known as “East Auburn,” across from the historic train depot where Central Pacific Railroad track was laid in 1865.

East Auburn

Auburn Iron Works 

Beneath the building, runs the South Yuba (formerly, Bear River) ditch – another historically significant feature of Auburn which, no doubt, provided a valuable resource for the blacksmith operations above. Meanwhile, the shift from wagons and railroads to automobiles is another development which impacted this site for more than a century.

We have begun researching the history of the lot in hopes of learning precise details of this new collection. In 1870, the official Map of Auburn identifies the parcel as Lot 1 of Block 19 and, at the time, was owned by J. J. Smith. Research is ongoing but the earliest blacksmiths identified on the site are George E. Allen and Joseph Sandhofer of the partnership “Allen & Sandhofer.”

Placer Herald, June 25, 1898

In 1888, a bill by this company was approved by the Board of Supervisors and they were noted in the Placer Herald for their work which was mainly as wagonmakers and blacksmiths. In 1891, they even had a California patent approved for their design of “vehicle tongue support.” In 1892, they were one of five blacksmith shops in Auburn. Shortly after, Sandhofer sold his interest to his partner and moved from the area and by 1897, “Walker & Duryea’s Blacksmith Shop” was on the site when a fire broke out in the nearby Kenison & Johnson’s Bottling Works which caused heavy losses in the area and to the blacksmith shop. 

Louis (aka L.A.) Duryea had apprenticed with Sandhofer & Allen and enjoyed glowing local reputation as a blacksmith and man of character, when he took over the business which he ran until 1914. In this year, he sold the operation to William M. and Tillie M. Haines.

Duryea occupies another notable position in local history when he was later appointed deputy by Elmer Gum to fill out the term of F.H. “Big Dip” Dependener when the former deputy was killed in an auto accident in 1928. Duryea was then elected Constable in 1930, an office he occupied until his death in 1938. His obituary in the Placer Herald described him as “a quiet mannered man, strictly square and honest.” He was a member of Parlor 59 of the Native Sons of the Golden West who publicly mourned the loss of their brother.

L.A. Duryea, 2nd row, 2nd from the right 

William Haines was elected to the Placer County Board of Supervisors in 1922 and served in this position for 30 years while continuing to manage his blacksmith shop until selling it in 1937 to Dave F. and Don A. Gebhart who officially adopted the name “Auburn Iron Works” in 1939. They sold the operation to Kent Harris and Norma Harris in 1973 and it is Norma Harris we thank for working with us to have the historic collection transferred to our care.

 

Forge at the Auburn Iron Works

Anvil at the Auburn Iron Works 

We also thank Parlor 59 of the Native Sons of the Golden West for physically moving the pieces to the Bernhard Museum where it temporarily sits awaiting a proper installation.

Bellows awaiting installation at the Bernhard Museum Complex

The Bernhard property once held a blacksmith shop on site and it has long been a goal of Bernhard Museum preservationists, to see one return. A forge, anvil, and bellows would have been very useful resources on the farm. With them, equipment repairs and metalsmithing would save valuable time and keep operations running.

Unidentified blacksmith in Auburn

We are grateful for this opportunity to preserve so many historic themes in Auburn’s history and will look forward to sharing it with the public.

Kelsey Monahan

Curator of Archives

In the late 1880s an interesting phenomenon of “literary societies” appeared in Placer County. These groups formed throughout the area including in Penryn, Forest Hill, Ophir, and Newcastle. One of the most celebrated was the Citrus Literary Society, founded north of Auburn.


The Citrus Literary Society, or C.L.S. as it was sometimes known, was formed in November of 1888 in the Rock Creek District. The purpose of the society was to hold social and literary gatherings that included picnics and dances. Entertainment at the picnics included readings, plays, three-legged races, pie eating competitions, and tug of war contests. The dances comprised of supper and dancing with an orchestra providing the music.

Placer Herald, March 9, 1889

Placer Herald, December 6, 1890

In 1889 the C.L.S. built the Citrus Hall, which was used as a venue for the society’s dances and as a community hall.

Rock Creek residents who were instrumental in the C.L.S. included brothers Thomas and John McCarty, F. Dependener, Fred Gates, and the Duryea brothers Lewis and Walter.

Auburn Journal, November 24, 1893

Unfortunately, the last mention that could be found of the C.L.S. was for their annual dance in 1895, although it seems the Citrus Hall was still used in the community. In 1905 Mrs. A.J. Smith bought the hall and renovated it, she later referred to it as the Rock Creek Hall, and she and her son Walter Smith held many dances and suppers there.

Placer Argus, April 24, 1891

Placer Herald, March 9, 1889

No photos of the society’s picnics or Citrus Hall could be found in our collection. If you have or know of a photograph relating to the Citrus Literary Society, we would love to speak with you!

 

April McDonald-Loomis

President, Placer County Historical Society

Normal is right around the corner! Things are starting to open up! We might even be able to have an in-person general dinner meeting in June. We have the Veteran’s Hall which is more than enough room. The question would be how people feel about food; I don’t even know if we could get a caterer. Potluck? Cookies and iced tea? Please email and let me know how you feel: April.pchs@gmail.com . We will try to have a great speaker to celebrate! If we do meet we will also hold the election that we missed.

By the time you read this, we will have four new plaques up on buildings downtown: 805, 823, 835 and 922 Lincoln Way. We are very grateful to E Clampus Vitas who installed them for us. They’re a great bunch! The new plaque for Firehouse # 1 is on its way and hopefully the Hook and Ladder Company can help us with installation.

Installation at 922 Lincoln Way

I hope you have had a chance to look at the new Landmarks of Auburn book, which is full of information. John Knox and I are working on another one, Historical Buildings of Auburn. With so many historic buildings, it will take a while to produce.

 
Looking forward to seeing you all! April McDonald-Loomis

 

Katy Bartosh

Curator of Education

I've had plenty of questions about when our museums will be hosting education programs again. While we created an amazing array of online resources (that I hope will be used into the future!) I am excited to say we're preparing for Living History. 

We expect to welcome students back to the Bernhard Museum by September. Fall 2021 will start at the end of September and go through mid-November. For Spring 2022, we'll open in late February and continue through May.

Anyone want to pan for gold? Hopefully we'll have our Gold Rush students start right after the New Year. 

It's wonderful to see our museums opening but I definitely won't feel like we're back until we have students doing laundry or acting out early Placer pioneers. 

Are you ready to get out of the house? A little time can make a big difference for students in our education programs. Join our group of volunteers today!

Calendar of Events 

If you have any questions about meetings for May or June, please contact the specific historical organization you are interested in. Thank you!

Historical Organizations

Colfax Area Historical Society 
Jay MacIntyre, President
(530) 346-8599 
colfaxhistory.org

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

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

Fruitvale School Hall Community Association
Mark Fowler

Gold Country Medical History Museum 

Lynn Carpenter
(530) 885-1252

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

Historical Advisory Board
Glenn Vineyard
(916) 747-1961

Joss House Museum and Chinese History Center
Larry Finney
(530) 305-9380 

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

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

Phil Sexton
(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

Roseville Historical Society
Denise Fiddyment
(916) 773-3003