Video: 2024-04-18 - Nevada County Stories in Videos & Books with Lisa Redfern (57 minutes)

Full Transcript of the Video:

When I first started studying the Deer Creek Watershed, I thought it was just a small creek running through my backyard. If you're on land, you're in a watershed. I quickly learned that watershed issues are global. And cultural history, like water, sends out ripples that have effects that linger for hundreds, possibly thousands of years. The accounts of the abundance of gold in that territory are of such an extraordinary character as would scarcely command belief. Were they not corroborated by the authentic reports of officers in the public service. At the top of Scott's Flat Reservoir, which is at the east end, is the approximate location of the Laird and Chambers Dam. Unfinished, it failed on February 15th, 1857, flooding Nevada City, ripping several buildings from footings and taking out two bridges, which included the Pine Street Bridge. Merchants had 15 hours advance warning, but ignored it and later filed a lawsuit for damages. It's interesting to note the origination of Nevada City fires. Arson, a kitchen accident in the National Hotel, a boarding house, Virginia house, Hughes blacksmith shop, a Chinese wash house, the bedrock saloon, and the Nevada City Rancheria had a fire in 1867. The Nevada City Nissadon Tribe held a large celebration after receiving half of 16 oxen that were killed when the Pine Street suspension bridge collapsed from faulty construction. In 1850, Lorenzo Sawyer coined the phrase coyote-ing on Buckeye Hill, which was near American Hill. Shafts were sunk only six or eight feet deep when bedrock was reached the miner worked on hands and knees within a 30 foot claim. Brought dirt to the surface by means of a windlass and hauled it one half to one mile to Deer Creek to be washed. In the American Hill area between Hirschman's Pond and the tribute trail suspension bridge, there were 14 Nissadon villages that included five roundhouses. The ravines were thick with miners, an American Hill covered with tents, brush houses. Edward Mattson invented the high pressure water hose used for hydraulic mining in 1853. Oregon and Buckeye Hills in the area were completely washed away by hydraulic mining. Hirschman's Cut was the last hydraulic mining site in Nevada City operating after the 1884 Sawyer decision. Methylated mercury can travel through the food web. When fish eat food contaminated with methylated mercury, they can pass it on to humans. In 1898, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors awarded a contract to the Cotton Brothers Company out of Oakland to build two metal truss bridges, one at Deer Creek and one at Rock Creek. In 1851, approximately 30 enslaved Africans were brought from the Miami area to work this court's mine. Less than a year later, after the mine owner was killed in an accidental shooting, most of them, now free, left for other opportunities. One man, Robert Sharper, continued to live in a small cabin on the property until his death in 1881. Local Nissen on Tribal stories tell of people who lived in deep Deer Creek pools. They were one-legged and had wavy hair. They could live on land for a while after being caught by a fisherman. Under Lake Wildwood Water was the site of many Nissen on villages that included multiple roundhouses. It was also the site of the Anthony House stage stop and trading post. Nearby, two Chinese mining companies operated. The A Sin Company and the Sun A Yuan Company. For many years, this area was ranch lands. The Boise Cascade Company bought 11 ranches to build the Lake Wildwood community and its 15-foot deep lake. In summer and during warm drought years, some algal blooms can create oxygen depleted dead water zones and produce aerosols harmful to humans and animals. Nitrogen loading causes algal blooms. Nitrogen loading is caused by wastewater treatment plant discharges, surface water runoffs of fertilizers, motor oil, soap and detergent phosphates, and animal waste. Where Deer Creek meets the Yuba River was a hot spot of hydraulic mining activity. It included camps such as Sucker Flat, Timbuktu and Mooney Flat. Ophiolite, ocean floor rock over 50 million years old uplifted is the reason we have gold here in this area. The Smartville Block is one of the only places you can see ophiolite on the surface of the planet. Aside from riverbed boulders, a large piece of polished ophiolite can be viewed in the UC Davis Arboretum. For over 20 years, hydraulic mining washed gravel, silt, debris and heavy metals down the watersheds. Near Marysville, large deposits, enough to equal 500 Empire State Buildings, disrupted riverboat travel and buried up to 50 feet deep, over 40,000 acres of farmlands. The hydraulic mining operations of defendants constitute a public nuisance and that Congress, in granting and selling lands for mining purposes, could not give to purchasers any rights in any way to injure lands already belonging to other parties. The future of the communities depending directly upon the branch of mining industry does not seem particularly encouraging. The Marysville Appeal say, "Judge Sawyer's decision blots out a relic of barbarism and sustains civilization. This is decidedly refreshing. " According to this, the bucolic regions of Marysville presents civilization in its highest development and the mining regions of the Sierras is inhabited by barbarians. We do not deny that the mountaineers are more savage now than they were a week ago. With rock older than the imagination can comprehend, a rich First People history that miraculously survived the onslaught of mass foreign immigration, a mining culture that gave no thought to lasting hazards, to the vibrant art-centric community that enjoys outdoor activities and dedicated organizations working to repair our toxic legacy. My Deer Creek Watershed Study expanded my view of our place on this planet and it helped me collect a set of actions we can all do to make this place and every place inhabited by humans a little bit better. Nevada County and its water flowing through watersheds connects to the Delta, the Pacific Ocean, and the entire world. [Crickets chirping] The great world of letters is open to women and those that have leisure know not until perused the pleasure derived from good books as companions. There is no scandal, no backbiting, no recrimination, no criticisms of surroundings and when you close the book then put your reflections on paper. How the intellect expands and what treasures of thought are thus garnered. Semper Fidelis. Dear women, do not sigh for a large circle of acquaintances. They consume valuable time and when we remember, we must render an account for the use of it, we may well tremble. I read an advertisement one day which was very striking. Lost one golden hour with 60 silver minutes, no reward is offered as they cannot be found. Mr. Trask tells me to inform you that he does not hold the same sentiments as myself in regard to the use of cold water as a beverage. I think water most excellent for mining purposes, but for a drink altogether too cold for me. Consequently, our opinions clash. Mr. Trask and I went out for a walk the other day and as we were going on the other side of Mudheel, our way was directly through town. Shortly after leaving our place, we crossed a rivulet. Mr. Trask advised me to stop and drink. As it was my favorite beverage, nothing loath, I complied, put my face down to the water and drank right heartly and on we went. On the street yesterday, I passed a group of little girls engaged in earnest conversation. The eldest of the group of six I judged to be about ten years of age and the other ages varying from that down to four. The eldest said, my children shall never drink whiskey. As words passed her lips, I involuntarily turned to view the face and I saw written there what God never designed should mar the face of childhood. Sadness, utterable sadness. Thinking of her face and words, I stopped to call on a friend making some inquiries. I soon had a history common to California, but so fearful as to make it no more endurable by being an everyday occurrence. The parents of this girl came to California from Connecticut seven years ago, both endowed with superior mental and physical constitutions, with hopes and considerable money. They commenced a life of pleasure, business, prospered and both being very social. They soon had a host of friends around them, social parties with wine and abundance was before them and it was not long before champagne suppers began to tell on the father. Business was neglected, a failure ensued. They then changed their location, but the habit was too firmly fixed to be affected by change and soon poverty with its attendant ills was theirs. The mother died, the father is a confirmed drunkard and the children are without a protector. A friend in Marysville told me he was opposed to a first of January celebration, believing we ought to let all recollection of former years die out. I have thought much of his words since. I must say I think them all together wrong. It is an established fact that our appreciation of everything is commensurate with its cost and our fathers well understood that fact and so gathered every item of the great struggle that gave America her independence, gave it to us in history for our schools and paintings for our Paulers and monuments for our public squares and still fearing or forgetful. They even keep the great anniversary day, July 4th and decreed it should be celebrated by American citizens to all coming time. Now have we not more to remember than they? What was the oppression of the British yoke compared to slavery? Was there ever anything so unhuman, so devilen as American slavery? Could the graves of its victims open and their dead come forth? Think they would say cease to remember? No, their words would be cry aloud to your children and children's children. Remember, never forget what liberty costs. Never forget Emancipation Day. Never forget the immortal Lincoln who by God's permission gave us that great day which has brought together many long separated families, husbands and wives, parents and children which cruel slavery separated.