Volume 002-5 - October 1949 (2 pages)

OCTOBER, 1949Arrangements are complete for the first fall meeting of the Nevada County Historical Society. It will be held in the Auditorium of the . Nevada City Elementary School, Monday, October 3rd, at 8:00 p.m. PSK Ate Mrs. Isabel Hefelfinger, program chairman, promises an interesting © © ~~. evening. Mr. Charles Parsons will be the guest speaker. His topic is _ “Felix Gillet, early day Nurseryman.” Mr. Parsons is the present owner’ of the Gillet Nursery, located in Nevada City. : “Truckee” Truckee was inhabited by the Washoes prior to the coming of the white man, and it is very appropriate that it should be named after an Indian. In 1844, the Stephen-Towndsend-Murphy Party was making its way through the Humboldt Sink, hoping to cross the summit into California before the winter snow set in. Their guide was the elderly Caleb Greenwood, who had never crossed the summit before, but depended on his keen sense of direction gained in his fur trapping days, to guide the party across. At the Humboldt River, a Paiute Indian presented himself in a most friendly manner, and offered to guide them to California. The party was anxious for the services of a guide acquainted with the country, but were also fearful of being led into a trap. However they questioned him closely. His name sounded like “O. K.,” or “Tro-Kay,” but to the Americans he became known as “Truckee.” He was employed, and after finding the statements he had made about the route to be true, he became a great favorite among the party. When they reached the lower crossing of a river, near what is now Wadsworth, the Americans named the beautiful stream the Truckee River, and the delicious trout, Truckee trout, in honor’ of their faithful guide. Donner .Lake was discovered by Captain Stephens of the party, and although they © named it Mountain Lake at the time, it was known as Truckee’s Lake in 1846 when the tragic Donner Party camped there. The town of Truckee came into being in 1867 when the Central Pacific Railway made it its headquarters while building the first transcontinental railroad. Previous to that Truckee had been a stage station in 1864, for teams travelling to the Washoe mines. It was then known as Coburn’s Station. The after history of the Indian Truckee is an interesting one. Passing down the mountains, he arrived at Sutter's Fort with the main party, and remained until the breaking out of the war in 1846, when he joined Fremont’s Battalion, and was ever afterwards known as Captain Truckee. He was quite a favorite with Fremont, who presented him with a bible with the donor's autograph on the fly leaf. Tt with a copy of the St. Louis Republican, Ca, + tain Truckee jealously preserved until the time of his death. After the American conquest, Truckee returned to his people, east of the Sierras, and when the rich silver discoveries in the Washoe region brought thousands of white men there, he became their fast friend and a favorite among the miners. His last request at the time of his death was to be buried by the white men and in the white man’s style. The miners dug a grave near Como in the croppings of the old Goliah Ledge, and good Captain Truckee was laid away to rest, the bible and paper he had cherished so long lying by his side. Miss Genevieve Kent, chairman of the Nevada County Indian Committee has collected a large amount of material on these early inhabitants of the county, which she is compiling into a scrapbook for the Historical Society's library. The following legends of the Truckee region were contributed by Mrs. Nonette V. Hennessy, daughter of the late C. F. McGlr shan, author of The History of the Donn. Party. . Cover photograph taken by and courtesy of: Frank and Harriet Jakobs, Grass Valley. A Washoe Indian Legend of The Rocking Stone at Truckee At Truckee, there stands a tower that is unique for it is built upon a large flat topped granite boulder, twenty-two feet in diameter and of about the same height. Within the tower is a smaller stone exactly in the center of the flat top of the large one. It is about six feet in diameter and height, and weighs approximately 16 tons. Surprisingly, however, this stone can easily be rocked back and forth like a cradle by a slight pressure of the hand. The granite of these two stones is not the same, but both have a similarity of shape, being larger at the top than at the base. This is contrary to nature and has caused discussions among scientists as to the reason for this. There are about twenty-four known rocking stones in the world. The older Indians will not touch the rocking ae, for they know it belongs to the Wind God. He can always be heard howling and shrieking in anger around the tower during the storms, which he causes, hoping they will help him to regain his Rocking Stone. The following is their legend: In the long ago before the white man came, the Washoes dwelt in a place now called Truckee. They made their wigwams upon a hill at the top of which stood a huge granite boulder. This rock was like no other they had ever seen for it was small at the base where other stones are broad, and the top was not rounded in the natural manner, but was as flat as a tepee floor. This great rock stood as high as four tall braves, one above another, and it was as wide across its circular top as it was high. Seeing that no animal could climb the high overhanging sides, they placed their food upon the stone using it as a place to dry their meats for the winter. But their contentment was soon cone, for while the strong men of the tribe xre away in the forests hunting and fishing, and only the weak old men were left at home with the women and children, great flocks of birds swooped down upon the rock and carried away all the food. This happened again and again while the Indians strove in vain to frighten the birds away. The shadow of fear crept deep into their hearts for they had no food stored away to keep them alive when winter sat upon the earth. Then the chief built a signal fire upon the rock which could be seen by all his people wherever they might have roamed, calling them to come home to a great pow-wow. At this feast they prayed to their Gods to help them to protect their food from the birds. The Wind God who was wandering near, heard their prayers, and taking pity on them, decided to help them. He called upon a great thunder storm whose blackness covered the sun for days. The awed Washoes sat in silence until the storm was over. Then in the growing light they gave a great cry as they saw what the Wind God had done for them, At the exact center of the granite top of the large boulder sat a smaller stone as like the great rock as a youth is like his father. The voice of God bade the Indians to again place their food upon the boulder to dry. When they had done so the tribe stood and watched with expectant eyes, the children peeping from behind their mothers’ skirts, to see what would happen when the birds came to carry off the food. Nor had they long to wait, for again came the whirring sound of wings as the birds swept like a cloud over the rock. But try as they would never a morsel of food could they reach because the Wind God breathed upon the small stone in the center setting it to rocking like the top of a pine tree, and the birds were frightened away. As long as the Washoes lived at this place they had an abundance of dried fish and meat for the winter. The Wind God loved this small stone and always the Indians could hear his great gusts of gleeful laughter as he started it to rocking whenever a bird came near. —-Contributed by Mrs. Nonette V. Hennessy.

OCTOBER, 1949Arrangements are complete for the first fall meeting of the Nevada County Historical Society. It will be held in the Auditorium of the . Nevada City Elementary School, Monday, October 3rd, at 8:00 p.m. PSK Ate Mrs. Isabel Hefelfinger, program chairman, promises an interesting © © ~~. evening. Mr. Charles Parsons will be the guest speaker. His topic is _ “Felix Gillet, early day Nurseryman.” Mr. Parsons is the present owner’ of the Gillet Nursery, located in Nevada City. : “Truckee” Truckee was inhabited by the Washoes prior to the coming of the white man, and it is very appropriate that it should be named after an Indian. In 1844, the Stephen-Towndsend-Murphy Party was making its way through the Humboldt Sink, hoping to cross the summit into California before the winter snow set in. Their guide was the elderly Caleb Greenwood, who had never crossed the summit before, but depended on his keen sense of direction gained in his fur trapping days, to guide the party across. At the Humboldt River, a Paiute Indian presented himself in a most friendly manner, and offered to guide them to California. The party was anxious for the services of a guide acquainted with the country, but were also fearful of being led into a trap. However they questioned him closely. His name sounded like “O. K.,” or “Tro-Kay,” but to the Americans he became known as “Truckee.” He was employed, and after finding the statements he had made about the route to be true, he became a great favorite among the party. When they reached the lower crossing of a river, near what is now Wadsworth, the Americans named the beautiful stream the Truckee River, and the delicious trout, Truckee trout, in honor’ of their faithful guide. Donner .Lake was discovered by Captain Stephens of the party, and although they © named it Mountain Lake at the time, it was known as Truckee’s Lake in 1846 when the tragic Donner Party camped there. The town of Truckee came into being in 1867 when the Central Pacific Railway made it its headquarters while building the first transcontinental railroad. Previous to that Truckee had been a stage station in 1864, for teams travelling to the Washoe mines. It was then known as Coburn’s Station. The after history of the Indian Truckee is an interesting one. Passing down the mountains, he arrived at Sutter's Fort with the main party, and remained until the breaking out of the war in 1846, when he joined Fremont’s Battalion, and was ever afterwards known as Captain Truckee. He was quite a favorite with Fremont, who presented him with a bible with the donor's autograph on the fly leaf. Tt with a copy of the St. Louis Republican, Ca, + tain Truckee jealously preserved until the time of his death. After the American conquest, Truckee returned to his people, east of the Sierras, and when the rich silver discoveries in the Washoe region brought thousands of white men there, he became their fast friend and a favorite among the miners. His last request at the time of his death was to be buried by the white men and in the white man’s style. The miners dug a grave near Como in the croppings of the old Goliah Ledge, and good Captain Truckee was laid away to rest, the bible and paper he had cherished so long lying by his side. Miss Genevieve Kent, chairman of the Nevada County Indian Committee has collected a large amount of material on these early inhabitants of the county, which she is compiling into a scrapbook for the Historical Society's library. The following legends of the Truckee region were contributed by Mrs. Nonette V. Hennessy, daughter of the late C. F. McGlr shan, author of The History of the Donn. Party. . Cover photograph taken by and courtesy of: Frank and Harriet Jakobs, Grass Valley. A Washoe Indian Legend of The Rocking Stone at Truckee At Truckee, there stands a tower that is unique for it is built upon a large flat topped granite boulder, twenty-two feet in diameter and of about the same height. Within the

tower is a smaller stone exactly in the center of the flat top of the large one. It is about six feet in diameter and height, and weighs approximately 16 tons. Surprisingly, however, this stone can easily be rocked back and forth like a cradle by a slight pressure of the hand. The granite of these two stones is not the same, but both have a similarity of shape, being larger at the top than at the base. This is contrary to nature and has caused discussions among scientists as to the reason for this. There are about twenty-four known rocking stones in the world. The older Indians will not touch the rocking ae, for they know it belongs to the Wind God. He can always be heard howling and shrieking in anger around the tower during the storms, which he causes, hoping they will help him to regain his Rocking Stone. The following is their legend: In the long ago before the white man came, the Washoes dwelt in a place now called Truckee. They made their wigwams upon a hill at the top of which stood a huge granite boulder. This rock was like no other they had ever seen for it was small at the base where other stones are broad, and the top was not rounded in the natural manner, but was as flat as a tepee floor. This great rock stood as high as four tall braves, one above another, and it was as wide across its circular top as it was high. Seeing that no animal could climb the high overhanging sides, they placed their food upon the stone using it as a place to dry their meats for the winter. But their contentment was soon cone, for while the strong men of the tribe xre away in the forests hunting and fishing, and only the weak old men were left at home with the women and children, great flocks of birds swooped down upon the rock and carried away all the food. This happened again and again while the Indians strove in vain to frighten the birds away. The shadow of fear crept deep into their hearts for they had no food stored away to keep them alive when winter sat upon the earth. Then the chief built a signal fire upon the rock which could be seen by all his people wherever they might have roamed, calling them to come home to a great pow-wow. At this feast they prayed to their Gods to help them to protect their food from the birds. The Wind God who was wandering near, heard their prayers, and taking pity on them, decided to help them. He called upon a great thunder storm whose blackness covered the sun for days. The awed Washoes sat in silence until the storm was over. Then in the growing light they gave a great cry as they saw what the Wind God had done for them, At the exact center of the granite top of the large boulder sat a smaller stone as like the great rock as a youth is like his father. The voice of God bade the Indians to again place their food upon the boulder to dry. When they had done so the tribe stood and watched with expectant eyes, the children peeping from behind their mothers’ skirts, to see what would happen when the birds came to carry off the food. Nor had they long to wait, for again came the whirring sound of wings as the birds swept like a cloud over the rock. But try as they would never a morsel of food could they reach because the Wind God breathed upon the small stone in the center setting it to rocking like the top of a pine tree, and the birds were frightened away. As long as the Washoes lived at this place they had an abundance of dried fish and meat for the winter. The Wind God loved this small stone and always the Indians could hear his great gusts of gleeful laughter as he started it to rocking whenever a bird came near. —-Contributed by Mrs. Nonette V. Hennessy.