Volume 010-4 - October 1956 (2 pages)

NEVADA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY pany installed lights at the Mooney Flat Diggins. These were the first electric lights used for industrial purposes in the United States. The first Reservoirs were built to hold water for work during the dry season and were the beginning of all water conservation, flood control, water for navigation, for farms, cities and industries. The first Pelton Wheel demonstrated its use in developing power, and from that grew the great power developments in use today. Other methods of generating power were used, first wood, then coal and later oil and gas. Hydraulic Mining was instrumental in the development of so many of our present day industries that it seems fitting to build a monument depicting its beginning and growth. How could this be shown better than by establishing a State Park in Nevada City at the Junction of Highways 49 and 20, bordering on each highway, including all of the Manzanita Diggins? A stone building could be erected where panoramic views and pictures of the most spectacular plants in the world that had their beginnings in old hydraulic mines, could be shown. There should be plaques honoring the men who pioneered these works and inventions, such as Mr. Pelton, Jim Hutchinson, George Hallock who worked for years to promote the building of the Englebright and other dams to hold tailings and keep the part Hydraulic mining played in our history constantly before the public; Hamilton Smith, Jr., who ran the long tunnel at the Malakoff; A. A. Sargent who was the principal owner in the Quaker Hill Mine. A. A. Sargent was our only Nevada County U. S. Senator and he was instrumental in getting the Union and Central Pacific Railroads across to this coast, thus shortening the bloodshed of the Civil War. Without the gold from our Hydraulic Mines the war would have lasted much longer! Leland Stanford, George Hearst, Jim O'Brian and S. H. Dikeman should also be honored. They were the men who put in the ditches and helped to develope the Excelsior Water and Mining Company. Paddy Campbell of the Blue Point Mine at Smartville and many others should be included in this list of those men whose names should be honored. There should be a Theater in this Park with motion pictures showing the history of this area, maps and folders should be available showing tourists how to reach all of these places. The Theater should be kept open all during the tourist season. There should also be visual demonstrations of early mining methods, using a large pond with water running through to historic Deer Creek which flows through Nevada City. We all know that director Nile is « very busy man, but he has never been too busy to share with others his knowledge of our County’s past. The above paper, HYDRAULIC MINING IN NEVADA COUNTY is just one more proof of his ardor, and I thank him for this fine contribution in the name of our N.C.H.S. and its many, many friends. For a long time, it has been the dream of the people of the Northern Mines to have a State Park where one may see the tools and methods used in early gold mining, and to actually watch these in operation in an original setting. We, of the Historical Society, can think of no better place for such a Park than in the historic hydraulic pit of the Manzanita Diggings near Nevada City. It has history, accessibility, a most beautiful setting—the very spot for the realization of such a dream. And now, with State money available for the development of California’s Parks and Beaches, this dream _ NEVADA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY need no longer remain a dream, but can become a reality! All of us must work toward this by writing Senator Harold “Bizz"’ Johnson in Sacramento, and tell him about our wishes and thus let him know that we are behind him in his campaign to preserve history and to establish public recreational parks and beaches. In our next bulletin we will take up another project, the saving from decay the famous Red Castle in Nevada City. For this we can't ask State money. It is strictly a local matter, and will have to be accomplished through donations whether in cash or in building materials, yes, labor too. We will also appeal for substantial gifts from the descendants of the families who came here in the early pioneering days and who later left he region both famous and rich. These descendants have never forgotten the opportunities that Nevada County gave their forefathers, and they will always remember with love the place of their own, as well as their forefathers’ youth. But before we go into the cause of “saving” the Red Castle. much legal matter must be straightened out; as soon as that is done, and we have the green light of go-a-head, we will ask for full cooperation. In the meantime we would be glad to hear what you think about this project; send us any anecdote, or story you may know about the Red Casile or its builder and former owners. It will aid us in writing the bulletin. SVEN SKAAR. —+— All our members and friends must come to our two next meetings .. the Nov. 8, at Hennessy School, 8 o'clock. There will be a program consisting of songs by local artists and film or films by the N. 1 D. Refreshments will also be served, and December 6th when election of new officers will be held. This will be a dinner with speaker. Watch papers for place and time. Please hold these two dates open—Nov. 8, Dec. 6th. If you would like to become a‘member of our Society, send one dollar to our treasurer, Charles Buck, National Hotel, Nevada City. PRESIDENT—SVEN SKAAR Nevada City Calif. SECRETARY-—-GENEVA ROGERS Rough and Ready, Calif. TREASURER—CHARLES BUCK Nevada City, Calif.

NEVADA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY pany installed lights at the Mooney Flat Diggins. These were the first electric lights used for industrial purposes in the United States. The first Reservoirs were built to hold water for work during the dry season and were the beginning of all water conservation, flood control, water for navigation, for farms, cities and industries. The first Pelton Wheel demonstrated its use in developing power, and from that grew the great power developments in use today. Other methods of generating power were used, first wood, then coal and later oil and gas. Hydraulic Mining was instrumental in the development of so many of our present day industries that it seems fitting to build a monument depicting its beginning and growth. How could this be shown better than by establishing a State Park in Nevada City at the Junction of Highways 49 and 20, bordering on each highway, including all of the Manzanita Diggins? A stone building could be erected where panoramic views and pictures of the most spectacular plants in the world that had their beginnings in old hydraulic mines, could be shown. There should be plaques honoring the men who pioneered these works and inventions, such as Mr. Pelton, Jim Hutchinson, George Hallock who worked for years to promote the building of the Englebright and other dams to hold tailings and keep the part Hydraulic mining played in our history constantly before the public; Hamilton Smith, Jr., who ran the long tunnel at the Malakoff; A. A. Sargent who was the principal owner in the Quaker Hill Mine. A. A. Sargent was our only Nevada County U. S. Senator and he was instrumental in getting the Union and Central Pacific Railroads across to this coast, thus shortening the bloodshed of the Civil War. Without the gold from our Hydraulic Mines the war would have lasted much longer! Leland Stanford, George Hearst, Jim O'Brian and S. H. Dikeman should also be honored. They were the men who put in the ditches and helped to develope the Excelsior Water and Mining Company. Paddy Campbell of the Blue Point Mine at Smartville and many others should be included in this list of those men whose names should be honored. There should be a Theater in this Park with motion pictures showing the history of this area, maps and folders should be available showing tourists how to reach all of these places. The Theater should be kept open all during the tourist season. There should also be visual demonstrations of early mining methods, using a large pond with water running through to historic Deer Creek which flows through Nevada City. We all know that director Nile is « very busy man, but he has never been too busy to share with others his knowledge of our County’s past. The above paper, HYDRAULIC MINING IN NEVADA COUNTY is just one more proof of his ardor, and I thank him for this fine contribution

in the name of our N.C.H.S. and its many, many friends. For a long time, it has been the dream of the people of the Northern Mines to have a State Park where one may see the tools and methods used in early gold mining, and to actually watch these in operation in an original setting. We, of the Historical Society, can think of no better place for such a Park than in the historic hydraulic pit of the Manzanita Diggings near Nevada City. It has history, accessibility, a most beautiful setting—the very spot for the realization of such a dream. And now, with State money available for the development of California’s Parks and Beaches, this dream _ NEVADA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY need no longer remain a dream, but can become a reality! All of us must work toward this by writing Senator Harold “Bizz"’ Johnson in Sacramento, and tell him about our wishes and thus let him know that we are behind him in his campaign to preserve history and to establish public recreational parks and beaches. In our next bulletin we will take up another project, the saving from decay the famous Red Castle in Nevada City. For this we can't ask State money. It is strictly a local matter, and will have to be accomplished through donations whether in cash or in building materials, yes, labor too. We will also appeal for substantial gifts from the descendants of the families who came here in the early pioneering days and who later left he region both famous and rich. These descendants have never forgotten the opportunities that Nevada County gave their forefathers, and they will always remember with love the place of their own, as well as their forefathers’ youth. But before we go into the cause of “saving” the Red Castle. much legal matter must be straightened out; as soon as that is done, and we have the green light of go-a-head, we will ask for full cooperation. In the meantime we would be glad to hear what you think about this project; send us any anecdote, or story you may know about the Red Casile or its builder and former owners. It will aid us in writing the bulletin. SVEN SKAAR. —+— All our members and friends must come to our two next meetings ... the Nov. 8, at Hennessy School, 8 o'clock. There will be a program consisting of songs by local artists and film or films by the N. 1 D. Refreshments will also be served, and December 6th when election of new officers will be held. This will be a dinner with speaker. Watch papers for place and time. Please hold these two dates open—Nov. 8, Dec. 6th. If you would like to become a‘member of our Society, send one dollar to our treasurer, Charles Buck, National Hotel, Nevada City. PRESIDENT—SVEN SKAAR Nevada City Calif. SECRETARY-—-GENEVA ROGERS Rough and Ready, Calif. TREASURER—CHARLES BUCK Nevada City, Calif.