Volume 034-4 - October 1980 (8 pages)

Today nobody knows where, on the hill, the town named after the Alpha Diggings was located. Diligent search has yielded no pictures or sketches of it. Like Omega, it may have been moved several times to other locations in the diggings so that the land, on which the buildings stood could be mined. James D. White tells us in Bean's Directory (1867, p. 378) that Alpha was settled in the fall of 1852, McVey being the first locator. During the years 1854 and 1855 the town was at the height of its prosperity and was one of the liveliest mining towns in the county. According to a Nevada City newspaper, Alpha was a flourishing town at that time, with several hundred inhabitants, two hotels and many saloons and gambling houses. Another, contemporary newspaper stated that, in 1864, Alpha had one hotel, two stores, one blacksmith shop, a Masonic Hall, a whistling school (taught one night per week), a singing school (taught two nights per week) and an evening dancing school. The whistling school was taught by Mr. W. Tanner “who is very proficient at the science”. Eighteen students attended. It must be remarked that the Jones Diary mentions the whistling school only once, but mentioned an evening spelling school. A regular school for children is nowhere mentioned. According to Thompson and West (1880, p. 92-1) Alpha cast fifty-nine votes in 1855. A postoffice was established in Alpha on April 12, 1855. The postmasters were: Andrew J. Alston Appointed 1855 Frederick R. Bailey 1857 W.W. Wigginton 1858 James A. Williams 1869 Alston’s salary was $70 per year. The postoffice was moved to Washington on September 4, 1862. Unlike most Gold Rush towns, Alpha did not have a lumber source problem. The Skillman lumber mill was located on a nearby hill, an easy downgrade haul. This mill caught fire ’ several times. A newspaper of 1858 stated: “Skillman’s lumber mill, about a mile this side of Alpha, was destroyed by fire between 10 and 11 p.m. The fire was set in a hay loft of the barn, adjoining the mill. Three hundred thousand feet of lumber, valued at $20,000, were destroyed. Two hundred thousand feet of lumber, piled a short distance from the mill, were saved. There is no doubt that the fire was the work of an incendary.”’ Jones recorded: “Skillman’s house up at the hill caught fire last night and the roof burned off. About ten men went up and helped put on (a new) roof.” (JD, December 4, 1864). According to Thompson and West (1880, p. 167-2), A. Murdoch and Co. had a saw mill near Alpha. It was destroyed by fire and never rebuilt. Because the road from Nevada City into the Alpha Diggings (now Highway 20), was virtually impassable for teams most of the winter months, due to heavy o ! 2 S—-————} SCALE IN MILES ’ gnowfall, all freight had to be hauled into Alpha during the late summer and fall months. Slowly, four to six horse teams struggled up the Willow Valley grade out of Nevada City driving around tree stumps and boulders and along Miliken’s Washington to Nevada City Turnpike Tollroad. Often it took two days to complete the twenty mile trip. Milliken’s Turnpike was constructed in 1856 and was sold to Nevada County twenty years later. This event is recorded as follows: “Matthew W. Miliken; Stephen W. Stoddard and George (Conrad?) Grissel, for and in consideration of one dollar, deed to Nevada County the certain road situated in Nevada Township, commencing at a pointin the North boundary of the old city limits of Nevada, said road leading from Nevada City to Washington and known as the Nevada and Washington Toll! Road, and terminated at its intersection with the present county road on the Washington Divide. Dated January 8, 1876.” (Book of Deeds, # 51, Nevada County Recorder). The first attempt to improve roads into Alpha was made on November 14, 1855. On that date: “at 7:30 p.m. the following men met at the house of R.F. Fouke in Alpha to (discuss the) construction of a toll turnpike from Alpha to Washington. Capital stock shall be $10,000, divided into shares of $250 each. The road shall be for a duration of twenty years.” (Book 1, p. 254, Nevada County Recorder). The share owners were: A.S. Olin 10 shares Wm.S. Roberts Franklin Larkin 1 R.F. Fouke 10 Abraham Skillman 2 Allen Robinson 10 Peter Skillman 2 Ino D. Havens 1 Mr. Olin was the stage line owner for the area at that time. This road was later extended to Eureka (Graniteville). As late as February 9, 1872, it is reported that there was not one foot of county road entering the towns of Washington or Alpha. The following toll rates were charged on the Alpha-Washington road: 1858 1879 6 mule, horse, ox team3.00 1.00 4 mule, horse, ox team2.00 75 2 mule, horse, ox team1.60 60 Horse, man 25 10 Horse and buggy 1.00 25 (Thompson and West, 1880, p.131-3). A stage trip from Nevada City, especially in the winter months, to Alpha, was an unforgetable. experience. The stage, drawn by a four horse team, would leave in front of the aN National Hote] at eight a.m., pull upthe’ Willow Valley grade to the Nevada to Washington Toll Road. Showered with dust in summer and struggling. 24.

Today nobody knows where, on the hill, the town named after the Alpha Diggings was located. Diligent search has yielded no pictures or sketches of it. Like Omega, it may have been moved several times to other locations in the diggings so that the land, on which the buildings stood could be mined. James D. White tells us in Bean's Directory (1867, p. 378) that Alpha was settled in the fall of 1852, McVey being the first locator. During the years 1854 and 1855 the town was at the height of its prosperity and was one of the liveliest mining towns in the county. According to a Nevada City newspaper, Alpha was a flourishing town at that time, with several hundred inhabitants, two hotels and many saloons and gambling houses. Another, contemporary newspaper stated that, in 1864, Alpha had one hotel, two stores, one blacksmith shop, a Masonic Hall, a whistling school (taught one night per week), a singing school (taught two nights per week) and an evening dancing school. The whistling school was taught by Mr. W. Tanner “who is very proficient at the science”. Eighteen students attended. It must be remarked that the Jones Diary mentions the whistling school only once, but mentioned an evening spelling school. A regular school for children is nowhere mentioned. According to Thompson and West (1880, p. 92-1) Alpha cast fifty-nine votes in 1855. A postoffice was established in Alpha on April 12, 1855. The postmasters were: Andrew J. Alston Appointed 1855 Frederick R. Bailey 1857 W.W. Wigginton 1858 James A. Williams 1869 Alston’s salary was $70 per year. The postoffice was moved to Washington on September 4, 1862. Unlike most Gold Rush towns, Alpha did not have a lumber source problem. The Skillman lumber mill was located on a nearby hill, an easy downgrade haul. This mill caught fire ’ several times. A newspaper of 1858 stated: “Skillman’s lumber mill, about a mile this side of Alpha, was destroyed by fire between 10 and 11 p.m. The fire was set in a hay loft of the barn, adjoining the mill. Three hundred thousand feet of lumber, valued at $20,000, were destroyed. Two hundred thousand feet of lumber, piled a short distance from the mill, were saved. There is no doubt that the fire was the work of an incendary.”’ Jones recorded: “Skillman’s house up at the hill caught fire last night and the roof burned off. About ten men went up and helped put on (a new) roof.” (JD, December 4, 1864). According to Thompson and West (1880, p. 167-2), A. Murdoch and Co. had a saw mill near Alpha. It was destroyed by fire and never rebuilt. Because the road from Nevada City into the Alpha Diggings (now Highway 20), was virtually impassable for teams most of the winter months, due to heavy o ! 2

S—-————} SCALE IN MILES ’ gnowfall, all freight had to be hauled into Alpha during the late summer and fall months. Slowly, four to six horse teams struggled up the Willow Valley grade out of Nevada City driving around tree stumps and boulders and along Miliken’s Washington to Nevada City Turnpike Tollroad. Often it took two days to complete the twenty mile trip. Milliken’s Turnpike was constructed in 1856 and was sold to Nevada County twenty years later. This event is recorded as follows: “Matthew W. Miliken; Stephen W. Stoddard and George (Conrad?) Grissel, for and in consideration of one dollar, deed to Nevada County the certain road situated in Nevada Township, commencing at a pointin the North boundary of the old city limits of Nevada, said road leading from Nevada City to Washington and known as the Nevada and Washington Toll! Road, and terminated at its intersection with the present county road on the Washington Divide. Dated January 8, 1876.” (Book of Deeds, # 51, Nevada County Recorder). The first attempt to improve roads into Alpha was made on November 14, 1855. On that date: “at 7:30 p.m. the following men met at the house of R.F. Fouke in Alpha to (discuss the) construction of a toll turnpike from Alpha to Washington. Capital stock shall be $10,000, divided into shares of $250 each. The road shall be for a duration of twenty years.” (Book 1, p. 254, Nevada County Recorder). The share owners were: A.S. Olin 10 shares Wm.S. Roberts Franklin Larkin 1 R.F. Fouke 10 Abraham Skillman 2 Allen Robinson 10 Peter Skillman 2 Ino D. Havens 1 Mr. Olin was the stage line owner for the area at that time. This road was later extended to Eureka (Graniteville). As late as February 9, 1872, it is reported that there was not one foot of county road entering the towns of Washington or Alpha. The following toll rates were charged on the Alpha-Washington road: 1858 1879 6 mule, horse, ox team3.00 1.00 4 mule, horse, ox team2.00 75 2 mule, horse, ox team1.60 60 Horse, man 25 10 Horse and buggy 1.00 25 (Thompson and West, 1880, p.131-3). A stage trip from Nevada City, especially in the winter months, to Alpha, was an unforgetable. experience. The stage, drawn by a four horse team, would leave in front of the aN National Hote] at eight a.m., pull upthe’ Willow Valley grade to the Nevada to Washington Toll Road. Showered with dust in summer and struggling. 24.