Collection: Books and Periodicals > Nevada County Historical Society Bulletins

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Title: Volume 035-2 - April 1981 Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Collection Name: Nevada County Historical Society Bulletins # of Pages: 8 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2014-01-26 16:05:20 OCR Software Version #: tesseract 5.4.1 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 04:05:56 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 04:05:56

Original Held At: Searls Historical Library Location: 161 Nevada City Hwy, Nevada City, CA 95959

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“A most destructive fire occurred here May 19, 1865, by which one third of the business portion of the town was burned to the ground. The losses, including Moore’s hotel, Marks & Co.’s Bank, the drug store and post office, amounted to the total sum of $30,000. Again, on Saturday morning, July 31, 1869, a devastating fire occurred, nearly blotting out the village. Both sides of Washington Street to, and including Abraham’s dwelling, both sides of Yuba Street to and including English & Wells’ stable, and Moore Street as far as Dr. Hardy’s dwelling and Odd Fellows Hall. In all some forty buildings were destroyed, including Shea’s Hotel, Moore’s Hotel, Morrow’s Hotel, Masonic Hall and about fifteen stores and business buildings. The total loss was estimated at $100,000 on which the insurance amounted to $30,000. After this great fire but few houses were built on the old site, which has since been partly mined and has partly slid away. The present town (1880) is about one half mile south of the old location. Houses were moved from the old town to the present site, and the new town sprang up”. “At present (1880) Moore’s Flat is still a thriving mining town with three hotels, three general stores, one drug store, one variety store, two saloons, one market, a bank, Catholic church, school house, post office, express office, dressmaking establishment, brewery, lumber company, charcoal burner, carpenters, blacksmiths, physician and a population of about 500”. A look at the social structure of Eureka Township, where the three Flats were located, is given in Table HI, which is based on the Township's directory (Bean, 1867). While looking at this table, one must remember that it is taken from a directory and therefore mentions only those persons who had an occupation. It appears from this table that, in 1867, Moore’s Flat was still much ahead of all other settlements, including Eureka. Moore’s Flat enjoyed many services which the others did not have. According to Thompson and West, there was a Catholic church at Moore’s Flat, or which they do not give any information; fortunately, we are able to do a little better. In 1851, Father John Shanahan was appointed pastor of the Catholic Church in Nevada City. He traveled around, visiting the various mining camps, where confessions would be held and Mass celebrated in a miner’s cabin. On one of these rounds he visited Moore’s Flat and was impressed by a TABLE III. OCCUPATIONS IN EUREKA TOWNSHIP IN 1866. ACCORDING TO BEAN’S DIRECTORY. ™ a s tia Pidd: 2 6 6 § + © © 38 8 6 = 2 a 6 oO 2 F A 0 Banker 1 1 Hotel Keeper 2 3 41 Barber 1 Laborer 2 1 2 Blacksmith 4 2 Lumber dealer 1 2 2 Brewer 2 Merchant 6 5 Butcher 2 2 Miner 3 68 12 38 3 Cabinet maker 1 Physician 1 Carpenter 2 Saloon keeper 3 2 Cigar dealer 1 Shoe maker 1 1 Coal burner 1 Teacher 1 Constable 1 Teamster 1 Ditch agent 1 Tin smith 1 Ditch tender 1 1 Trucker 1 Druggist 1 Water works 1 1 Farmer 1 1 Wood chopper 1 Gardener 1 1 Not stated 4 112 8 11