Collection: Books and Periodicals > Nevada County Historical Society Bulletins

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Title: Volume 061-1 - January 2007 Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Collection Name: Nevada County Historical Society Bulletins # of Pages: 6 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2014-03-12 08:36:32 OCR Software Version #: tesseract 5.4.1 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 04:06:02 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 04:06:02

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

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haa reese PeTTreres prin airrrered Tht +ered The Story of Pauline by David A. Comstock N NOVEMBER 20, 2006, A FRONT-PAGE STORY IN The Union announced that the Petersen family was going to liquidate its furniture business and sell two historic Grass Valley buildings. The Hedman Furniture business had been started in 1965 by Harold and Dorothy Hedman at 256 South Auburn Street, across the street from Hennessey School. Seven years later the Hedmans sold out to Bill and Chellie Peterson, and Coy and Lorraine Miller. One month after the sale, the store had burned to the ground, causing the business to be removed to a vacant building at 161 Mill Street. Prior to 1972 this historic structure had provided regular entertainment for several generations of Nevada County residents. It began life as an enclosed skating rink before becoming known over the years as Van’s Opera House, the Grass Valley Auditorium and the Strand Movie Theater. In addition to furnishing a venue for traveling troupes of performers, it often served as a meeting place for Grass Valley fraternal lodges, local churches, and other special events. Not so well known is the fact that the three-story stone and stucco building was erected in 1886 by a woman with close ties to Lola Montez. NCHS Bulletin January 2007 Four years older than the celebrated actress and dancer, Pauline Rickmers was born in Germany in 1814. She came to California in 1850 on a ship that sailed around South America. After surviving a fire that burned her first residence in San Francisco, Pauline went to Sacramento and worked briefly for John Sutter before opening her own business in that city. Again her home burned. In October 1853 she was operating a “periodicals and variety store” in Grass Valley. Lola Montez arrived in the same place that year, and in the following summer Lola engaged Pauline to act as her companion and personal secretary during an ambitious excursion to Donner Lake and the Truckee River. The Sierra trip had been proposed by Indian agent Simmon Storms and his friend, Alonzo “Old Block” Delano, the popular Wells Fargo agent at Grass Valley, and author of several best-selling books about the California Gold Rush. Other members of their party included mine superintendents John E. Southwick and James Delavan, and Delavan’s brother Lewis. The group set out on horseback, with Lola and Pauline gaily dressed in bloomers—to the amused delight of their male companions. The group made its first camp at Bear Valley, where James Delavan suddenly remembered he had more pressing business at home; in the morning he left the party and returned to Grass Valley. Perhaps he had a premonition of what was to come. The others continued up to and over the summit, camping at Donner Lake. Once more there were defections from the party. During the ascent (and subsequent descent) Lola, who famously liked to have things her own way, had quarreled more than once with others in the party—especially with Pauline. “Old Block,” having wearied of Lola’s behavior, offered to escort Pauline back over the mountains— by now he was quite familiar with the route, having accompanied Simmon Storms and Wema, the Nisenan chieftain, on a similar excursion in the previous summer. Lola’s remaining gallants—Southwick, Storms and Looking north along Mill Street in the late 1920s. The Strand Theater marquee projects out over vintage automobiles parked in front of the Grass Valley Auditorium.