Volume 074-1 - January 2020 (8 pages)

NCHS Bulletin January 2020 Doris Foley (1904-1982) Doris Nightingale Foley Larsen was raised on a ranch at Pike (Sierra County) and as a teenager sometimes drove the mail coach nine rugged miles to Camptonville. When she attended high school in Nevada City, she boarded at the National Hotel and boarded her horse in a nearby stable. She graduated from Doris Foley: ouarteey San Francisco State College of the Searls Historical (now University) and taught in Library Sierra County and Nevada City schools. She married Robert Foley of Sierra County. He died in 1936, leaving her to raise their young son’. Foley’s early background was the key to both her self-confidence and passion for history. She was raised on her grandmother’s stories of earlier days in the Sierra. Foley proved as capable a writer as she was an organizer. In addition to Gold Cities, she wrote The Divine Eccentric (1969), which David Comstock called “the most complete and accurate biography of Lola Montez’”*’. Foley edited the Bulletin, to which she contributed 25 articles. She also wrote a history of the Pioneer Monument at Donner Lake and contributed historical articles to The Union newspaper. Even as she pursued her research, Foley was always interested in topics beyond her own. Her friend and former county librarian Madelyn Helling said: “I was inspired by her willingness to help others’”*'. As much as she was an historian, Foley was also a teacher. She looked to the future. Doris Foley relocated to El Dorado County after marrying Clarence Larson in 1972 and died there in 1982. Her name appears on a plaque beside the Fire House Museum and on the Nevada County Public Libraries historical branch in Nevada City. Endnotes The War’s Upheaval 1. Page one headlines: Morning Union (Grass Valley), 11/30/1944, 12/02 & 11/17. 2. “History Theme Chosen,” Morning Union, 11/10/1944, 10. See also “All Interested People Bid to Dinner Tonight,” Morning Union, 11/15/1944, 6 and “Robert E. Burns Speaks at Professional Woman’s Club,” Sacramento Bee, 11/15/1944. 3. “Record Numbers Attend BPWC’s Civic Program,” Morning Union, 11/17/1944, 6. What Were They Thinking? 4. Atthe BPWC dinner on November 15, 1944, Kinyon was recognized as “the grand old man” of Nevada County history. He was a natural student who regularly wrote on historical themes in his weekly column, “Observations and Experiences.” For all his historical-mindedness, he was also forward looking and speculated often about the future of the region. 5. “Lions Approve Plan to Save Gold Era Lore,” Morning Union, 07/21/1944, 4 and “[Grass Valley] Chamber Will Aid Gold Rush Story,” Sacramento Bee, 08/11/1944, 8. Edmund Kinyon devoted his weekly column to describing the College of Pacific’s plan for promoting state and regional history and the formation of a foundation (which become the California History Foundation) in “College of Pacific Proponent of Gold Rush Foundation,” Daily Morning Union, 07/30/1944, 1 & 4. Elmer Stevens connections at Pacific: Jan Stevens (Elmer’s son) interview, Loomis, CA, 11/19/2019. By-laws, Speakers & A Fire House 6. “Citizens Will Form Society on Gold Rush,” Morning Union, 11/29/1944, 6 and “Elmer Stevens Heads County Hist. Society,” Morning Union, 12/01/1944, 6; “Nevada County Historical Society bylaws,” 03/22/1945, California Conference of Historical Societies collection, MSS 243, Series 1, Box 2, Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library, Stockton, CA. 7. Leon Whitsell: “Grass Valley Club Will Hear Address,” Sacramento Bee, 11/19/1945, 10; “Historian [L. E. Bliss] Will Address Grass Valley Society,” Sacramento Bee, 03/28/1945, 8. 8. “Nevada County Unit Will Arrange Exhibits,” Sacramento Bee, 11/14/1945, 9; “Nevada County Group Will Meet on Monday,” Sacramento Bee, 03/02/1946, 9. 9. “Quarters Are Obtained for Museum in Nevada County, Sacramento Bee, 10/28/1946, 8; and “Nevada County Historical Unit Requests Collectors’ Items,” Sacramento Bee, 04/01/1947, 9; Doris Foley & Ed Tyson, “History of the Nevada County Historical Society, 1944 — 1994,” Nevada County Historical Society Bulletin (Vol. 48, No. 2), April 1994, 10. For more details, including a list of past directors, see Priscilla van der Pas, “The Firehouse Museum’s 50" Birthday,” NCHS Bulletin (Vol. 21 No. 2), April 1997. The Nevada County Women’s Civic Club had saved the fire house in 1945. Publishing History 10. Foley & Tyson, 11; David Comstock, “A Brief of the Nevada County Historical Society Bulletin,” Searls Library, 01/24/2014. 11. Foley & Tyson, 14. Awakened by Silence 12. Jim Morley & Doris Foley, Gold Cities, Berkeley: Howell-North Books, 1965, 3. 13. Foley & Tyson, 10; Glenn Jones, Exhibit Director, “A Guided Tour through the Mining Museum,” NCHS Bulletin (Vol. 33, No. 3) July 1079. 14. Foley & Tyson, 10; Regarding Foley’s confidence: David A. Comstock, interview, Grass Valley, 08/20/2019 and Madelyn Helling, interview, Nevada City, 02/11/2019 A Preservation Movement 15. Excursions: Foley & Tyson, 11 — 12. 16. Paul Matson, “How Did All This Happen? (Nevada County Railroad Museum), Zhe Union (Grass Valley), 02/22/2019; interview, Cathy Wilcox-Barnes, Nevada City, 11/14/2019. “The Need for Roots” 17. Pat Ross, Remembering Main Street, New York: Penguin, 1994, 199. Regarding economic influence of preservation, see Robin Davies, “History is a key component of marketing Nevada County,” The Union, 06/17/2019, A12

NCHS Bulletin January 2020 Doris Foley (1904-1982) Doris Nightingale Foley Larsen was raised on a ranch at Pike (Sierra County) and as a teenager sometimes drove the mail coach nine rugged miles to Camptonville. When she attended high school in Nevada City, she boarded at the National Hotel and boarded her horse in a nearby stable. She graduated from Doris Foley: ouarteey San Francisco State College of the Searls Historical (now University) and taught in Library Sierra County and Nevada City schools. She married Robert Foley of Sierra County. He died in 1936, leaving her to raise their young son’. Foley’s early background was the key to both her self-confidence and passion for history. She was raised on her grandmother’s stories of earlier days in the Sierra. Foley proved as capable a writer as she was an organizer. In addition to Gold Cities, she wrote The Divine Eccentric (1969), which David Comstock called “the most complete and accurate biography of Lola Montez’”*’. Foley edited the Bulletin, to which she contributed 25 articles. She also wrote a history of the Pioneer Monument at Donner Lake and contributed historical articles to The Union newspaper. Even as she pursued her research, Foley was always interested in topics beyond her own. Her friend and former county librarian Madelyn Helling said: “I was inspired by her willingness to help others’”*'. As much as she was an historian, Foley was also a teacher. She looked to the future. Doris Foley relocated to El Dorado County after marrying Clarence Larson in 1972 and died there in 1982. Her name appears on a plaque beside the Fire House Museum and on the Nevada County Public Libraries historical branch in Nevada City. Endnotes The War’s Upheaval 1. Page one headlines: Morning Union (Grass Valley), 11/30/1944, 12/02 & 11/17. 2. “History Theme Chosen,” Morning Union, 11/10/1944, 10. See also “All Interested People Bid to Dinner Tonight,” Morning Union, 11/15/1944, 6 and “Robert E. Burns Speaks at Professional Woman’s Club,” Sacramento Bee, 11/15/1944. 3. “Record Numbers Attend BPWC’s Civic Program,” Morning Union, 11/17/1944, 6. What Were They Thinking? 4. Atthe BPWC dinner on November 15, 1944, Kinyon was recognized as “the grand old man” of Nevada County history. He was a natural student who regularly wrote on historical themes in his weekly column, “Observations and Experiences.” For all his historical-mindedness, he was also forward looking and speculated often about the future of the region.

5. “Lions Approve Plan to Save Gold Era Lore,” Morning Union, 07/21/1944, 4 and “[Grass Valley] Chamber Will Aid Gold Rush Story,” Sacramento Bee, 08/11/1944, 8. Edmund Kinyon devoted his weekly column to describing the College of Pacific’s plan for promoting state and regional history and the formation of a foundation (which become the California History Foundation) in “College of Pacific Proponent of Gold Rush Foundation,” Daily Morning Union, 07/30/1944, 1 & 4. Elmer Stevens connections at Pacific: Jan Stevens (Elmer’s son) interview, Loomis, CA, 11/19/2019. By-laws, Speakers & A Fire House 6. “Citizens Will Form Society on Gold Rush,” Morning Union, 11/29/1944, 6 and “Elmer Stevens Heads County Hist. Society,” Morning Union, 12/01/1944, 6; “Nevada County Historical Society bylaws,” 03/22/1945, California Conference of Historical Societies collection, MSS 243, Series 1, Box 2, Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library, Stockton, CA. 7. Leon Whitsell: “Grass Valley Club Will Hear Address,” Sacramento Bee, 11/19/1945, 10; “Historian [L. E. Bliss] Will Address Grass Valley Society,” Sacramento Bee, 03/28/1945, 8. 8. “Nevada County Unit Will Arrange Exhibits,” Sacramento Bee, 11/14/1945, 9; “Nevada County Group Will Meet on Monday,” Sacramento Bee, 03/02/1946, 9. 9. “Quarters Are Obtained for Museum in Nevada County, Sacramento Bee, 10/28/1946, 8; and “Nevada County Historical Unit Requests Collectors’ Items,” Sacramento Bee, 04/01/1947, 9; Doris Foley & Ed Tyson, “History of the Nevada County Historical Society, 1944 — 1994,” Nevada County Historical Society Bulletin (Vol. 48, No. 2), April 1994, 10. For more details, including a list of past directors, see Priscilla van der Pas, “The Firehouse Museum’s 50" Birthday,” NCHS Bulletin (Vol. 21 No. 2), April 1997. The Nevada County Women’s Civic Club had saved the fire house in 1945. Publishing History 10. Foley & Tyson, 11; David Comstock, “A Brief of the Nevada County Historical Society Bulletin,” Searls Library, 01/24/2014. 11. Foley & Tyson, 14. Awakened by Silence 12. Jim Morley & Doris Foley, Gold Cities, Berkeley: Howell-North Books, 1965, 3. 13. Foley & Tyson, 10; Glenn Jones, Exhibit Director, “A Guided Tour through the Mining Museum,” NCHS Bulletin (Vol. 33, No. 3) July 1079. 14. Foley & Tyson, 10; Regarding Foley’s confidence: David A. Comstock, interview, Grass Valley, 08/20/2019 and Madelyn Helling, interview, Nevada City, 02/11/2019 A Preservation Movement 15. Excursions: Foley & Tyson, 11 — 12. 16. Paul Matson, “How Did All This Happen? (Nevada County Railroad Museum), Zhe Union (Grass Valley), 02/22/2019; interview, Cathy Wilcox-Barnes, Nevada City, 11/14/2019. “The Need for Roots” 17. Pat Ross, Remembering Main Street, New York: Penguin, 1994, 199. Regarding economic influence of preservation, see Robin Davies, “History is a key component of marketing Nevada County,” The Union, 06/17/2019, A12