Collection: Newspapers > Nevada County Nugget

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Title: September 30, 1970 Collection Type: Newspapers Collection Name: Nevada County Nugget Published: September 30, 1970 Copyright: In the public domain or published before 1925 Physical Format: Newspaper # of Pages: 12 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Printed or handwritten: All printed text Date Scanned: 2023-04-11 18:36:54 Scanning Equipment: Professionally Scanned OCR Software Version #: tesseract 5.4.1 Item Sourced From: JPGs First Created: 2025-03-17 04:15:51 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 04:15:51

Original Held At: Doris Foley Library Location: 211 North Pine Street, Nevada City, CA 95959

Page: of 12  

A VIEW of Grass Valley in 1852, According to the Northern _ Edmund Kinyon (PART TEN) } arrivals. ylor alone of that "fall of '49" company of stakeed to engage in exploits and enterprises and elationships which make of him a half-legendary details reserved for another chapter). founding of the future municipality of Grass inguished from Boston Ravine, less than a half mm Main and Mill streets, itself a separate and n for a half century, is not clearly defined in or example, was the store which the Fowler i close to the site of the trade bid of the Lalocated in Boston Ravine or further up Wolf ‘st Pr reference to a commercial beginhing is : or September, 1850, a man named Morey opened ss Valley proper. His stock was kept in a tent in Street, He soon to Leighton, Kent and , Who erected a building of sawed lumber on inite, the ‘Morey location is believed to have uth side of present West Main Street, between streets. ation “Centerville,” which sought briefly to me yoking those recalcitrant cattle, is estabtly in the history of the town. Byrne, in his fers that it may have been merely an informal he circumstance of Grass Valley being about n Nevada and Rough and Ready. In speaking of ance of Boston Ravine he says: izen of Grass Valley informs us that he freletters addressed to him at Centerville, near enterville being accepted in those days (1850-51) Grass Valley. The name was adopted to avoid beng at least one verdant vale in each county days. My own view that it was not only the popular but postoffice name of the town for a brief interval is supported by evidence Later researchers incline to the theory that it was an independent, perhaps rival, town and that it centered around the present north terminals of North Church and North School streets. A running stream of that area which marks the first water development of Grass Valley still bears the name "Centerville Ravine." Whatever the reason for invoking and then rejecting the name “Centerville,” it is of record that in the year 1850 (month — So Ee Beate tre see sagt Peat Mines it was called Centerville during the early mining was speedily to become Mrs. Jerry P. Stone, taught her class on the site of the noted Lola Montez house at the corner of Mill and Walsh streets. It was also there that the first election as . box, James Walsh was elected Justice of the Peace, a position which he held with Solomon-like wisdom for a dozen years. Luther Humiston was named constable. The cross, as was oftimes the case, was at even pace or a little ahead of the pillars of government. The Reverend Isaac 3 5 E g Owen had been a pre-gold missionary to that people came from points "as far distant as Deer Creek” to hear that first sermon. “ER was in such pattern that Grass Valley, over a brief period of years, emerged from scattered cabins into well predominating in the the fire perio all early store fronts hadheavy iron doors and flat roofs fortified by a foot layer of earty or broken brick. At this writing all of the iron doors have disappeared, but several of the armored roofs remain. From the start Grass Valley’ s population and commercial importance placed it above the village class. But following the first decade its graph of population varied little for three-quarters of a century. . This tribute by Aaron A, Sargent, perhaps Nevada County's most achieving citizen politically, written prior to 1865, is remembered: "We think of but one town of Upper California (San Jose) which will compare in pleasantness with Grass Valley. The dwellings among the trees, the gentle swelling of the hills, the beeutiful, broad valley, and the mixed air of primitiveness and hustle, all go to make up a delightful spot.” (CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.) ; i r : : ~ Rights Fopureed ty the Nevada County Publishing Company ——— Ce A -~——— PO LIR Fg os mae Si — wa eee, s° was opened by Miss Rosanna Farrington. Miss Farrington, who -::