California Gold Rush National Historical Park

Launching the Campaign for

New Park ConceptA new national park is needed to preserve remnants of the California Gold Rush and interpret the far-reaching significance of this period in American history.

➢Why?• Transition from territory to statehood• Effects on water, forests, and tribes• California’s role as a free state / American Civil War • Geological phenomenon• Multi-cultural phenomenon• Manifest Destiny

➢ How?• Non-traditional, multi-jurisdictional park • Limited role of federal government • Advisory board, non-profit organization & partnerships

Related NPS Units

➢ Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

➢ California National Historic Trail

➢ Pony Express National Historic Trail

Regional Orientation

➢ The Placerville Historic District offers a central location for regional orientation to the history associated with the California Gold Rush

➢ Numerous historic buildings could serve as park headquarters

➢ Non-traditional park models are multi-jurisdictional with minimal federal ownership

National Historic Trails

California National Historic Trail Gold Fever! Follow in the footsteps of over 250,000 emigrants who traveled to the gold fields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840s and 1850s-the greatest mass migration in American history. More than 1,000 miles of trail ruts and traces can still be seen across 10 states on the California National Historic Trail.

Pony Express National Historic Trail Long Distance Communication - It is hard to believe that young men once rode horses to carry mail from Missouri to California in the unprecedented time of only 10 days. This relay system along the Pony Express National Historic Trail in eight states was the most direct and practical means of east-west communications before the telegraph.

Both of these nationally significant trails pass through the Placerville Historic District.

Historic Lincoln Highway

In 2004, a Special Resource Study found the Lincoln Highway to meet 3 out of 4 significance criteria.

1) It is an outstanding example of a particular type of resource

2) It possesses exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the natural or cultural themes of our nation s heritage (this criterion is evaluated by applying the national historic landmarks (NHL) process)

3) It offers superlative opportunities for public enjoyment or for scientific study

The Lincoln Highway as a whole does not meet Criteria 4 (integrity), so it cannot be considered for inclusion in the National Park System... "Unfortunately, there are large stretches of this corridor that retain only one or two features to remind today s travelers of the history of the road. Along many stretches, there are no such features..."

Established in 1913, the Lincoln Highway was one of America’s first transcontinental automobile roads, extending from New York City to San Francisco. Main Street in Placerville was part of the Lincoln Highway.

Park Partnership Models

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor – New YorkThe Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission and its non-profit partner, the Erie Canalway Heritage Fund work together with federal, state, and local agencies and organizations to plan for, encourage, and assist in historic preservation, conservation, recreation, interpretation, tourism and community development throughout the National Heritage Corridor.

• Erie, Champlain, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego Canals and “towpath-era” alignments

• 524 miles of navigable waterway

• 234 municipalities

Park Partnership Models

Keweenaw National Historical Park - MichiganKeweenaw National Historical Park was established to preserve and interpret the story of the rise, domination and decline of the region’s copper mining industry. Unlike many parks, however, the U.S. Congress legislated that the National Park Service and the park's advisory commission partner with sites owned and operated by state and local governments, private businesses and nonprofit organizations to achieve this goal.

Explore the Keweenaw's rich copper mining and cultural heritage through twenty-one diverse sites…

California Gold Rush Heritage Sites

1848 - Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park / Coloma National Historic Landmark District

1848 - Old Dry Diggins Mine / HangtownCreek / Main Street -California Historic Landmark (and) Placerville Historic District

California Gold Rush Heritage Sites

Hangtown Creek – Before the gold rush, Hangtown Creek provided water and watershed resources to the Wopumnes Nisenen Mewuk tribe and others. Many cultural resources have been found along the creek, including a grinding stone, bottles, and the retaining walls seen here. The confluence with Cedar Ravine is a likely location for a significant archaeology site.

1851 Consumnes River Treaty – This land claims treaty was signed by four chiefs associated with Placerville, Coloma, Camino and Shingle Springs.

California Gold Rush Heritage Sites

Wopumnes Nisenan-Mewuk Tribe“We are the aboriginal historic 1934 IRA (Indian Reorganization Act) Shingle Springs Mewuk Tribe of El Dorado County, traceable to artifacts and sacred sites in El Dorado County. We are a California non-gaming Tribe and are here to educate and serve the community.”

California Gold Rush Heritage Sites

1914-1928 Clay Street Bridge / Hangtown Creek -Placerville Historic District

1859 – 1897 John Pearson Soda Works - Placerville Historic District (and) National Register of Historic Places

California Gold Rush Heritage Sites

1926 Druid Monument -Placerville Historic District

The California Druids were formed to assist the families of miners injured or killed in the gold fields of the Sierra Nevada. The Ancient Order of Druids came to America in 1830, first establishing in New York City. In 1860, California Grove No. 1 was established in Placerville by the founder of California Druidism, Frederick Seig. The monument was given to the City of Placerville, after the City of San Francisco offered to place it in Golden Gate Park.

California Gold Rush Heritage Sites

1926 Druid Monument -Placerville Historic District

El Dorado CanalEarly diversions and engineering of waterways laid a foundation for mining and agriculture, and led to the establishment of water rights to control the competition for this critical resource.

Remnants of the original canal are still intact.

California Gold Rush Heritage Sites

1895Combellack-Blair House -Placerville Historic District (and) National Register of Historic Places - The Combellack–Blair House, designed in the Queen Anne Style of the Late Victorian architecture era.

California Gold Rush Heritage Sites

1888 Hattie Mine / Gold Bug Park –City of Placerville (and) National Register of Historic Places

California Gold Rush Heritage Sites

1847-1856Cary House – The original Cary House Hotel in Placerville was built by William Cary in 1847. The first hotel burned to the ground in 1856, and a new structure with three floors was built on the spot of the original hotel.

1852Wells Fargo & Co. apparently had a hub for their stage lines at the Cary House Hotel, with the Pony Express depot next door. It has been reported that bags full of gold –”more than $90 million worth” – were dumped on the front porch of the Cary House on the way to the mint.

California Gold Rush Heritage Sites

Wells Fargo History Museums, Sacramento -The first half century of Wells Fargo’s history coincided with the most explosive growth in transportation and communication technology the world has ever known.

Wells Fargo History Museum, San Francisco –Located at the site where Wells Fargo first opened for business in 1852, the museum tells the story of how Wells Fargo provided banking and express services to pioneers in Gold Rush San Francisco.

California Gold Rush Heritage Sites

Old Sacramento State Historic Park - Old Sacramento’s historical significance comes from it being the western terminus of the Pony Express postal system, the first transcontinental railroad, and the transcontinental telegraph.

Old Sacramento is a California Historical Landmark. The National Park Service named the entire original historic 1850s business district of Old Sacramento a National Historic Landmark in 1965. With over 50 historic buildings, Old Sacramento has more buildings of historic value in its 296 acres than any area of similar size in the West.

California Gold Rush Heritage SitesFiddletown, Chinese Heritage Site -Amador County - Fiddletown was first settled in 1849, served as a trading center for mining camps during the 1850’s, and had one of the largest Chinese communities in the state (over 2,000 in the 1860 census). Fiddletown is a California Historical Landmark, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

El Dorado Ranch, Miwok Heritage Site – El Dorado CountyThis site along the Upper Cosumnes River is being acquired by the American River Conservancy to protect natural and cultural resources and establish trails.

California Gold Rush Heritage SitesWakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony, Japanese Heritage Site -Placerville - This site is the earliest Japanese settlement in North America, and marks the beginning of Japanese history in California. It is a California Historic Landmark (and) included in the National Register of Historic Places.

Monroe House, African American Heritage Site – Coloma – PerlyMonroe was the grandson of Peter and Nancy Gooch, who were freed from slavery when California became a state in 1850. The Monroe family became successful fruit farmers and prominent property holders in Coloma. Built in 1925, this house is tangible evidence of their success.

*Part of Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park

California Gold Rush Heritage Sites

Mariposa Slate / California Motherlode – various outcrops, El Dorado County to Mariposa County The California Mother Lode is a zone from 1.5 to 6 kilometres (0.93 to 3.73 mi) wide and 190 kilometres (120 mi) long, between Georgetown (El Dorado Co.) on the north and Mormon Bar (Mariposa Co.) on the south.

Legislation

H.R.3425 — 107th Congress

(2001-2002)

Directs the Secretary of the

Interior to complete and report to

specified congressional

committees on a special

resource study of the national

significance, suitability, and

feasibility of establishing

Highway 49 in California (Golden

Chain Highway) as a National

Heritage Corridor.

Although this bill failed to pass, it

leaves a legacy to build on.

California Gold Rush Heritage Sites

National SignificanceCALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH THEMES Mass migration – 300,000 people drawn to California from across the worldDiversity – convergence of cultures and ethnicityDisplacement, Decimation and Survival – destruction of Native American people and culture; descendents survive, traditions and knowledge continuesEngineering of Waterways – canal systems, plumes, ditches, and “pre-1914 water rights” Alteration of Ecosystems – salmon fisheries, fur trapping, fire suppression, logging, grazing, agriculture Wealth / Abundance – richness of gold deposits and other natural resources San Francisco – the city quickly became the largest and most important population, commercial, naval, and financial center in the American West Sacramento – the city was a major distribution point, a commercial and agricultural center, and the western terminus of the Pony Express postal system, the first transcontinental railroad, and the transcontinental telegraph.Placerville – supply center for surrounding mining camps, and the 3rd largest city in California when it incorporated in 1854. Geology / California Mother Lode - a geological formation appox. 120 miles long and ranging from 1 to 4 miles wide, one of the most productive gold-producing districts in the U.S. Mining Technology – various techniques were used to extract goldTransportation / Communication / Global Interconnectedness

Potential PartnersAmerican River Conservancy California State Parks California Dept of Fish and Wildlife City of Placerville City of Sacramento City of San Francisco Cosumnes Culture and Waterways Druids of California El Dorado County Historical Museum Friends of Historic HangtownGold Discovery Park Association Golden Chain Highway – Highway 49 proposed National Heritage Corridor o Sierra County o Nevada County o El Dorado County o Amador County o Calaveras County o Tuolome County o Mariposa Countyo Madera County

El Dorado Irrigation DistrictHangtown’s Gold Bug Park Development Committee Heritage Association of El Dorado County Highway 49 Business Association Highway 50 Association Historic Bridge Foundation Fiddletown Preservation Society National Park Service National Pony Express Association Oakland Museum of California Oregon-California Trails Association Placerville Downtown Association Placerville Preservation LeagueSacramento State (California State University, Sacramento) The Coca Cola Company University of California Wells FargoWopumnes Nisenan Me-Wuk Tribe

The Campaign for California Gold Rush

National Historical Park

Vision / Support / Partners / Action

First Step: Special Resource Study• Significance• Integrity • Suitability• Feasibility

Includes recommendations for designation(s) such as a National Historical Park and / or a National Heritage Corridor

Historic Preservation – Just Say YES!

Without greater understanding and protection, it is too easy to irreversibly destroy historic resources.

An example: the Clay Street Bridge Replacement and Realignment Project in downtown Placerville proposes a 4-way intersection in the middle of a historic district. The first proposal for this intersection was a Roundabout. Other alternatives are needed that enhance pedestrian use and the historic experience while steering pass through traffic around this area.

Historic Preservation – Just Say YES!

A final EIR (Environmental Impact Report) is being prepared to create a 4-way intersection in Placerville at Clay Street- Main Street-Cedar Ravine Road. This would destroy the historic streetscape which can be seen in early Sanborn insurance maps including this one from 1891. It is still possible to preserve this part of the Placerville Historic District.

Historic Preservation – Just Say YES!

1906 - Concrete pony arch bridge over Hangtown Creek on Southern Pacific Railroad

1928 - Concrete closed spandrels arch bridge over Hangtown Creek

1930 - Concrete slab bridge over Weber Creek on Cedar Ravine Road

1914 - Concrete arch bridge over Weber Creek on Forni Road

Historic Preservation – Just Say YES!

Benefits of the National Park System

• High profile national / international audience• More professional resources for historic preservation • Enhanced economic development compatible with historic

preservation emphasizing heritage-based tourism • New and broader funding opportunities • Increased educational opportunities by telling a bigger story

that is relevant to more people • Experience with multi-jurisdictional, non-traditional,

partnership-based parks– **this is not a federal government takeover**

• Non-profit organization and advisory commission provide cohesive planning and interpretation to interrelated sites

Historic Preservation – Just Say YES!

Coming soon! website and email address

Citizens for California Gold Rush National Historical Park