As we left Chico for home, we didn't feel like we had finished our history lesson. So lunch and touring occurred in the quaint town of Calistoga.

The first American settlers began arriving in the 1840’s, with several taking up lands in the Calistoga area.

To learn the local history, we headed to the Sharpsteen Museum (free with donations). The Museum was a project of Ben and Bernice Sharpsteen, who retired to a ranch near Calistoga which had been acquired by Ben's grandmother in the 1800s and which today remains in their family.
The first American settlers began arriving in the 1840’s, with several taking up lands in the Calistoga area. The one that seemed to have the greatest effect on this town was Samuel Brannan, the leader of a Morman settlement expedition in 1846. Following the discovery of gold in Sacramento, Brannan pursued many business ventures which made him California’s first millionaire.Fascinated by Calistoga’s natural hot springs, Brannan purchased more than 2,000 acres with the intent to develop a spa reminiscent of Saratoga in New York (Calistoga is the combining of California and Saratoga). His Hot Springs Resort surrounding opened to California's rich and famous in 1862 and we're standing in front of a restored original cottage.
Calistoga's economy was based on mining (silver and mercury) agriculture (grapes, prunes and walnuts) and tourism (Robert Louis Stevenson spent his honeymoon here, spending part of the time living in the abandoned bunkhouse of the Silverado mine, the reminisces of which became his book Silverado Squatters).

Almost as intriguing as the local history were the founders of this museum. Bernice Sharpsteen was a smart, independent, fun woman. I would have loved to have known her. She was an illustrator and trained at the Pratt Institute. She took long road trips with her two sons and wrote amazing Christmas letters. The one on the left says:
Ben was an Academy Award-winning animator, producer and director for Walt Disney Studios, working on many famous Disney projects. Memorabilia of his career (including one of his Oscars), his hobby (antique autos) and family history are displayed in the founders room of the Museum. I loved these two people and the way they valued the local history.

I wanted to share this hair wreath, from the Brannan cottage, because the Bidwell Mansion had several and I just had to explain this art. There is no exact date that can be pinpointed as to when and where hair art began, but it is known to have flourished in the Victorian times and can be traced back to the 12th century. Many pieces were for a memorial purpose; however this art form was also used as a keepsake of a loved one before cameras were invented. Hair was a token of love in these times as well as a remembrance of someone who passed away. The tradition of giving a lock of hair goes back hundreds, and even thousands of years and can be traced from different cultures as well as different time periods.  The wreaths are beautiful pieces of art, until you realize from what they are crafted. Interesting!
What a great weekend of family fun, discovery and learning. I can't wait for the next road trip.