Only 45 minutes away, though as time has stood still (in a good way), is the little town of Markleeville. We have been here a number of times but today was special as historian/author/friend Karen Dustman was meeting us for a private history lesson.

This was a town created by desires for silver. In 1861, Jacob Markley took up a 160 acre claim and built a bridge and toll station on the banks of a stream crossing a heavily trafficked road. Two years later he was killed in a gunfight while still having given his name to the future County seat, Markleeville, and the creek of the same name.
Our first stop was to visit the museum and learn as much as we could. Karen has crafted a wonderful video of this Historical Complex. It's a must watch! I have been a member of the Alpine County Historical Society since 2012 and this is the first time we have visited.
The silver boom was a boom for Alpine County which was created in 1864. At this point, the population had grown to more than 11,000. Miners left the rich gold fields of Bodie, only 80 miles away, and came here. Silver Mountain was the first County Seat of Alpine County and the location of the Mine. The excitement was short-lived, however. As the Silver Mountain ore proved too stubborn to recover at a profit, men began to leave the area, and by 1868, Alpine County had fewer than 1,200 people. The finishing blow came with the demonetization of silver in 1873, collapsing prices and closing the remaining mines. Today, this is still a very roomy county. There are only two people per square mile. Amazing really and so beautiful, too.
I love when I discover something that surprises me. Learning about Snowshoe Thompson's history in this county was cool, but seeing this record song about him was ϋber cool. Produced as a promotional record by Capitol (Walt Disney Music Corp) it was written by Paul Mason Howard and Buddy Ebsen (in 1952). Yes, that Buddy Ebsen (Jed Clampett in the Beverly Hillbillies, the title character of Barnaby Jones and so much more). Wild right? And look who sang the tune... Tennessee Ernie sans the Ford part of his name. Oh man, I love museums.
In addition, we 'met' artist Walt Monroe (1881-1945) via his work displayed in the museum. This talented local boy was born in the mining town of Monitor, south of Markleeville. When he was 16, he had his first art exhibit at a hotel in Carson City, and was deemed "a genius in his way". Walt was a prolific artist, though canvas and other art supplies were non-existent in Markleeville at the time. If he didn't have canvas, he painted on wood, cardboard, tin, even pans and anything else he could get his hands on. The artist never married, perhaps because he was often on the road traveling, riding his motorcycle with a sidecar packed with clothing, canvas, paints and other art supplies. Doesn't he sound like a neat guy?


Neighboring town, Woodfords, holds title as the oldest non-native settlement in the entire region. It is rumored that Sam Brannan left supplies near a spring here in 1847 on his way to Salt Lake City, and Brannan Springs, as it was then called, was ideally positioned to take advantage of traffic on the booming road to California. After a brief period during which the settlement was known as Carey's Mills, the Woodfords name came into common usage following the establishment of an official post office near a hotel by Daniel Woodford in 1849. A post office opened in Carey's Mills in 1858, the name was changed to Woodfords in 1869, and was closed in 1914. The post office was re-established in 1962, only to close for good in 1974.
I was very intrigued by this scrapbook created by Josephine Steinger Falconer (1874-1958). Beginning in about 1912, she removed all the fabric pieces out of a large catalog of fabrics for men and affixed within it a variety of images. I had to know more. It turns out that beginning in 1894, "Scrapbook-making is one of the fads with which a coterie of women beguile leisure hours. A woman, in the early days of Mount Holyoke, is responsible for the innocent pastime, which is not without its permanent advantages. Long before photographs were even known, pictures (illustrations) were common. A schoolgirl, who is now a grandmother, began to save the flew illustrations of notables, historic landmarks and works of art that came in her way, and has continued the habit zealously. The pictures, beginning as they did fifty years ago, and continuing through the present era of generously illustrated tourist books and catalogues, magazines and newspapers, furnish an interesting history of illustrative art." Who knew?
An interesting component to this area's history is the impact of the Basque sheepherders. We have heard about their tree cravings or arborglyphs, yet this one on display was unique, carved within the already damaged part of a tree. As a matter-of-fact, the Basque artwork is perhaps the most studied of all arborglyphs. Basque immigrants left their native Pyrenees Mountains to work as shepherds throughout the western United States, beginning in the mid-19th century. Because their occupation would have them alone for months at a time in some of the most remote forests, they took to perfecting the art of tree carving -- leaving behind drawings and poetry delicately etched into the wood as living artifacts. I loved this one.
Steve is standing beside a Basque Bread Oven which was discovered in Hope Valley and moved to the historical complex, intact, by Karen's husband, Rick.
A tour of the Old Log Jail, narrated with Karen's enthusiasm, was so informative. After the county seat was moved from Silver Mountain City in 1872, a new jail was needed. This one was constructed from logs, with the builders using a mortise and tenon method. This was a special building method where the tenon "tongue" is joined into the mortise "hole" making this jail quite unique. In addition, it contains two iron cells that were originally at the Silver Mountain City jail. Oh the stories these walls could tell.

The Old Webster School House is a California Historic Point of Interest and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built by the local Markleeville residents in 1882 and was in use until 1929. Still on the walls are images drawn by a young Walt Monroe. And there is still a bullet hole in the chalkboard where a disgruntled student fired a shot at his teacher. History does repeat itself, sadly.

Karen also shared with us Captain Jim's Cave and his story. This Washo Chief and his tribe used this cave as a shelter in winter and as a ceremonial spot for their medicine man. In 1864, a new toll road was needed going from Markleeville to the booming mining camp of Silver Mountain. William A. Johnson, road superintendent for Carr & Co., not only had to pay Captain Jim to build there, but he lost his warm coat in the process. History really can be found everywhere.
No trip through a historical town is complete without a visit to the cemetery. Thankfully, Karen pointed the way.
Hidden on a hilltop, this small cemetery seems unpopulated until you look closer. Recently, a team scoured the grounds with a cadaver dog and found several 'missing' residents. The museum has a list, compiled by Karen, of twenty-two people known to have been buried in the cemetery with some details of their lives. Next time, we'll linger longer.


I felt for poor Arthur Chestnut. First they totally misspelled his name for all of eternity (Auther Chesnut), he apparently was a timber-cutter who died while rolling logs when a heavy log rolled over him, crushing him so severely that he died within five hours. Arthur was estimated to be between 38-42 years of age at the time of his death. A brother had predeceased him. Sadly, before his death he requested that his friends in Nova Scotia might be informed of the manner of his death, but the bystanders failed to obtain either names or locality of said friends. Man!

The road to Markleeville traverses Hope Valley so we delighted in Day #3 of Fall Colors. I will never tire of them.


This photo is probably my favorite! It screams GLEE to me. I am getting hugged by a tree. So sweet.