Dangberg: Sights & Stories

In the decade that we have lived in South Lake Tahoe, I have mentioned Dangberg in 19 separate blogposts. It began when we met the director at the Valhalla Tahoe Gala in December 2012. We have been devotees ever since.

"Heinrich Friedrich Dangberg was only eighteen when he came to America in 1848. He came west in 1853, where he built a log cabin, cleared and irrigated his claim, and married Margaret Ferris, the daughter of a noted American family. A self-made man, his hard work, foresight and leadership lead to prosperity and influence. The cabin grew into a house as Heinrich and Maggie raised five children who inherited one of the largest ranches in western Nevada. In 1902, the family formed the Dangberg Land and Livestock Co. and over the next few decades the second generation expanded the family’s holdings to almost 50,000 acres supporting cattle and sheep production, along with vegetable crops and other products. In 1905, the family founded the town of Minden and there, in partnership with other ranchers, established several businesses focused on agriculture, banking and a hotel. Today, the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park preserves this essential chapter in Nevada’s history. Nevada’s elite once passed through the doors of the Dangberg Home Ranch, and now you’re invited to visit, too."

Driving to the historic home reminded me of a Cowboy version of Lion Country Safari. If you aren't familiar with that SoCal preserve of my childhood, here is an exceptional link. This was definitely a Cowboy traffic jam. So dang cute.
Laura joined me for Day 2 of memory making. We came to the Ranch to see graduates from last year's Chautauqua 101 Class portray three interesting, historical women.
Karen Dustman, historian/author/friend, was one of the performers.
First to transport us back in time (hence the black and white images) was Dorothea Phelan as Ysabel del Valle (1837–1905). Señora del Valle was a philanthropist, rancho owner, and the matriarch of a large Californio family. What the Señora angerly pointed out to us, which intrigued me, was the fact that she was the model for the unlikeable rancho matron character Señora Moreno in the popular 1884 novel Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson. The author had visited Rancho Camulos in her research for the book but the Dona was out that day so Ms. Jackson had to make her up (not to the Señora's liking). In addition, word got out and they were overrun with tourists demanding to see Ramona's room. I had absolutely no idea. We will add the Rancho to our list of must visit places. Dorothea really brought this story to life.
Karen introduced us to lovely Antoinette Chalmers who was first the housekeeper and then wife of mining promoter Lewis Chalmers. Lewis, in the 1870-1880s, was known by everyone in Alpine County and most of nearby Carson Valley. Karen's story was about a woman who was dealt some pretty devastating hands but was a survivor in the best way she could be. It was a tale of way more tragedies than happies. I left haunted by Antoinette. Well done Karen!
Cora Johnson portrayed the only woman, of the three, I had heard of... Hannah K. Clapp (1824-1908). Miss Clapp was many things: organizer of the first private school in Nevada; first instructor and librarian at the new University of Nevada; co-founder of Nevada’s first kindergarten; activist and feminist in education and women’s issues; and co-founder of Reno’s Twentieth Century Club. In addition, she was the winning bid to construct a fence around the State Capitol building, something no woman had ever done before. The fence is still there 147 years later. What a woman and so well imagined by Cora.

After spending the morning in the company of such exceptional women (alive and dead), I have to share Robert M. Pirsig's quote about how this form of history lesson was in its beginnings, "... Chautauquas that used to move across America, this America, an old-time series of popular talks intended to edify and entertain, improve the mind and bring culture and enlightenment to the ears and thoughts of the hearer." I would have to say Dorothea, Karen, and Cora have graduated from Chautauqua 101 with high honors.

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