Oh man, what a day of learning about our local history and just having a blast touring about!
We began our day at the spot where German immigrant Heinrich Friedrich Dangberg set down roots in 1857, predating Nevada’s statehood. During his first few years in America, Dangberg had a tireless work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit that no one could match. Though starting with just a few acres of land, it didn’t take long for Dangberg to acquire several hundred additional acres and 100 head of cattle, ultimately founding the Dangberg Land and Livestock Company. His ranch home was our first destination in history.
We were here to hear historian Larry Schmidt's presentation on Mark Twain at Lake Tahoe.In the fall of 1861, Samuel Clemens, later known as Mark Twain, visited Lake Tahoe with a friend, John Kinney, to explore the possibility of staking a timber claim. They hiked 11 miles from Carson City, Nevada, to the North Shore, drawn by the area's beauty and the potential for timber wealth. Their adventure, including the accidental start of a forest fire, later became material for his book Roughing It. Mr. Schmidt spent decades researching this Tahoe visit with the exact location eluding him. Eventually he discovered Twain's camp and has shared the exciting search with us. What a fantastic tale told by a wonderful storyteller. Wow.
Afterward, since it was Cindy's first visit to the Ranch, we toured the home's historic laundry room (left) and storehouse (right).I so appreciate that the Dangberg family kept EVERYTHING. There are more things to ogle than we had time for.Gertrude's Garden in full bloom demanded a pause.
Located only 44 miles from home, "Truckee is a place rich in history with a quaint downtown that hosts charming shops and superb restaurants set in authentic historic buildings. Recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Truckee proudly retains its historic roots. Named for a Paiute Indian chief who helped guide thousands of emigrants in their westward journey through 40-mile desert. Truckee is well known for its logging, ice manufacturing, the Emigrant Trail, as well as for the tragic expedition of the Donner Party."We meandered about, grabbed coffee, people-watched, and shopped at its quaint independent bookstore, Word After Word Books.
Our final destination was the Donner Memorial State Park for a special presentation, a great example of a public-private partnership between the Sierra State Parks Foundation, California State Parks Foundation, and Nevada County Library. So up my alley!
How could we miss this? "The Sierra is known for its railroad history. A lot is heard about the men who built the Central Pacific Railroad, but what about the women who stood beside them? Come hear the untold stories of these remarkable rail housewives and celebrate their enduring impact.""Debbie Hollingsworth pulls back the curtain of ‘his’tory revealing ‘her’story which rounds out the amazing endeavors required to build the Central Pacific Railroad."The construction of the Transcontinental Railroad involved many individuals, but six key figures, discussed tonight were: Theodore Judah, Collis Huntington, Leland Stanford, Mark Hopkins, Charles Crocker, and Edwin Crocker (whose home we visited Thursday).For a very entertaining hour, Ms. Hollingsworth shared with us the history of these men but more importantly their wives' role in their successes. Each of the six spouses epitomized the saying, "Behind every great man is a great woman." Fantastic!The history lesson, most current, was found at the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics- Squaw Valley.Steve and I toured this historic place with an expert, years ago. That blog post is here if you'd like to know more. It seemed the ideal place to end this 12 hour long history lesson.
“The only thing new in the world
is the history you do not know.”
– Harry S. Truman
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