Knave - San Jose capitol - Tony Lavezzola - California history timeline - gold - Oakland Tribune - Sunday, September 6, 1959

California state capitol, timeline, Downieville, Lavezzola, gold, Sun, Sep 6, 1959 – 35 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com

ANYONE preparing a toast for next Wednesday's observance of California's 109th birthday anniversary can't afford to overlook San Jose, first capital of the state following the Constitutional Convention at Monterey in 1849. It was by a vote of 23 to 14 that the Monterey convention chose San Jose as California's capital. Here's the way Clyde Arbuckle, secretary of San Jose's Historic Landmarks Commission tells the story: "The San Jose delegates and lobbyists had done their work well. Now San Jose had only to provide a statehouse, which was not easy in a town that had no funds and was composed of tents, shanties and one-story adobes. Fortunately, two Frenchmen Pierre Sainsevain and Zepheryn Rochon [Other sources say this was Charles Roussillon, who perhaps had an alias "Rochon"? See bottom of this post for a transcription of the linked article. - MF] were building a two-story adobe which they intended to use as a hotel. It was 60 feet long by 40 feet wide, and located on the east side of the Plaza between San Fernando and San Antonio Streets. The San Jose authorities proposed to rent it as a capitol for $4,000 a month, but better counsel prevailed. It was bought outright for $34,000, the deal being financed by 19 public-spirited -citizens who gave their joint note for the money. In order, to secure their loan these citizens took a mortgage on certain public property known as pueblo lands. On Dec. 15, 1849, a little over a month after California's first general election, the first Legislature convened in this 'hotel statehouse.' But since the building was yet incomplete, only the assembly could find enough room in it. The Senate had to meet for a while in the dwelling of Isaac Branham at the southwest corner of the Plaza where San Jose's civic auditorium now stands.

Fall of 'Ten-Mile House' - Oakland Tribune - Sunday, February 25, 1945

Fall of "Ten-Mile House" Between Marysville and Downieville, the old 'Downieville Trail' Sun, Feb 25, 1945 – Page 17 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com

Fall of 'Ten-Mile House'

"While living at Marysville years ago," says John W. Winkley, "I had often noticed an old tavern on the Browns Valley Road. It stood stark and lone on the wide, treeless plain. It was known as 'The Ten-Mile House,' [see next article, below - MF] as I remember, though I may be mistaken as to the number of the mile posts. The old building in dilapidated condition, had a broad portico or 'port-cochere' extending over a roadway, where the old-time stages could stop and discharge passengers under cover. I seem to recollect that when first I saw the place someone was still living there, though I don't know how he could have made a living unless as a sheep-herder. Then came a great storm and the old structure collapsed. It lay prone upon the ground for some time, slowly vanishing, as I suppose people carried timbers and boards away. At length the spot was bare, and some weeks ago as I passed along that road I could not decide where the old tavern had stood. This road was once part of the old 'Downieville Trail' of the gold '50's, and multitudes of miners passed this way. The fall of the 'Ten-Mile House' was typical of the dissolution of hundreds of old California 'hotels,' 'inns' or 'taverns.' Only a few remain. On this stretch of the old road were: Galena House, Empire House, Peoria House, Sixteen-Mile House, Yuba County House, Stanfield House, Abbott House, Martin House, Phillips House, Zinc House, Bowers Place, Comstock Place, and by way of Indiana Ranch, Maple Springs and Greenville Village to Foster's Bar on the Yuba River. All prospered during the days of gold, but now have mostly disappeared."

Quaint Johnsville - Oakland Tribune - Sunday, September 15, 1957

Quaint Johnsville Sun, Sep 15, 1957 – 61 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com

Quaint Johnsville 

The Knave: Last week with a friend, Dean Shane of San Jose, I drove up Route 101 to Eureka and Arcata, then over the range to Willow Creek, down Trinity River to Weitchpec and up the Klamath River to old Orleans Bar. The weather was perfect for color pictures. From Orleans we retraced our way to Willow Creek and up the Trinity to Weaverville, then east to old Shasta City, Redding and Burney Falls. These falls are among the most beautiful in California. Thence we proceeded to Lassen Park, Truckee, Lake Tahoe, and home by Donner Summit. One of the most interesting stops was at the old town of Johnsville a few miles west of Mohawk on Route 89. Here is one of the best preserved old towns of the gold mining days in the high Sierra. Apparently the town never had a bad fire, and the original buildings stand in quaint formation along the main street Along about 1870 John Parrott bought up the old mines of the Plumas-Eureka, Mammoth, Washington, and Rough and Ready, but soon afterward sold them to the Sierra Buttes Company of London. This company, in 1876, laid out the town of Johnsville on Jamison Creek, about two miles from Jamison on the same creek which had been settled in 1853. All along Jamison Creek are evidences of quartz mills, arrastras, mine shafts and placer diggings. The mines around Johnsville have long been closed, but a few families still live at the old town in rejuvenated houses. Presumably, they work in lumbering or Highway service. Among the old buildings in Johnsville is an old frame hotel, an ancient firehouse, a general store, and a number of dwellings. The old hotel had a balcony around three sides of the structure, part of which had fallen to the ground. The old firehouse and store across the street stand in lonely decrepitude. Someone still operates the old store upon which are nailed a number of amusing placards. These were probably collected from other buildings and placed on the front wall of the store. Here are some of the quaint sayings: "Mr. Lee is an open book with blank pages." "You-ens are welcome." "Whatever isn't growing wears out" "It ain't the fustest, its the mostest which counts mostest" "Please don't go away mad." "For sale - no fire water." And, "I love two legged ears." There is a quiet, somnolent atmosphere about the old town that soothes a modern man's tensions and welcomes rest. - John W. Winkley.

WEEKEND WALK - Oakland Tribune - Saturday, May 24, 1969

1969 May 24th Redwood walk and history Sat, May 24, 1969 – Page 23 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com

WEEKEND WALK 

Redwood Canyon Cool, Alluring

By DON and PHILA WITHERELL 

Breezy ridges, broadleaf forests and a cool canyon filled with ferns and redwoods are among the diverse delights which await the hiker in Redwood Regional Park. The park, located in the hills east of Oakland, has an interesting history and a network of well-marked trails to satisfy the most discriminating weekend walker.

A WANDERING CLUB. - The San Francisco Call - 28 Oct 1896, Wed - Page 14

Wed, Oct 28, 1896 – Page 14 · The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com

WANDERING CLUB. 

The Latest Addition to the City Cycling Organizations. 

The latest entry to the circle of local cycling clubs is the Wanderers, which organized on October 16. The membership is limited to twenty and clubrooms have been established at Nineteenth and Guerrero streets.

The club is made up of enthusiastic wheelmen who don't care to scorch, who won't stick to well-known roads, however good, but who like to roam from place to place whenever a reasonable good road stretches before them, caring little for place, time or distinction, and only looking for a new place to drive their wheels. For this reason they have adopted the name of "Wanderers."

The officers so far elected are T. B. Bailey, president and captain; Harry Thompson, first lieutenant; Albert Smith, secretary and treasurer; executive committee —A. Haughton, W. Schaumleffel and H. Thompson; sergeant-at-arms, Charles Krueger. An emblem has not yet been adopted, but it has been thought that a comet would most fittingly typify the proclivities of the club and its members.

WITH THE WHEELMEN. - San Francisco Chronicle - 05 Jan 1895, Sat - Page 12

WITH THE WHEELMEN. Emblems Imperial Cycling Club emblem is the shape of a royal crown Sat, Jan 5, 1895 – Page 12 · San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, San Francisco, California) · Newspapers.com

WITH THE WHEELMEN.
First Road Race of the Year Scheduled.
Garden City Cyclers Issue a Challenge.
The Bay City Club's Crack Kindergarten - Gossip Around the Headquarters.
Next month the annual twenty-five mile road race of the California Associated Cycling Clubs is to be held, and already the racers are talking about what handicap they will receive. This will be the first attempt of Robert A. Smyth, the new Coast handicapper.

LOGGING IN THE REDWOODS. - Santa Cruz Weekly Sentinel - 13 Jun 1874, Sat - Page 1

LOGGING IN THE REDWOODS. Sat, Jun 13, 1874 – Page 1 · Santa Cruz Weekly Sentinel (Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California) · Newspapers.com

LOGGING IN THE REDWOODS

How the Timber is Felled, Cut-up and Sold.

A LAUREL TRACK RAILWAY!

How to Mark an Accomplished Chopper.
A Graphic Sketch of a California Forest.

Real Estate Reporter June 6th. 
McClutchem, the millionaire, and Donahue, the hodman, both have houses of the same material here - that is, redwood - the only difference being in the size and architecture of the dwellings. As the admiring Eastern Visitor says, nowhere in the world is so much made of wood as here in California. Our blocks of fine, and even magnificent dwellings, with a stone nowhere but in the foundation, are always a source of wonder to the Eastern man aforesaid, in whose mind wood and cheapness have become associated as synonyms. What Californian [sic] would do without her redwoods, it is hard to conceive. But it is a problem that must face her before a great many years. Her supply is not by any means inexhaustible, as the tree grows along the Coast only, in a strip extending from the Bay of Monterey close to the Oregon line.

Eastbay District Has Many Sites For Outings - Oakland Tribune - 03 Jun 1923, Sun - Page 37

Eastbay District Has Many Sites For Outings Sun, Jun 3, 1923 – Page 37 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com

Eastbay District Has Many Sites For Outings 

Not all families in the Eastbay are going to be able to make either the seashore or the Sierra on their vacations this summer. Even the comparatively inexpensive Russian river trip will be taboo to some who must content themselves with a few days' camping in localities only a few miles from home. To these who have camp outfits, there will be an opportunity to rusticate close to nature in country near home quite as enjoyably as though transferred to the high mountain country.

Mt. Tamalpais February 1, 1885

Joe Breeze brought this to my attention, a while ago. Mill Valley Library has the East Peak register. The first bike entry within is from Feb 1, 1885.  They most likely rode up the brand new Eldridge Grade, and were no doubt on ordinaries, or high-wheel bikes. I imagine there wasn't a lot of easy riding, in either direction. 

Sunday, February 1st 1885
Left Tamalpais Stn. 9 A. M. arrived on
summit 11.55, pretty hard work as trail
was not very dry. Weather foggy and windy
Good lunch and plenty of drink in store for us
when we get through with this.
C. T. Morrison
W. E. Nachtrieb
Member of the Nemean Club and Bay City Wheelmen
Would like to meet E. K. Knowlton on one of his many trips to this popular Summit Resort
Will ride down the new road on our bicycles as soon as weather is settled.

What did bicycle riders in the 1890s drink? Not much. And weird things.

What did bicycle riders in the 1890s drink? Turns out, not much. And when they did drink, they drank weird things. They were afraid of water, actually. Makes sense, water quality was hit or miss, especially in the places where they might ride. More below.

DON'TS FOR RIDERS Some Suggestion Dropped by Champion Zimmerman Sun, May 3, 1896 – Page 23 · The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America) · Newspapers.com

DON'TS FOR RIDERS 

Some Suggestions Dropped by Champion Zimmerman. 

A City Of Cars - article about San Francisco's "Carville" - Pearson’s Magazine v5, #29, May 1898

Pearson’s Magazine v5, #29, May 1898 (England)

I recently wrote a post about "Wheelmen's Rest" and "Carville". I'd heard about Carville before - the little community out in the dunes of west San Francisco where the old horse-drawn trolleys from cities around the bay were abandoned, after the switch to electric cars, used as living quarters and vacation houses. This is near today's Beach Chalet and the west end of Golden Gate Park and the Zoo. I saw a few pages from Pearson's Magazine, an English magazine, on ebay, titled "A City of Cars" about Carville, and I hadn't seen these pictures or words in my internet searches, so I bought them and scanned them. Here they are. Carville thrived as a community, until it was burned on July 4th, 1913 to make way for developed housing. I'm a bit less interested in cable cars and San Francisco infrastructure, but maybe you are more interested in those things, or the view English people had of San Francisco in the 19th century. Merriden Howard wrote for various publications at the time. Outside Lands has a great post about Carville and a podcast episode about Cycler's Rest, near Carville.