Author: Rick Rockwell
Forest City Schoolhouse: Sierra County’s 1874 Gold Rush School
The Forest City Schoolhouse stands on the hillside above Main Street, looking down on what was once one of Sierra County’s busiest Gold Rush mining towns. Built in 1874, it is one of the clearest reminders that Forest City was more than just a boomtown for miners and commerce. It also became home to hundreds …...
A Look at California’s First Thanksgiving Celebrations
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, when observers typically gather for food, family, gratitude, maybe a little football, and, if everything goes right, a well-earned food coma in front of the television. This day of feasting and giving thanks is rooted in tradition, but it has seen its share...
The Old Webster Schoolhouse: Alpine County’s historic and charming schoolhouse
The Old Webster Schoolhouse is a carefully restored and preserved late-19th-century schoolhouse that was built beginning in 1882 and used as a school from 1883 into the late 1920s. Also known as the Webster School House and the Markleeville Schoolhouse, this nearly 700-square-foot structure was built on a hilltop, overlooking the small...
Top 10 Haunted Cemeteries in California
Cemeteries are meant to be the final resting place for our dearly departed. A place for peace and serenity. Unfortunately, with some historic cemeteries, it seems that stories of restless spirits and displaced, disembodied souls seem all too eager to connect with the living. Are Cemeteries Haunted? The answer to this question comes down...
The Gable Mansion: Woodland’s historic home is a symbol of perseverance
The Gable Mansion, located in Woodland, was built in 1885 and is a classic example of 19th century Victorian Italianate architecture. The mansion’s romantic exterior and remarkable interior will surely astound even the least enthusiastic visitor. But, the most impressive aspect about this California Historical Landmark is how it...
Butte Store: The Last Remnant of Butte City
Along Highway 49 in Amador County, the Butte Store stands like a stubborn survivor from a California ghost town that almost completely vanished. The stone shell is not much more than four walls today, but those walls are one of the clearest reminders of Butte City, a once-promising Gold Rush settlement that grew near Jackson, …...
The SS Monte Carlo Uncovered: The Sin Ship’s legendary history
During the 1930’s a handful of ships, often thought to be under the control of the mob, dotted the Pacific Coast of California in effort to skirt State and Federal alcohol, gambling and prostitution laws. The S.S. Monte Carlo, one of these ships, was anchored off the coast of Long Beach and San Diego, was …...
The Bridgeport Covered Bridge: a National Landmark spanning the South Yuba River
The Bridgeport Covered Bridge has become a cherished landmark within Nevada County, California. It’s also recognized as a National Historic Landmark due to its remarkable condition, rare type of bridge, age and usefulness during California’s Gold Rush days. Founding of Bridgeport The location of Bridgeport was first established as a...
Bufano Peace Statue Monument: History and How to Visit Timber Cove’s Expanding Universe
Rising above the rocky Sonoma Coast behind Timber Cove Resort, the Bufano Peace Statue Monument is one of the strangest sights along this stretch of Highway 1. Tall, pale, and symbolic, it stands on a bluff above the Pacific with a story that is far more layered than a quick drive-by suggests. The monument is …...
The Church of the Immaculate Conception: Smartsville’s historic catholic church
As the years pass by, churches from the Gold Rush era are becoming harder to find. Many of the Gold Rush towns have faded into history with very few remnants, if any, to show of their existence. Yuba County’s Smartsville was one of the lucky towns to have survived Gold Country’s disappearing act. And, in their …...
