Monthly Archives: October 2021

Halloween in Chico — 1899

“Last night being Halloween the Normal students cut up shamefully.” So wrote John Bidwell in his diary for November 1, 1899. What did those students get up to? The Chico Weekly Enterprise can tell us. Hearing that some of the … Continue reading

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Margaret Hecox Discovers Gold

Margaret Hecox came to California overland with her husband Adna and four children in 1846. It was a long and arduous journey, but at least they did not take the Hastings Cut-Off (as did the Donner Party). They met Lansford … Continue reading

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John Steele Goes Home

John Steele left California in June 1853, after almost three years as a gold miner. His intention was to land at Acapulco and journey to Mexico City, and then to the Gulf where he could take another ship to the … Continue reading

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John Steele’s Last California Adventure

On June 18, 1853, John Steele received a letter from an old friend, Edward D., who was studying at the University of Wisconsin (founded in 1848). Many of Steele’s friends had left the goldfields; he was feeling lonely and he … Continue reading

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John Steele and Slavery in California

In Camp and Cabin with John Steele — part 9 John Steele, young man from a small town in Wisconsin, enjoyed the diversity of people that he met in California. He encountered Mexicans and Chileans, native California Indians, Chinese, and … Continue reading

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John Steele Meets Joaquin Murrieta

In Camp and Cabin with John Steele — part 8 After vaccinating the Indian village near Coloma, John Steele left Downing’s Ravine to make a tour of the Southern Mines. He was always in search of information, and he wanted … Continue reading

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Frontier Justice in Placerville

In Camp and Cabin with John Steele — part 7 Steele met his share of desperadoes and lowlifes during his time in California. He tells of several men murdered in their tents for their gold. He worried about being a … Continue reading

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A Tale of Vaccination

In Camp and Cabin with John Steele — part 6 Early in the spring of 1852 John Steele left the diggings in northern California and set out to explore the coast region between San Francisco and Monterey. He met up … Continue reading

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Reading “In Camp and Cabin”

By the way, if you are enjoying these extracts from the account of John Steele, you can read it for yourself online. Free! The book is available at Google Play or at archive.org. Just search by title in the search … Continue reading

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The Pledge of a Temperance Man

In Camp and Cabin with John Steele — part 5 After leaving the mining camp of “Mr. Lawson” (Peter Lassen), John Steele and his buddy John Donnelley started back to Downieville by way of the American Ranch, where they knew … Continue reading

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