Monthly Archives: August 2026

A short anonymous letter from a former soldier gives a glimpse into life in California in 1850. I came across this letter in the Gold Rush Materials digital collection at the Bancroft Library, and was intrigued by its mystery. Who … Continue reading →

John R. Widener was born into slavery in 1856 in Missouri. When he was only a few months old, the man who claimed ownership of Widener’s family sold his father and took his mother and the baby, along with another … Continue reading →

Happy Birthday to California pioneer and Chico founder John Bidwell! John Bidwell was born on August 5, 1819 in Chautauqua County, New York, near the shores of Lake Erie. He rarely noted his birthday in his daily diary, but in … Continue reading →