Author Archives: nancyleek

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About nancyleek

Nancy is a retired librarian who lives in Chico, California. She is the author of John Bidwell: The Adventurous Life of a California Pioneer.

500 Gallons of Wine

What is a man who has just married a temperance wife to do with five hundred gallons of “superior wine”? That was John Bidwell’s dilemma and here is his solution. Bidwell had never been a drinking man, and once he … Continue reading

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The Art of John Frederick Holtzman

Writing about Bidwell’s old adobe house a few months ago, I posted this picture of Bidwell Mansion, which shows the adobe on the left-hand side and Bidwell Mansion in the center. At the time I said it was an “undated … Continue reading

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Heat and Humbugs

I have been reading with enjoyment the Gold Rush diary of Dr. Israel Shipman Pelton Lord (his parents didn’t stint on the names for their son). For sharp observations and colorful descriptions he can’t be beat. Born in Connecticut in … Continue reading

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Happy 4th of July!

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Dame Shirley’s Fourth of July

In 1852, from her log cabin at Indian Bar on the Feather River, Dame Shirley (Louise Clappe) wrote about a 4th of July celebration across the river at Rich Bar. She had the honor of making a flag, of white … Continue reading

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Gold on the Feather River — June 24, 1848

In late May and early June of 1848 John Bidwell was prospecting for gold on the Feather River. He had already found some gold, but he hadn’t yet found rich diggings. The search continued until he struck pay dirt on … Continue reading

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Black Bart Robs Again

On this date — June 21 — in 1879 the notorious stage robber Black Bart held up a stage coach near Forbestown in Butte County. It was his first robbery in the year 1879 and his ninth robbery since he … Continue reading

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A Tale for Juneteenth

Black slavery in the United States did not disappear as soon as Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, nor did it end with the defeat of the Confederacy and the end of the American Civil War … Continue reading

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Beautiful Lake Oroville

Lake Oroville is full to the brim. If you are one of my readers living in Butte County, you already know this. If you are elsewhere I hope you will enjoy seeing the change. Yesterday I went with my husband … Continue reading

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Madam Pantaloons

Last month I was at the Paradise Chocolate Fest, on Authors’ Row, sharing a table and selling books with ANCHR. There I met another author and I liked the look of her book so much I bought a copy. The … Continue reading

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