Author Archives: nancyleek

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.

The Sensational Saga of Talbot H. Green

Posted on May 16, 2017 by nancyleek

San Francisco in 1851 was a booming, bustling place. Fortunes were made and lost daily. Men who had come to California with hardly a penny in their pockets rose to prominence, while others who had struck it rich in the … Continue reading →

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Sunday Morning in the Mines

Posted on May 7, 2017 by nancyleek

This being a Sunday morning, I’d like to share one of my favorite paintings with you: Sunday Morning in the Mines, by Charles Christian Nahl. It was painted in 1872, but harks back to the “Days of ’49.” The painting … Continue reading →

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A Piece of California History

Posted on May 4, 2017 by nancyleek

Who doesn’t like to see and hold in their hands a genuine piece of California history? Today I was lucky enough to see and admire the gold-headed walking stick that belonged to Joseph B. Chiles, one of the earliest American … Continue reading →

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Eureka!

Posted on May 1, 2017 by nancyleek

No, I haven’t struck gold. But I found something I’ve been looking for — an old episode of Death Valley Days. A year ago or so I found out that John Bidwell featured in the episode The Lady With the … Continue reading →

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The Mysterious Death of Peter Lassen — Part 3

Posted on April 28, 2017 by nancyleek

Whodunit? Lemericus Wyatt was quick to blame the Paiute Indians. The natives always made convenient and believable scapegoats. A man named Fred Kingsbury, whose father had been Peter Lassen’s partner, later pointed out that: When Indians kill they want something … Continue reading →

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The Mysterious Death of Peter Lassen — Part 2

Posted on April 27, 2017 by nancyleek

Peter Lassen (or Larsen, since his father’s name was Lars) was born near Copenhagen in 1800. He became a blacksmith. In 1830 he applied to the king for permission to immigrate, probably because the depressed European economy made it hard … Continue reading →

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The Mysterious Death of Peter Lassen

Posted on April 26, 2017 by nancyleek

On April 26, 1859 — 158 years ago — Peter Lassen was murdered at Black Rock Canyon in what is now Nevada. He had gone prospecting for silver with two men, Edward Clapper and Lamericus Wyatt. Clapper also lost his … Continue reading →

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The Liberty Bell Comes to Chico

Posted on April 20, 2017 by nancyleek

I read an article in the April 2017 issue of Smithsonian about the 1915 national tour of the Liberty Bell to promote war bonds (“Saved by the Bell” by Stephen Fried). Even though the U.S. had not yet entered World … Continue reading →

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Gold, Grizzlies, and Mexican Land Grants

Posted on April 18, 2017 by nancyleek

Take a trip back in time to hear John Bidwell recount his adventures in California. You’ll hear about gold mining, grizzly bears, and how he acquired a Mexican land grant. The year is 1858, and John Bidwell is 39 years … Continue reading →

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Costume Time

Posted on April 13, 2017 by nancyleek

Here’s the dress I spent a good part of two months working on— (actually half the time was on the underpinnings of the dress) We look serious because this is the 19th century, when no one smiled for photos 🙂 … Continue reading →

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