Category Archives: Uncategorized

How to Write a Constitution, According to the Wasp

More cartoons! 1889 was the year that North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, and Montana all were admitted to the Union. And here we have those four fair ladies, sitting down to write their state constitutions. Columbia, on the right, is … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Scandalous Saga of Cartoons

The Wasp delighted in lampooning the Sharon trial in cartoons. There were far more than it is worth showing here. So — one more cartoon, probably the last, showing what the principal players would look like if the trial dragged … Continue reading →

Posted in Sharon v. Hill, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Allie and Judge Sullivan

“The trial of Althea’s divorce suit began in March of 1884, without a jury, before Judge Jeremiah Sullivan of the superior court of San Francisco. It continued, off and on, until September. In court, Althea told her story with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Sharon v. Hill, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Wasp Loved a Juicy Scandal

And there was none juicer in 1880s San Francisco than the case of Sharon v. Sharon, which pitted elderly millionaire William Sharon against his mistress/wife (take your pick) Sarah Althea Hill. I wrote about this Scandalous Saga last year and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Sacramento History Tours

The Sacramento History Museum has some fun and short video tours you can enjoy during this time of confinement. The museum is closed, and they probably don’t encourage you wandering around the streets of Old Sacramento, but there are still … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

The Pacific Tourist — 1881

Take a ride on the Union and Central Pacific Railroads! This series of guidebooks told you everything you needed to know as you rode the train across the continent, bound for California. Once you got to the Golden State, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

California Wants a Canal

I like these cartoons that feature California as a goddess in all her glory, so here is another one. This one shows California looking peeved. What has her so exasperated? The caption reads: A YEAR OF PLENTY: California — What … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, Wasp | Leave a comment

The Death of General Bidwell

The following account was written for Annie Bidwell by one of her maids, Florence, who had gone with General Bidwell on the morning of April 4, 1900. I don’t know Florence’s last name. The account can be found in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Wasp

Looking for an entertaining and historical way to spend a few hours? Time will fly while you peruse the pages of The Wasp, San Francisco’s premier satiric periodical, digitized by the California State Library and available online at the Internet … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Thomas Bidwell — The Rest of the Story

Thomas Bidwell kept up his correspondence with his brother, John Bidwell, from St. John’s College through 1854. Some of the letters were written in Spanish, as an exercise in improving his language skills. He wasn’t quite sure what to do … Continue reading →

Posted in Thomas Bidwell, Uncategorized | Leave a comment