Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Trees of Bidwell Park

Posted on January 7, 2020 by nancyleek

I went to ABC Books (on Mangrove Ave. in Chico) yesterday and bought a copy of The Trees of Bidwell Park, written by Roger J. Lederer and illustrated in color by Carol E. Burt. (I encourage you to buy local … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

When the Russians Left California

Posted on January 6, 2020 by nancyleek

In 1841 the Russian-American Fur Company decided to leave California. They sold their holdings — lock, stock, and barrel — to John Sutter. The contract was signed in December, 1841, not long after John Bidwell arrived at Sutter’s Fort. Sutter … Continue reading →

Posted in Fort Ross, John Sutter, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

A Trip to Fort Ross on the Penultimate Day of 2019

Posted on January 1, 2020 by nancyleek

Last Monday I took a trip up the California coast to Fort Ross with some family members. Our #2 son and his family live in the Midwest; his wife was born in Russia. They were in California visiting us for … Continue reading →

Posted in Fort Ross, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Christmas with the Bidwells 2019

Posted on December 24, 2019 by nancyleek

The Bidwell Mansion Association celebrated “Christmas with the Bidwells” on December 6th with delicious holiday treats, live music, and a vignette inside Bidwell Mansion. In the vignette, Mrs. Swasey (LaShona Haskell), William Swasey (Mike Swann), John Bidwell (Nick Anderson) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Casaba melon, Christmas, Uncategorized, William F. Swasey | Leave a comment

Pres Longley’s Christmas Column

Posted on December 23, 2019 by nancyleek

Pres Longley, the “Bard of Butte,” wrote many columns and poems for the newspapers. This column appeared in the Weekly Butte Record on December 26th, 1868. It’s lengthy, so I am just going to give you the beginning, and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Pres Longley, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Real John Bull Plum Pudding

Posted on December 4, 2019 by nancyleek

The cook at Sutter’s Fort, an Englishman, promised he could produce a Christmas dinner “that would rival Delmonico’s best efforts.” (Delmonico’s Restaurant in New York City being the epitome of fine dining.) He also promised to top off the whole … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Pioneer Repast

Posted on December 2, 2019 by nancyleek

If you were living at Sutter’s Fort in 1845, before the Gold Rush, what was available for you to eat? Would you enjoy lots of good foodstuffs, or a limited diet? It could be both, depending on the time of … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Leader in Public Service in Butte County

Posted on November 23, 2019 by nancyleek

In a fascinating article in Diggin’s, the quarterly of the Butte County Historical Society, Nancy Brower tells the story of three pioneering women in local politics: Minnie Abrams, Mattie Lund, and Florence Danforth Boyle. She writes: Most people are startled … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Our American Stories and Me

Posted on November 18, 2019 by nancyleek

I’m on the radio! And you can listen to me right here! You can hear me (and a couple of other people) talking about real pioneer woman Nancy Kelsey on Our American Stories. In addition to true stories from American … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The First Newspapers in California

Posted on November 11, 2019 by nancyleek

On November 11, 1848, the last issue of the first newspaper to appear in California was published.  The Californian had begun life in August 1846 under the editorship of Walter Colton and Robert Semple in Monterey. By the fall of … Continue reading →

Posted in Edward Kemble, Uncategorized | Leave a comment