goldfields

Nancy Wiegman

This bookshelf is not my bookshelf. This Nancy is Nancy Wiegman, interviewer extraordinaire.

Back in November Nancy interviewed Steve Ferchaud and myself about our new picture book biography of John and Annie Bidwell, and also a bit about The Miner Poet: Poems of Pres Longley. Then when she went from a half-hour to an hour format, she brought me back in along with my daughter, Jean Leek Ping. Jean writes a blog — Howling Frog Books–about the the great variety books that she reads.

So here is a link to the podcast of the interview at mynspr.org. And here is a link to the books.

On May 19th the Bidwell-Bartleson Party started for California. John Bidwell, as secretary of the group, kept a journal. Later, while at Bodega Bay, he tidied up his journal entries and sent them back to a friend in Missouri, who had them printed as a guidebook. This is the source of the quotes in this and future entries.

Wednesday, 19th. This morning the wagons started off in single file; first the 4 carts and 1 small wagon of the missionaries, next 8 wagons drawn by mules and horses, and lastly, 5 wagons drawn by 17 yoke of oxen. It was the calculation of the company to move on slowly till the wagon of Chiles overtook us.

Our course was west, leaving the Kanzas no great distance to our left, we traveled in the valley of the river which was prairie excepting near the margin of the stream. The day was very warm and we stopped about noon, having traveled about 12 miles. (Bidwell-Bartleson Party, ed. by Doyce B. Nunis, p. 28-29)

The missionaries were led by Father Pierre Jean De Smet, a Belgian Jesuit who spent many years working among the American Indians. In 1841 he was on his way, with two other priests and three lay brothers, to minister to the Flathead Indians. He established St. Mary’s Mission on the Bitterroot River near Missoula, Montana. Bidwell described him as follows:

He was genial, of fine presence, and one of the saintliest men I have ever known, and I cannot wonder that the Indians were made to believe him divinely protected. He was a man of great kindness and great affability under all circumstances; nothing seemed to disturb his temper.(Echoes of the Past, p. 114)

More information on Father De Smet can be found in this article from Historic St. Mary’s Mission and Museum.

From A Journey to California, 1841, by John Bidwell:

May, Tuesday 18th 1841. Having waited at this place (2 miles W. of Kanzas river) 2 days, and all the Company being arrived, except those heretofore mentioned, the Company was convened for the purpose of electing a Captain and adopting rules of government of the Company; when T. H. Green was chosen President–and J. Bidwell, Secretary.

After the rules were read and adopted, J. Bartleson was elected Captain; it will be understood that Fitzpatrick was Capt. of the Missionary Company and pilot of the whole. Orders were given for the company to start in the morning, and the meeting was broken up.  (Bidwell-Bartleson Party, edited by Doyce B. Nunis, p. 28)

The Bidwell-Bartleson Party (as it is usually known today) was the first group of emigrants from the United States to make a planned overland journey to California. They left Missouri with the aim of reaching California. Half the group was persuaded to take the Oregon Trail to Oregon instead (which was the safer option), but Bidwell’s group, consisting of 32 men, one woman and her baby, maintained their determination to achieve their goal.

Bidwell and his friends traveled part of the way with Father Pierre Jean de Smet’s missionary party. They were lucky to have made this connection, because Father de Smet had hired a guide, Thomas Fitzpatrick, a man with many years experience in the Far West.

This has been a weekend full of Chico history events.

John Bidwell in 1850

Saturday morning I gave a talk at the Chico Museum on “Early Days at Rancho Chico,” all about John Bidwell’s activities during the 1850s. I crammed as much history as I could into 60 minutes, because there was so much to talk about. It was well attended — about 60 people came.

In the afternoon I took the tour, led by Dave Nopel, on “Rocks and Ruts.” We met at the Junction, where Broadway, Main, Park, 8th and 9th Streets all meet, and where the Humboldt Road begins. From there we followed the road through town, taking a jog around the freeway, and on up into the hills to see wagon ruts and rock walls. Along the way Dave, who “knows all there is to be knowed” about the Humboldt Wagon Road, told us about its origin and significance. He should know — he literally wrote the book about it, along with Marti Leicester.

It was a beautiful day to be looking at the foothills. At several places along the old Humboldt Road the ruts can be seen, worn into the soft lava cap by the iron rims of the wagon wheels. This was a route traversed by freight wagons, lumber wagons, and stagecoaches. The road never paid off for John Bidwell the way he hoped — the railroad took the shipping business that he was planning to send by this road to the mines in Nevada and Idaho. But it became a significant route for the lumber trade and for valley residents seeking relief from the hot summers in the mountains.

Wagon ruts can still be seen next to the paved Humboldt road in some places.

Butte County residents are familiar with the rock walls that can be seen along roads and in fields around Chico. These were built to fence in cattle, clear rocks out of fields, and keep cowboys busy during slow times. They are fine examples of the art of rock wall building and a part of our history. They will stand firm unless disturbed. Unfortunately, the rocks are steadily disappearing.

Folks, leave the rocks where they are! They are being stolen. A group called Respect the Walls is working to preserve this heritage by documenting and seeking protection for the walls. They have a website and a Facebook page. Please help them by not taking any more rocks.

A rock wall along the Humboldt Road, about half the height it should be.

Then today (Sunday) I took a tour of downtown Chico with Randy Taylor, sponsored by the Chico Heritage Association. Another great tour, focusing on the buildings — the ones that have changed, the ones that have stayed the same, and the ones that are gone — along Main Street and Broadway.

If you like historical tours it’s not too late. There is one of the South Campus neighborhood with John Gallardo on Saturday,May 28th at 1 p.m. Find out about the Language Houses and other residences next to the Chico State campus.

What was happening at Rancho Chico in the early 1850s? Who was here and what were they doing?

Find out when I interview Major John Bidwell at the Chico Museum on Saturday, May 14th. Enjoy the program at 10 a.m. and then stay to enjoy “Chico through Time,” an outstanding display all about Chico history. Your $5 admission gets you the program and museum entry.

John Bidwell is portrayed by Nick Anderson. I always enjoy working with Nick. Last month we went to Orland and talked to some 4th grade classes. This month we face a tougher audience — people who actually know something about Chico history!