California Registered Historical Landmark No. 390 Bridgeport (Nyes Crossing) Covered Bridge
NO. 1012 FIRST
MANUFACTURING SITE OF THE PELTON WHEEL -
The Pelton Water Wheel, first
commercially manufactured here at George
Allan's Foundry and Machine Works in
1879, was a major advancement in water
power utilization and greatly advanced
hard-rock mining. Its unique feature was
a series of paired buckets, shaped like
bowls of spoons and separated by a
splitter, that divided the incoming
water jets into two parts. By the late
1800s, the Pelton Wheels were providing
energy to operate industrial machinery
throughout the world. In 1888, Lester
Pelton moved his business to San
Francisco, but granted continuing
manufacturing rights to Allan's Foundry,
where the wheels were manufactured into
the early 1900s.
Address: 325 Spring St, Nevada City
USGS Quadrangle Sheet Name: NEVADA CITY
NO. 134 DONNER MONUMENT (or)
PIONEER MONUMENT - Commemorates the
ill-fated Donner party of
California-bound emigrants, who wintered
here in 1846-1847, many died of exposure
and starvation.
Address: Donner Memorial State Park, Old
Hwy 40 at I-80 and Truckee exit, Truckee
USGS Quadrangle Sheet Name: TRUCKEE
NO. 247 THE WORLD'S FIRST
LONG-DISTANCE TELEPHONE LINE - The first
long-distance telephone in the world,
built in 1877 by the Ridge Telephone
Company, connected French Corral with
French Lake, 58 miles away. It was
operated by the Milton Mining Company
from a building on this site that had
been erected about 1853.
Address: On Pleasant Valley Rd, in
center of community of French Corral
NO. 292 HOME OF LOLA MONTEZ
- Lola was born in Limerick, Ireland on
July 3, 1818, as Maria Dolores Eliza
Rosanna Gilbert. After living in England
and on the continent, Lola came to New
York in 1851 and settled in Grass Valley
in 1852. It was here she built the only
home she ever owned and became friends
with Lotta Crabtree, who lived up the
street. Lola died January 17, 1861 and
was buried in Greenwood Cemetery, New
York.
Address: 248 Mill St, Grass Valley
USGS Quadrangle Sheet Name: GRASS VALLEY
NO. 293 HOME OF LOTTA
CRABTREE - Lotta Crabtree was born in
New York in 1847. In 1852-3 the gold
fever brought her family to California.
Several months after arriving in San
Francisco, Mrs. Crabtree and Lotta went
to Grass Valley and with Mr. Crabtree
started a boarding house for miners. It
was here that Lotta met Lola Montez, who
taught her to sing and dance. In Scales,
Plumas County, Lotta made her first
public appearance, which led to a
successful career on stage here and
abroad.
Address: 238 Mill St, Grass Valley
USGS Quadrangle Sheet Name: GRASS VALLEY
NO. 294 THE LITTLE TOWN OF ROUGH AND
READY - Established in 1849 and named in
honor of General Zachary Taylor, after
the Rough and Ready Company of miners
from Wisconsin, this was one of the
principal towns of Nevada County. In
1850, articles of secession were drawn
up establishing the 'Republic of Rough
and Ready.' As a result of disastrous
fires, only a few structures remain
today that were built in the 1850s.
Address: NE corner of State Hwy 20 and
Mountain Rose Rd, Rough and Ready
NO. 297 SITE OF ONE OF THE FIRST
DISCOVERIES OF QUARTZ GOLD IN CALIFORNIA
- This t commemorates the discovery of
gold-bearing quartz and the beginning of
quartz mining in California. The
discovery was made on Gold Hill by
George Knight in October 1850. The
occurrence of gold-bearing quartz was
undoubtedly noted here and elsewhere
about the same time or even earlier, but
this discovery created the great
excitement that started the development
of quartz mining into a great industry.
The Gold Hill Mine is credited with a
total production of $4,000,000 between
1850 and 1857.
Address: SW corner of Jenkins St and
Hocking Ave, Grass Valley
NO. 298 EMPIRE MINE - The Empire Mine
was originally located by George D.
Roberts in October 1850. In the spring
of 1854, the Empire Mining Company was
incorporated and in 1865 new works,
including a 30-stamp mill, were erected.
In 1869 Wm. B. Bourn, Sr. purchased the
Empire, when he died, Wm. B. Bourn, Jr.
took over its management. The Empire was
in constant operation from 1850 to the
late 1950s.
Address: Empire Mine State Historic
Park, 10791 Empire St, 1.2 mi E of Grass
Valley
USGS Quadrangle Sheet Name: GRASS VALLEY
NO. 390 BRIDGEPORT (NYES CROSSING)
COVERED BRIDGE - Built in 1862 by David
Isaac John Wood with lumber from his
mill in Sierra County, this bridge was
part of the Virginia Turnpike Company
toll road which served the northern
mines and the busy Nevada Comstock Lode.
Utilizing a combination truss and arch
construction, it is one of the oldest
housed spans in the west and the longest
single-span wood-covered bridge in the
United States.
Address: W side of Pleasant Valley Rd at
S Fork of the Yuba River 2.7 mi S of
French Corral
USGS Quadrangle Sheet Name: FRENCH
CORRAL
NO. 628 ALPHA HYDRAULIC DIGGINGS - One
mile north of here were the towns of
Alpha and Omega, named by gold miners in
the early 1850s. The tremendous
hydraulic diggings, visible from near
this point, engulfed most of the
original townsites. Alpha was the
birthplace of famed opera singer Emma
Nevada. Mining at Omega continued until
1949, and lumbering operations are
carried on there today (1958).
Address: Omega Rest Area, Hwy 20 (P.M.
35. 7), 6 mi E of Washington Rd,
Washington
NO. 629 OMEGA HYDRAULIC DIGGINGS AND
TOWNSITE - One mile north of here were
the towns of Alpha and Omega, named by
gold miners in the early 1850s. The
tremendous hydraulic diggings, visible
from near this point, engulfed most of
the original townsites. Alpha was the
birthplace of famed opera singer Emma
Nevada. Mining at Omega continued until
1949, and lumbering operations are
carried on there today (1958).
Address: Omega Rest Area, Hwy 20 (P.M.
35. 7), 6 mi E of Washington Rd,
Washington
NO. 780-6 FIRST TRANSCONTINENTAL
RAILROAD-TRUCKEE - While construction on
Sierra tunnels delayed Central Pacific,
advance forces at Truckee began building
40 miles of track east and west of
Truckee, moving supplies by wagon and
sled, and Summit Tunnel was opened in
December 1867. The line reached Truckee
April 3, 1868, the Sierra was conquered.
Rails reached Reno June 19, and
construction advanced eastward toward
the meeting with Union Pacific at the
rate of one mile daily. On May 10, 1869,
the rails met at Promontory (Utah) to
complete the first transcontinental
railroad.
Address: SP Depot, 70 Donner Pass Rd,
Truckee
NO. 799-3 OVERLAND EMIGRANT TRAIL - Over
a hundred years ago, this trail
resounded to creaking wheels of pioneer
wagons and the cries of hardy travelers
on their way to the gold fields. It is
estimated that over thirty thousand
people used this trail in 1849. About a
mile and a quarter east of this site is
Johnson's Crossing, the last stop on the
Overland Emigrant Trail and first
settlement west of the Sierra. It was
used by pioneers, miners, trappers,
herdsmen, and adventurers, rescuers of
the Donner Party assembled here to begin
their mission on February 5, 1847.
Address: On Spencerville Rd, 3.9 mi E of
State Hwy 65, Wheatland
NO. 832 SOUTH YUBA CANAL OFFICE - This
was the headquarters for the largest
network of water flumes and ditches in
the state. The South Yuba Canal Water
Company was the first incorporated to
supply water for hydraulic mining. The
original ditch was in use in May 1850,
and this company office was in use from
1857 to 1880. The company's holdings
later became part of the vast PG&E
hydroelectric system.
Address: 134 Main St, Nevada City
USGS Quadrangle Sheet Name: NEVADA CITY
NO. 843 NORTH STAR MINE POWERHOUSE - The
North Star Powerhouse, built by A. D.
Foote in 1895, was the first complete
plant of its kind. Compressed air,
generated by Pelton water wheels,
furnished power for the entire mine
operation. The 30-foot Pelton wheel was
the largest in the world, and was in
continuous use for over 30 years.
Address: Mining and Pelton Wheel Museum,
S Mill at Allison Ranch Rd, Grass Valley
USGS Quadrangle Sheet Name: CHESTER 15
NO. 852 NORTH BLOOMFIELD MINING AND
GRAVEL COMPANY - This was a major
hydraulic gold-mining operation in
California. It boasted a vast system of
canals and flumes, its 7,800-foot
drainage tunnel was termed a feat of
engineering skill. It was the principal
defendant in an anti-debris lawsuit
settled in 1884 by Judge Lorenzo
Sawyer's famous decision, which created
control that virtually ended hydraulic
mining in California.
Address: Malakoff Diggins State Historic
Park, 16 mi E of State Hwy 49 on Tyler
Foote Crossing Rd, plaque located in
park diggins overlook, 28 mi N of Nevada
City
NO. 855 MOUNT SAINT MARY'S CONVENT AND
ACADEMY - Built by Reverend Thomas J.
Dalton, the Sacred Heart Convent and
Holy Angels Orphanage was dedicated May
2, 1865 by Bishop Eugene O'Connell.
Under the Sisters of Mercy, it served
from 1866 to 1932 as the first orphanage
of the Northern Mines. It functioned as
an academy from 1868 to 1965 and as a
convent from 1866 to 1968.
Address: S Church St between Chapel and
Dalton Sts, Grass Valley
USGS Quadrangle Sheet Name: GRASS VALLEY
NO. 863 NEVADA THEATRE - California's
oldest existing structure erected as a
theater, the Nevada, opened September 9,
1865. Celebrities such as Mark Twain,
Jack London, and Emma Nevada have
appeared on its stage. Closed in 1957,
the theatre was later purchased through
public donations and reopened May 17,
1968 to again serve the cultural needs
of the community.
Address: 401 Broad St, Nevada City
USGS Quadrangle Sheet Name: NEVADA CITY
NO. 899 NATIONAL HOTEL - The National
Exchange Hotel opened for business on
August 20, 1856, the exterior is
virtually unchanged since its
construction as three brick buildings in
1856. The National is one of the oldest
continuously operating hotels west of
the Rockies.
Address: 211 Broad St, Nevada City
USGS Quadrangle Sheet Name: NEVADA CITY
NO. 914 HOLBROOKE HOTEL - The hotel was
built in 1862 around the Golden Gate
Saloon, originally constructed in 1852
and the oldest continuously operating
saloon in the Mother Lode region. The
hotel's one-story fieldstone and brick
construction is an outstanding example
of mid-19th century Mother Lode masonry
structures.
Address: 212 W Main St, Grass Valley
USGS Quadrangle Sheet Name: GRASS VALLEY