Tours and Topics for Venues on School Days

--Bakery: Diane Mifflin, Louise Kirk
The bakery is an activity spot. The children will have the opportunity to work with dough and learn about different opportunities from women in California. With a predominately male society early in the rush, many women found financial opportunities not available in the place from which they came. The “Sole Trader Act” is passed by the legislature in 1852 and allows married women to own property individually of their husbands. Ensure that the children understand that up until this point no other state in the United States allowed this. Once you were married your husband owned your business.

--American Hotel: Susie Webb
The hotel is an activity spot. The children will have the opportunity to work with aspects of cooking, sleeping and about different opportunities for women in California. With a predominately male society early in the rush, many women found financial opportunities not available in the place from which they came. The “Sole Trader Act” is passed by the legislature in 1852 and allows married women to own property individually of their husbands. Ensure that the children understand that up until this point no other state in the United States allowed this. Once you were married your husband owned your business.

--Laundry: Sandy Tanhouser
The laundry is an activity spot. The children will have to opportunity to learn how laundry was done and soap was made and learn about different opportunities for women in California. With a predominately male society early in the rush, many women found financial opportunities not available in the place from which they came. The “Sole Trader Act” is passed by the legislature in 1852 and allows married women to own property individually of their husbands. Ensure that the children understand that up until this point no other state in the United States allowed this. Once you were married your husband owned your business.

--Blacksmith: Biscuits (Dennis Brehm)
The Blacksmith is a demonstration stop. The children will have the opportunity to learn about the production of tools and implements for mining without factories to produce them and the rapid industrial development of California. As California grew fast, many services and goods were not available. These holes were filled quickly as people learned that it was easier to make money at their old trades than mine for gold. Often times these trades were worth more than the gold itself.

--Tinsmith: Bill Brown
The Tinsmith is a demonstration stop. The children will have the opportunity to learn about the methods of producing goods in an area with no factories and the rapid industrial development of California. As California grew fast, many services and goods were not available. These holes were filled quickly as people learned that it was easier to make money at their old trades than mine for gold. Often times these trades were worth more than the gold itself.

--Californios (foreign): Delfina and Francisco Garcia
This stop gives the children a “foreign” view of the mines and society. The children will have the opportunity learn about the various people who came to California and review aspects of Mexican California. Californios had been here prior to the Gold Rush. These people had to get used to the way that Americans governed themselves which was radically different than the Mexican style. The Californios struggled to fit it, but the Foreign Miners Tax of 1850 was introduced to target Latinos. In 1852 a second Foreign Miner’s Tax was established to target the Chinese, but was indiscriminate in its application. Californios often found themselves foreigners in their own land.

--Saloon (Yankee):
This stop will present the “pro-American” view point of foreigners and society. The children will have the opportunity learn about the various people who came to California and review aspects of Mexican California. California grew in population rapidly with the Gold Rush. This is now an American State and fought for and won fair and square. It is felt that Americans own the gold in the ground and any foreigner can dig for it as long as it is “paid for.” The military was ineffective in dealing with civil issues and with the growth of California dictated the need for civil law and Statehood, equality is the hallmark of the American way.

--Overland Route (two stations):
Travel to California was very difficult. Coming overland would take months and require certain provisions that would not spoil. There were mountains and deserts to deal with, great unknown lands to cross and disease that were great obstacles to success. This stop will give the children information on these aspects of the journey.

--Panama and Nicaragua Route (two stations): Barbara Anderson (House); Terry Melau Physcian
Travel to California was very difficult. Taking the Panama or Nicaragua route was supposed to save time. Early on, it often took longer than expected because ships were not always available on the Pacific side. The land was dense with tropical forests (Jungle is a modern term) rife with disease, many died on the route. Many times, the people (mostly Americans) providing services swindled travelers who were desperate and far from the security of home or escape. A railroad had been started in Panama by 1852.
Barbara portrays Eliza Ann Tomlinson who came to California by way of ship, crossed the Isthumus of Panama experiencing diseases and hardship.

--Sea Route (two stations): John Salico
Travel to California was very difficult. “Coming ‘round the Horn” was not as easy as many thought. Seasickness, scurvvy, and starvation were all issues of the sea route. Once people arrived they had to get from San Francisco to the mines. Often the trip took as many as five months due to weather. Stops had to be made on the journey and Valpariso, Chile was one of the most popular. Quarters were tight and ships were often overcrowded.

--Express Office: Rebbecca Lund & John Phillips
Early communication in California (and even in parts of the United States) was difficult at best. The Post Office Department was a haven for political favors and become difficult to manage. Mail was slow, expensive and unreliable and early on the only Post Office was in San Francisco, Sacramento would receive one later. Either way, mail had to be called for at one of these offices. Express Companies (established early on in the east) were highly popular and successful due to this. They also provided financial services by sending money with relative safety to all parts of the world.

--Water Office: Frank Cimino & Lyle Taylor
Water was a very scarce commodity in Gold Rush Columbia. The Tuolumne Water Company was formed to bring water to the mines from the Stanislaus River. To do this a flume was built. Supplies to build it had to be brought in and a mill to saw wood into lumber needed to be erected. This machinery and goods were imported from San Francisco by river steamer and then drawn by oxen or mule to Columbia. Great financial backing had to be obtained for these endeavors.

--Theater: Don Deluca
The goods and materials to build a theater had to be obtained. Discuss with the children the need for industry in California. Without industry all of the goods had to be imported causing problems in both quality and supply of needed material. Hopefully sawmills will be erected close by so that you won’t have to rely on goods being shipped from as far away as Sonora. Towns grow fast and need ways for people to be entertained. Miners expect a certain level of entertainment. Without that a theater cannot make a return.

--H.N. Brown: Diane & John Glamuzina
The children will understand the difficulties of obtaining goods in the early mining camps. The children will understand how goods got to California and then to the mines. They will also be introduced to the various places that they came from aside from the United States (Chile, France, England and China). They will understand the capitalist approach to supply and demand and that relationship to prices, explaining why prices in the early mines were so high.

--Hardware: Joe Waltz, Gene Marrow, Bob Carter
The children will understand the difficulties of obtaining goods in the early mining camps. The children will understand how goods got to California and then to the mines. They will also be introduced to the various places that they came from aside from the United States (Chile, France, England and China). They will understand the capitalist approach to supply and demand and that relationship to prices, explaining why prices in the early mines were so high.

--Mines: (Tours will stop during all rotations. The mines tours will last through two five minute rotations. There may be as many four groups in each rotation.)
Each rotation will cover use of common Gold Rush tools (i.e. long tom, rocker, and pan). Mining laws and gold in general will be discussed while mining methods are demonstrated.