As much as I love walking along the shores of Lake Natoma, it does make me rather sad to think of how the American River once flowed freely there, before the construction of Folsom Dam and Nimbus Dam. Like so many of our Northern California rivers and creeks, it was a prime spawning area for wild salmon; now we have […]
It’s a steep climb up to (and then back down from) the James Marshall monument in Coloma, although there are a few different routes to choose from. If you’d rather not trek the full 3-mile dirt loop from Highway 49 to the top of the hill and back, you can take a car up the paved switchbacks of Marshall Park […]
My entry for Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge this week. Ladderback chairs in the Lake County Museum:
James Marshall really was one unlucky guy. All he wanted to do was work hard at his trade as a carpenter and millwright; but after he accidentally uncovered a small piece of gold in the American River his life was turned upside down. He no longer had the chance to work, and he never managed to profit from the historic […]
When I first visited the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park as a young schoolkid, I was especially fascinated by the two small buildings known as the Chinese Stores. I think it was partly because these two small buildings are authentic structures from the 1850s, not replicas. I liked to imagine the Chinese miners going in and out of the […]
The theme for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge this week is Yellow.
The men and women who built St John’s Catholic Church and worshipped there, who now lie buried in the adjoining cemetery, most likely were never famous. Although their names may never be found in the history books, they created a community in the town of Coloma — and in their own ways, quietly helped shape the course of the events […]
Any time I find a praying mantis, I just have to grab my camera. Even if I can’t get close enough for a really awesome shot, there’s just something so amazing about these insects. I found this one hanging out in our front yard, and I stalked her for at least half an hour; I’m sure she was hoping I’d […]
I went along with the Big Guy this morning to check out River Bend Park in Rancho Cordova. It was my first time there, and I hadn’t realized the park was quite so large! Since we could stay for only about an hour today, I’m now looking forward to going back and exploring much more intensely. We did spot some […]