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35 Deer Valley Road Tour Deer Valley Road goes through the heart of the community of Rescue. Start your Deer Valley Road tour at the east end, across from the Hunter/Carpenter (Rescue) Store. If the trees in the area could talk, they could tell you some real stories. They could tell you about “seeing” John Sutter and James Marshall pass by on their way to the site of a new sawmill. They could tell you about the time Marshall rode to Sutter’s Fort to tell Sutter about what he had found—Gold! They could tell you about the thousands of gold-seekers as they walked to the gold fields of the American River. They could tell you about the Pony Express riders that galloped by, and the pioneers who moved here to start a new life. If only the trees could talk! These first several miles of Deer Valley Road originally only went as far as the Pinchem-Tight Store. In fact, Conrad Etzel, the owner of the store, discouraged attempts for the road to progress any further by plowing up the road about ¼-mile southeast of the store. Up until 1920s, travelers would have to ford White Oak Creek. Eventually, a wooden bridge was constructed in the 1920’s. It was replaced with a concrete bridge in about 1940. Deer Valley Road was originally dirt, and then gravel up until the mid-1940s. Deer Valley Road The first bridge on Deer Valley Road that crossed White Oak Creek was constructed in the 1920’s. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 October 6, 1856, at the request of the citizenry of White Oak Township, the Board appointed W. F. Dorman and Frederick Reimer to review a route from the Kelley Creek Store on the Old Coloma Road, to Jayhawk, Pinchem, Deer Valley, Sweetwater and back to the Old Coloma Road at Green Springs House (the Dormody Place). April 6, 1858 the Board ordered C. Sanders, the Head Overseer for White Oak Township to plan the establishment of what would become Deer Valley Road. January 17, 1859 the Board ordered the survey of the proposed road. February 8, 1859, Deer Valley Road was declared a public highway. Marolyn (Crowdis) Adams Collecon
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Feb 16, 2018

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Page 1: Deer Valley Road Tour Deer Valley · PDF file35 Deer Valley Road Tour Deer Valley Road goes through the heart of the community of Rescue. Start your Deer Valley Road tour at the east

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Deer Valley Road Tour

Deer Valley Road goes through the heart of the community of Rescue. Start your Deer Valley Road tour at the east end, across from the Hunter/Carpenter (Rescue) Store.

If the trees in the area could talk, they could tell you some real stories. They could tell you about “seeing” John Sutter and James Marshall pass by on their way to the site of a new sawmill. They could tell you about the time Marshall rode to Sutter’s Fort to tell Sutter about what he had found —Gold! They could tell you about the thousands of gold-seekers as they walked to the gold fields of the American River. They could tell you about the Pony Express riders that galloped by, and the pioneers who moved here to start a new life. If only the trees could talk!

These first several miles of Deer Valley Road originally only went as far as the Pinchem-Tight Store. In fact, Conrad Etzel, the owner of the store, discouraged attempts for the road to progress any further by plowing up the road about ¼-mile southeast of the store.

Up until 1920s, travelers would have to ford White Oak Creek. Eventually, a wooden bridge was constructed in the 1920’s. It was replaced with a concrete bridge in about 1940. Deer Valley Road was originally dirt, and then gravel up until the mid-1940s.

Deer Valley Road

The first bridge on

Deer Valley Road

that crossed White

Oak Creek was constructed in the

1920’s.

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• October 6, 1856, at the request of the citizenry of White Oak

Township, the Board appointed W. F. Dorman and Frederick Reimer to

review a route from the Kelley Creek Store on the Old Coloma Road,

to Jayhawk, Pinchem, Deer Valley, Sweetwater and back to the Old

Coloma Road at Green Springs House (the Dormody Place).

• April 6, 1858 the Board ordered C. Sanders, the Head Overseer for

White Oak Township to plan the establishment of what would become

Deer Valley Road.

• January 17, 1859 the Board ordered the survey of the proposed road.

• February 8, 1859, Deer Valley Road was declared a public highway.

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History of a Place Called RescueRescue Fire Protection District StationFire Station 83 is the headquarters for the Rescue Fire Protection District. It was built in 1976 on land donated to the department by the Rose Springs Literary Society. To the right of the station, nearer White Oak Creek and Green Valley Road, there are several monuments that memorialize the Sutter’s Fort to Coloma Road and the Pony Express route that followed what we now know as Green Valley Road. (For more detailed information on the history of the Rescue Fire Department, go to page 137, and the Pony Express, page 133.)

Note: This fire station is called Station 83

because it is part of a county-wide fire

station numbering system.

Fire Station 83 was built in 1976. It houses two engines, a 3,000-gallon water tender, and a utility pickup. It is staffed by full-time personnel and

volunteers. The Rose Springs Literary Society hall was built in 1896. The post office moved there in 1962.

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Deer Valley Road TourRose Springs Literary Society HallThe Rose Springs Literary Society was formed by Alexander D. Skinner, Mrs. Louise Wing, Virgil Wise, Arthur Fleming, Christopher C. Burston, George F. Kipp, George B. Wing, and others, “for the purpose of social intercourse, amusement, and the holding of literary exercises and public meetings.”

During a meeting of Rose Springs Literary Society in 1894, it was decided to build a meeting place for the community. George and Annie Skinner offered a plot of land; George Wing hauled hay to Georgetown where he traded it for lumber; and, George Kipp was the head carpenter and the only paid worker. The rest of the work was volunteer labor by community members. The hall was completed in July, 1896, just in time for the first dance on July 4, 1896. The dancers were served a turkey dinner and danced until midnight. The society raised $500 that night. Sometimes, events hosted so many guests, they had to be serviced in shifts!

Basket socials, traveling shows, and shows by local talent were held in the hall. Debating societies from other areas would come to Rescue to debate a full range of subjects.

In about 1900, the Society had a group picture taken. It depicts an early who’s who of Rescue. If you look just to the right of the hall, you can see Green Valley Road as it leaves Kelley Creek and nears the Wallace McBeath place. (Left to Right) Front row: Mina Carpenter; Dora Arthur; Mary Fischer; Josie Cothrin; Tillie (Wing) Harvey; Lottie (Wulff) Wing; Hulda (Wise) Wing; Lora (Wiley) Wing; Louisa (Pelton) Wing; [door] Annie (Smith) Skinner; Mrs. J. C. McDonald; Arthur Litten; Mrs. Litten; Mary Carpenter; Emily (Fleming) Burston; Lizzie Fleming; and Will Rust. Second row: George Wallace; James Wing; George Wing; Leonard Wing; Lottie (Wing) Sprague; [door] George Skinner; Chris Burston. Back row: Arthur Fleming; Ben Fisk; Mr. Baxter; Alex Skinner; [door] Charles Holden; Gus Wulff and daughter Myrtle; August Friedman. In the upper right window: Pearle Wise (Wing).

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History of a Place Called Rescue

On August 28, 1921, there was a gathering of the oldest White Oak Township and Rescue pioneers at the hall. This picture was taken on the north side of the Rose Springs Literary Society hall. (Left to Right) Back row: [1]Alexander D. Skinner, Boston, Mass, October 10, 1850, arrived in CA in 1855; [2]Mrs. T. N. Smith, New York City, November 1, 1851, arrived in CA in 1855; [3]Thomas N. Smith, Sharron, Mass, September 6, 1836, arrived in CA in 1853; [4]Mrs. Ella (Hodgkins) Hare, Vermillion, Ohio, September 21, 1849, arrived in CA in 1853; [5]James Russell, Nantucket, Mass, May 13, 1830, arrived in CA in 1850; [6]Mrs. May Pelton, Mass, March 27, 1850, arrived in CA in 1875; [7]Mrs. Phillipena (Etzel) Engesser, Pennsylvania, January 10, 1849, arrived in CA in 1853; [8]Mrs. Elizabeth Went, Germany in 1846, arrived in CA 1854; and [9]George Williamson, New York, September 29, 1853, arrived in CA in 1863. Front row: [10]William Skinner, Boston, Mass October 10, 1850, arrived in CA in 1855; [11]Thomas Orr, Paisley, Scotland, March 26, 1831, arrived in CA in 1851; [12]Mrs. Louisa M. (Pelton) Wing, Canada in 1842, arrived in CA in 1862; [13]Andrew J. Hare, Wooster, Ohio, October 15, 1838, arrived in CA 1859; [14]Mrs. William Gaylord, Illinois in 1844, arrived in CA in 1853; [15]Mrs. Sara Wallace, Appington, Virginia, November 12, 1835, arrived in CA in 1853; [16]William Went, Westphalia, Germany, February 21, 1834, arrived in CA in 1858; [17]Edward H. Smith, Boston, Mass, October 10, 1830, arrived in Ca in 1853; and [18] Jacob Egger, Arwantern Bern, Switzerland, January 16, 1835, arrived in CA in 1852.

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Deer Valley Road TourIn 1915, the Rose Spring Literary Society hall was again host of a major social event. There have been some improvements to the hall; there are curtains in the windows, a car or buggy shed to the left, and the entrance is now protected from the rain. Also note the addition of several motor cars.

The hall was used for all kinds of meetings, and the United Rescue Grange, 4H Club, and Farm Bureau met there for years.

The first meeting of the United Rescue Grange No. 450 was held in the Rose Springs Literary Society hall on October 27, 1930. They had their first dance in the hall on February 28, 1931.

By the 1940s, the hall started to show that it was in the need of some attention and repair. This picture was taken in 1946. Note that the car and buggy shed has been torn down, and the lack of maintenance is evident on the front of the hall.

In 1915, the Rose Springs Literary Society hall was the center of the Rescue’s social life.

Rose Springs Literary Society hall in 1975.

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History of a Place Called RescueIn 1962, the Rescue Post Office was moved from the Rescue (Hunter/Carpenter) Store to the hall. Somewhere along the line, a kitchen was added to the back of the hall and inside toilets were installed.

By the late 1960s, the society membership was down. They were looking for a buyer of the hall, but then heard the Rescue Volunteer Fire Department was looking for a site for a fire station. A deal was struck and the hall and associated property were deeded to the fire department in the memory of Pearle (Wise) Wing.

Unbeknownst to later generations, the original builders of the hall left a small time capsule for future generations to find. In December, 2009 during some extensive remodeling of the hall, the construction crew found the “time capsule” under the hall in a pile of rocks.

There were two pieces of paper stuffed in a little glass bottle. The first one was a note that said that it was placed there at 4:30 p.m. on August 31, 1896 by seven of the builders. Apparently, one of the seven told someone about what they had done, and the whole Rose Springs Literary Society wanted to be part of the memorializing of their new hall. The second piece of paper was written on September 5, 1896 and it lists the officers and names of all the members of the Society.

The note from the seven builders of the Rose Springs

Literary Society hall, dated August 31, 1896.

The 2009, a remodeling involved the replacement of the outdated kitchen facilities, incorporated a second floor serving area, and integrated new administrative offices for the fire department. To meet building codes, a small addition was constructed to accommodate the future installation of an elevator if the second floor is used for public meetings.

Note to future historians: In 2011, a new time

capsule was placed where hopefully it will be

found during a future remodel of this historic

building.

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Deer Valley Road Tour

An official listing of the officers and member of the Rose Springs Literary Society, dated September 5, 1896.

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History of a Place Called RescueBrick FactoryAbout 300 yards north of the Rose Springs Literary Society Hall, and a hundred yards east of Deer Valley Road is the site of a historic brick kiln. There is not much to look at, only a shallow depression in the oaks that measures about 20-foot square that marks the site. There are no records of its operation or where the bricks were used. An archaeological survey of the site “suggests that it operated between 1860 and 1870.” After the kiln stopped operations, “clinkers” and other damaged bricks were collected by old-timers for use around their homes and gardens.

Several of the first buildings in the area used bricks. The first floor of Conrad Etzel’s Pinchem-Tight Store was built of bricks. The first house Constantine Hix built on the White Oak Flat was of brick, and the house that was purchased by James Wing in 1865 was built of brick. Did they use any of the bricks made in this brick factory? We don’t know!

Mining ActivityAll through this area, there are signs of mining activity. About 100 yards to the west of Deer Valley Road (on land owned by the USDI Bureau of Land Management) is the site of an old mining operation. Not much is known about the history of this mining operation, but there is still an active mining claim for the site. The

A “clinker” is a brick or grouping of bricks that are damaged or fused together when the kiln overheats. Only a slight depression in the ground and a few clinkers remain of what was once a brick kiln.

mine was last “worked” in the 1930s. It is just one of hundreds of similar mining sites found in Rescue.

Friedman PlaceJohn Friedman settled on this site in the 1850s. The barn and a blacksmith shop are the last of the original buildings. The home to the right is the first one on the site. In 1950, Helen (Friedman) Fleming and Betty (Friedman) Humphreys purchased the site from the Friedman estate. Helen and her husband, Archie Fleming, built on the west side of Deer Valley Road. Betty and her husband, Ed Humphrey lived in the second house east of the road.

Less than a quarter-mile northwest of the Friedman Place, Hillside Drive takes off to the right. About a half-mile down the hill (behind a locked gate) is the Fischer Place and Boneset. The original access to the Fischer’s and Boneset and the Boneset Mine was a road that left Deer Valley Road at the Jayhawk Cemetery.

Fischer PlaceThe Fischer brothers, Joseph and George, began mining an area along Weber Creek in 1849. Eventually, a mining camp named Boneset was formed in the area. In 1864, the brothers purchased 80 acres and built a house and wine cellar. The brothers decided

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The Friedman Place was settled in the 1850s. This is a picture of the original house.

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Deer Valley Road Tourinformation on the Fischer Family, and the Boneset Mine, go to pages 185, and 92, respectively.)

BonesetAt one time there was a small mining community called Boneset near the Fischer Place on Weber Creek. It was named Boneset after a plant found in the area that reminded the miners of the Boneset plant found in their homeland. The community consisted of a miner’s cabin and at one time there was a boarding house. Gabriel “Gabe” Etzel married Olive Johnson. Olive lived about a mile east on Deer Valley Road, across from the Friedman place. Her mother, Mollie Johnson once operated a boarding house in Boneset.

that the house couldn’t become a home without a woman. Joseph was elected to go to San Francisco and find a wife. An old friend in that city had three unwed daughters. Joseph returned to Boneset with Elizabeth Kroner, his new wife, and now the lady of the house. The old house existed for years, but was lost to a wildland fire in about 1931. (For more detailed

The Fischer house was built by Joseph and George Fischer. Eventually, it was the home of Joseph and Elizabeth. It survived the years, but was eventually burned in a wildland fire in 1931.

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History of a Place Called RescueJayhawk CemeteryThe Jayhawk Cemetery is the burial place for many pioneers and settlers of the area. Arthur and Elizabeth (Rust) Fleming donated the land for the cemetery on October 21, 1904. There are two parts to the cemetery. The original part is everything left of the road that goes through the left entry gate. (For more detailed information on the history of Jayhawk Cemetery, go to page 115.)

Jayhawk Community SiteIt is said hundreds of people lived in Jayhawk during the gold rush years. The site is located generally northwest of the cemetery, on the flat along Jayhawk Creek.

Fleming PlaceThe Peter and Elizabeth Fleming family homesteaded on a 168-acre parcel owned jointly with John Friedman. The property was later owned by Gustav Grote and is now owned by the O’Brien’s. The house is just northwest of the cemetery. (For more information on the Fleming’s, go to page 190.)

Reimer/Brandon PlaceThis 160-acre parcel was purchased by Frederick Reimer from the United States Land Office in 1871. It was sold to Edgar Brandon, his son-in-law, in 1884. The location of the family house is not known, but records indicate the Reimers and eventually the Brandons lived on the property. The old foundation still exists.

The Jayhawk Cemetery is the resting place of many of the pioneers of the Rescue area.

Historical Note: “Jayhawkers” is a term that originally

applied to guerrilla fighters during the American Civil

War in Kansas and Missouri who often clashed with pro-

slavery partisans. Today the term is applied to a native or

resident of Kansas and Missouri.

The Fleming house is located just over the hill from the Jayhawk

Cemetery. The house is pretty much as it looked when built in about

1880s.

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Deer Valley Road TourRose Kimberly MineThis mining operation consisted of two efforts to find gold: a vertical shaft located to the right of Chariot Circle, and a horizontal tunnel just to the left of Chariot Circle as it turns to the left. For safety reasons, the shaft and tunnels have been sealed and recent development of the site along Chariot Circle has erased most signs of its existence. Near the first house on the right, there is a Mexican arrastra that was used to crush the ore. (For more detailed information on the Rose Kimberly Mine, go to page 111.)

As you drop down the hill just past Pinchem Creek Drive, you will see Sweet Creek Circle on your left. The barn off Deer Valley Road about 100 yards is one of the original ones built in the area. You will also note the site of a holding dam used to capture water for mining operations. It has been “breached” and a culvert placed in it.

This Mexican arrastra was used to crush the ore after it left the mine.

This is one of the original barns built in the area.

It has been restored, probably several times.

The miners would build dams, where they could hold winter run-off for use in washing gravel. This dam has been breached (circle)

to allow water to flow freely.

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History of a Place Called RescueThe Road to JurgensA short distance west, Jurgens Road takes off to the right. It will take you to where the small mining community of Jurgens once stood. If you take a sharp right at Jurgens, you are now on Luneman Road. In less than a ¼-mile, you cross Weber Creek (on a wet-water crossing) and eventually, you will end up on Lotus Road, near Gold Hill. (For more on Jurgens and Luneman Roads, go to pages 59, and 63, respectively.)

Just past Jurgens Road, you will see an old rock fence and some old farm equipment.

Etzel Store in PinchemThe site of Pinchem or Pinchem-Tight. Pinchem was a small community where miners and the locals shopped, drank, went to school, and for a time, got their mail. Pinchem got its name from the method Conrad Etzel, the first store proprietor, used to exact payment from the miners for supplies. He would have them take a pinch of gold dust between their thumb and fingers while reminding them to “pinchem-tight.” His store was called “pinchem-tight,” and the name stuck.

Conrad Etzel was the first merchant in the area. His original store was a three-story building, constructed of brick and wood. The top story was used as a family residence until a separate house was built. The second floor was for storage. In 1853 part of the second floor was used as a school room until a tavern was added to the store—the school was then moved. From August 29, 1860 to December 25, 1863, a post office was located in the store. The present home is the third one on the

site. (For more detailed information on the Etzel family, the school, and post office, go to pages 182, 78, and 128, respectively.)

In the olden days when someone died, you found a nice spot and buried them, not always in a formal cemetery. One such site is just north of the intersection of Deer Valley Road and Vanishing Way. It is said that two of the Kloepfer children are buried there.

Pinchem was a thriving community in the 1850s and 60s. There were stores, a bar, a school and post

office. This picture of Pinchem was taken in 1864. The buildings on the right are the Etzel store and

home.

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Deer Valley Road TourPinchem CemeteryThere is a small family cemetery north of Deer Valley Road. It is unmarked, but there the Kloepfer family buried two of their children. A long time ago, it was fenced, but time has erased most all of the signs that someone was placed to rest here.

Deer Valley SchoolOn the right, 100 yards west of Vanishing Way, is the site of the Deer Valley School. The Deer Valley School first held classes in the Etzel Store in Pinchem-Tight starting in 1853. It was then called the Jayhawk School. The school was renamed to Deer Valley School in about 1896. (For more information on the school, go to page 79.)

Kipp PlaceThe house was built by John and Gesina Kipp in 1856. John was a miner, but eventually, like others in the area, planted grapes. The present house is the original one, but remodeled and modernized several times over the years. The house was later owned by Regina and Vinton Veerkamp. Regina was the granddaughter of John Kipp. (For more information on the Kipp and Veerkamp families, go to pages 222 and 316, respectively.)

For years classes were held in “an old shed which pretends to be a school house.” In 1872 a new school house was built on this site. It burned down ten years later. This was the school house from 1882 to when it closed its doors in 1956. It was torn down in about 1960.

The Kipp house is still located where it was built in 1856. It has been

“modernized” several times. Some of the other buildings on the property were

used when grapes were grown on the place and when a dairy existed. Some

have been converted to residences.

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History of a Place Called RescueMitchell MineOnly the tunnel remains of this mine. In the early years, the tunnel

was up the hill above Deer Valley Road. When the road was re-aligned and it moved closer to the mine entrance, the miners

had to lay track across Deer Valley Road to remove the ore. (For more information on the Mitchell Mine, go to page

102.)

Just up the road and to the north, are located remnants of Deer Valley Ranch or the Smith

Place. The Mitchell Mine tunnel is just off

the pavement to the south. In the past when the owners worked the mine,

they had to lay track across the road to remove ore.

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Deer Valley Road Tour

The Smith Place is below Deer Valley Road, at Campbell Circle. All that remains in remnants of one of the out-buildings.

Edward H. Smith PlaceThe Smith Place, located on what was called Deer Valley Ranch, was built in 1868 by Edward Hall Smith, a merchant and later a local Justice of the Peace. It is located about a half-mile west of the Kipp homestead, below Deer Valley Road to the north, between the two ends of Campbell Circle.

Mary Ellen Smith (a daughter) was an organist at the St. Michael’s Church on the south end of Starbuck Road. She married Delmont Blair on February 8, 1886 at St. Michael’s. (For more information on the Smith and Blair families, go to pages 301 and 154, respectively.)

This is a drawing the Edward Smith home and store in the

1870s. Mormon Ravine runs from left to right, just beyond

the buildings…in the tree line. The road you can see that runs

from upper left to the tree line is roughly where Campbell

Circle goes today.

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History of a Place Called RescueRescue MineThe Rescue Gold Quartz Mine is located just south of Deer Valley Road, about ¼-mile south from the Smith Place. The mine was first named the “Coon’s Crossing Quartz Mine.” On July 20, 1904, John and Mary Uhlenkamp sold the underground rights to the mine to Alfred F. Anable for $1,500. (For more information on the Rescue Mine, go to page 108.)

Uhlenkamp PlaceThe Uhlenkamp family owned two parcels of property in Rescue, and this one, just south of Deer Valley Road was called the Sweetwater Place. It was located in Section 9, along with the Rescue Mine. The Uhlenkamp’s owned the whole section for years.

Just across the road from the access road to the Rescue Mine is an old miner’s cabin and dam. There is also a windmill, remnants of a water storage tank, and a pig pen.

This is all that you can see of the Rescue Mine. In about 1905, the miners “struck” a river of water that could not be controlled. It flooded the mine and it had to be abandoned. Like so many other mines, the locals used this mine to dump refuse.

The Uhlenkamp family owned two properties in Rescue. This is the their home along Deer Valley Road, near Sweetwater Creek. (Left to Right) Wilhemina (Smith) Uhlenkamp, Thomas Nelson Smith, Anna Louisa (Uhlenkamp) Smith, Carrie Lemore Smith, Emma Smith, George Webber, Mr. and Mrs. Ellis, Adelaide Smith, and Thomas Smith.

Old Neumann Road takes off to the north. This is the access to the T. N. Smith Place and the Mormon Hill Mine.

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Deer Valley Road Tour

Annie Skinner RemembersThe following very interesting story concerning a tribe of Indians which inhabited the Rescue area 150 years ago, was read by Mrs. Annie C. Skinner at a recent meeting in that district:

“Fifty years ago [in about 1880, when Annie would have been eight] there was a camp of Indians about a ½-mile from my house. We were all children at that time and were very much interested in what the Indians were doing so we visited their camp quite often. The names of the two older Indians were Frank and Mary and they had several relatives and friends who would come to visit them. They lived in a small cabin and wigwam. The wigwam was made of poles and bark. There was a fire in the center of the wigwam and all would sit around the fire in cold weather, never caring how much the fire would smoke. One of the Indians lived in a little prospect-hole with a little bush and bark over the top.”

“They had plenty of meat such as venison, quail, rabbits and all kinds of birds. They caught the birds with snares made from horse hair. They gathered lots of acorns, dried them and made them into flour. Large holes were worn into rocks where Indians hammered the acorns into flour. They put the acorn into large baskets which they made from willows and put enough water on the flour to cover it. Then they would build a big fire and heat a lot of rocks. They put the hot rocks into the flour and it would boil thick. When the acorn mush was cooked and cool, they would all sit around and eat it with their hands. They also made a soup they called “lower soup.” It was made of white flour. They never ate anything very warm; it always had to be cold.”

These are some of the mortar holes used by the Maudi to ground nuts and grains. These are located very close to where Annie Skinner was raised.

Thomas N. Smith PlaceThomas Smith, Edward’s brother, owned 80 acres and a home in Mormon Ravine. Thomas’ daughter, Annie C. Smith, married George Skinner. In later life, she wrote about her experiences with the local Native Americans. It is more than probable that this is where she was writing about. Even today, you can see mortar holes worn into stones by Native Americans, where Mormon Ravine Creek crosses the west end of Campbell Circle, within a hundred yards of her uncle’s place.

This is all that remains of a house on the

old Thomas N. Smith Place.

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History of a Place Called Rescue

Credit: This story was originally published in the Mountain Democrat, October 3, 1930.

“They made beautiful baskets of a certain kind of willow. They never allowed us to touch any of their belongings and would say we mustn’t spoil it. We just admired their baskets and would have liked to have had some, but they never parted with any of them. They were very hard to deal with when it came to trade.”

“The squaws did all the work. They had a flat board strapped over their head and the baby was tied to the board—that’s how they carried their children. They went to Plunkett in the summer and would return to Deer Valley in the winter. Plunkett is 4 miles from Latrobe. They kept a number of small ponies to haul their supplies around.”

“They always took care of what they had. They cut their hair short. When one would die they had a big pow-wow. They would make a fire and burn all the clothing belonging to the deceased and would also tar their faces for several days. They were great mourners for their dead.”

Mormon Hill MineThe mine is on private property and very little remains. (For more information on the Mormon Hill Mine, see page 102.)

In about a mile, you come to Kanaka Valley Road. The land, on both sides of the road, belonged to the Wulff family.

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Deer Valley Road Tour

Zentgraf Home and WineryIn 1852, Jacob Zentgraf, a German immigrant, began mining on Weber Creek. In 1854, he purchased this property with his brother, Antone. The previous owner (a Mr. Stevens) had planted

32 grapevines in 1849. Jacob Zentgraf continued to nurture the vineyard. The house (that still occupies this site), was constructed in 1871. The house was built so that the interior walls could be moved to make room for dancing. The old winery cellar is located just across Deer Valley Road. (For more information on the Zentgraf family, go to page 338.)

Wulff RanchThe Wulff Ranch was one of the largest in the area. It stretched from Kanaka Valley on the northwest, east just about to Starbuck Road, and south to Zentgraf family property. The Wulff’s did some mining, but mainly raised cattle. All that remains of the Wulff home and barn are the two rock foundations located on both sides of Deer Valley Road. The original house burned in the 1960s. (For more information on the Wulff family, go to page 334.)

The Wulff house was small for the size of the family raised there. The Wulff family was blessed with sixteen children. All that remains of these two buildings are their rock foundations. These pictures were taken in 1961, before the house burned.

Deer Valley Road still goes between the Zentgraf house and winery which still exist (circles). The cow in the center of the photograph is standing on about the center line of today’s roadway. This picture was taken in 1888. The winery built in about 1860 and the house built in 1871.

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History of a Place Called Rescue

Over the years, road alignments have changed. This is the original intersection of Green Valley Road and Deer Valley Road. Green Valley Road enters the left side and goes toward Folsom to the west. Deer Valley Road comes for the right-center and intersects Green Valley Road just above the pump house.

George Zentgraf PlaceGeorge F. Zentgraf, the oldest son, owned a home less than a ¼-mile from the winery.

Green Valley RoadIf you look across Green Valley Road to the left, you can still see the intersection of the old roads.

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