Newcastle Portuguese Hall - Newcastle, California

 DATE VISITED:  03/15/2015

HISTORICAL SITE:  Newcastle Portuguese Hall

LOCATION:  690 Taylor Rd., Newcastle, Placer Co., CA

MARKER #:  1982002225

DEDICATED:  March 25, 1982

"This property Newcastle Portuguese Hall, has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places"

**closer look below

Marker Placed By:  The United States Department of Interior

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS: I've noticed a problem with my Waze GPS lately. It seems to be slower at giving me directions and will randomly reset to a previous location. I have unloaded and reloaded it so we'll see where that takes me. Unfortunately, I did it AFTER this trip which means I did a bit of wandering.

I got off Hwy 80 to go to Ophir and sit at a stop sign waiting for my GPS to tell me what to do, so finally I turn left. Immediately, the GPS recalculates, telling me I made the wrong choice. But heck, this is a wandering, so let's see if there's some other way to get my first stop.

The farther I went, the more I realized I was heading back south...towards home, but more importantly, towards a gas station that I should have stopped at earlier seeing as my fuel tank light had just come on. I hate when that happens although I do realize a little planning on my part would prevent that.

I went zipping by this place before I realized there was a historical marker. Figuring I'd try to find it on my way back, I went on.  I got my gas and headed back...without my GPS on.

I've seen other Portuguese Hall's but never really knew what they were about...right up there with a Grange Hall except it doesn't take much brain power to figure out that Portuguese halls just might have something to do with the Portuguese people.

This hall was built for the Portuguese community in 1917 but like so many of these places built prior to 1920, modifications must be made and they are normally mentioned in the historical designation nomination forms. Necessities in this day and age but not when built, the hall had to add a bathroom and electricity. 

In 1930, the building was moved back 12 feet to make way for the widening of the Lincoln Hwy 40. 

From what I can tell, the hall is still being used today although it definitely needs some work. 

There seem to be two occasions that are the pivotal events for any Portuguese Hall. One is the Chamarrita...a folk dance that if you watch, it performed here; is not unlike our Square Dancing with someone calling the moves.

The other and the biggest event is the Festa do Espírito Santo (Festival of the Holy Ghost). It is a celebration in honor of Portugal's Queen Isabella performing two miracles that purported to be instrumental in saving her people from starvation.

One miracle was when she was caught by the King trying to smuggle food from their table for the poor. He insisted she open her robe and show the food but she prayed and when her robe was opened, roses spilled out.

The other miracle was at the end of severe famine. She was at church and prayed saying she would give up her crown if her starving people could be fed. Upon leaving the church, she saw ships entering the harbor with wheat and corn. When the King died, she lived a poor life choosing to help others. Upon her death, she was quickly moved to Sainthood.