Camp Site of the Boston-Newton Party - Shingle Springs, California

DATE VISITED:  03/21/2015

HISTORICAL SITE:  Camp Site Of The Boston-Newton Party

LOCATION:  4270 Mother Lode Dr., Shingle Springs, El Dorado Co., CA

MARKER #:  456

DEDICATED:  June 4, 1950

"On this site the Boston-Newton Joint Stock Association encamped on September 26, 1849. The company left Boston April 16 and arrived at Sutter's Fort September 27, after a remarkable journey across the continent. A rich store of written records preserved by these pioneers has left for posterity a fascinating picture of the gold rush.

**closer look below

Marker Placed By:  Placed by California Centennials Commission. Base furnished by descendants of Boston-Newton Party

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS: David and I debated whether to try to get this last monument in before heading home. Both of us were tired, but it really was on our way home, so it was easy enough to drop by.

Almost everything I read about the Boston-Newton Joint Stock Association basically noted the amount of written accounts of the journey. "A rich store of written records preserved by these pioneers has left a fascinating picture of the gold rush." were the same words I read over and over.

I was starting to think that this is the reason they were "known" until I dug deeper.  Although that really does have a lot to do with the reason they are known, they also had several other things going for them.  They were family and friends...they went in to the venture with a pool of money...they were religious with the same moral beliefs; meaning no swearing, gambling or drinking...they stayed together for the entire trip...and when they got to California, it was a joint decision that the association be dissolved in order to increase their individual chances at getting rich.

The Boston-Newtown Joint Stock Association left Boston on April 16, 1849 and arrived at Sutter's Fort on September 26, 1849. 

Their journey was noted in the Boston Evening Traveler... "The Boston and Newton Joint Stock Association started yesterday morning for California, overland, by way of St. Louis and Fort Independence, via Fort Kearney, Fort Laramie, South Pass, Humboldt River, and Carson Pass".

Diaries and letters are part of what has been preserved. I read several things but the most touching thing was from George Gould to his wife... "I see by your letter that you have the blues a little in your anxiety for my welfare. I think we had better not indulge such feelings. I confess that I had set the example. I do not worry about myself, then why should you for me? I do not discover in your letter any anxiety on your account, then let us for the future look on the bright side of the subject and indulge no more in useless anxiety. It effects nothing and is almost universally the bug bear of the imagination...." Here was a man who was undergoing hardships that even the most prepared pioneer had not imagined, and he's comforting his wife.

Like thousands of other stories of the men who came to California to get rich, each member had varying degrees of success. A couple in the gold fields, but others went on to other ventures. A couple of men, the Locke's, moved to San Joaquin where they settled the town of Lockford. One gentleman helped the founding of the Fireman's Insurance Company in San Francisco. Others went back to Newton no more rich than they were when they left home. 

To the Associations credit, only one person died on the journey...a huge feat.  He was buried on the trail and given a headstone. A headstone on the prairie was so uncommon that the headstone is now a part of a larger monument and sits in silent tribute to all the people who perished following their dreams.

Wakamatsu Tea & Silk Farm Colony - Gold Hill, California

DATE VISITED:  03/21/2015

HISTORICAL SITE:  Wakamatsu Tea & Silk Farm Colony

LOCATION:  941 Cold Springs Rd., Gold Hill, El Dorado Co., CA

MARKER #:  815

DEDICATED:  June 7, 1969

"Site of the only tea and silk farm established in California. First agriculture settlement of pioneer Japanese immigrants who arrived at Gold Hill on June 8, 1869. Despite the initial success, it failed to prosper. It marked the beginning of Japanese influence on the agricultural economy of California.

**closer look below

Marker Placed By:  Placed by the State Department of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with the Japanese American Citizens League, El Dorado County Historical Society and Friends of the Centennial Observance

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS: Walking around the State Park took longer than I had expected.  I gave my son an out so he didn’t have to go to any more monuments, but he was up for it so off we went. 

We had a little trouble finding this monument. Our GPS took us straight to a school. Again, if I remembered where we were going beyond some "Japanese farm", this might be easier. Then I remembered...I had just downloaded "Historical Landmarker Database" application. It locates where you are and tells you the landmarks around you. I turned it on and it told me we were right near this sight. Not only that, it gave me enough direction to actually find it...that is once David and I tried to figure out...are we going north and so it’s on the right hand side? Or south and it’s on the left side?  After discussing, we decided that we had to be headed south since we hadn't seen the landmark so far. Yep, that was it. Right after the school, we saw the landmark.

Once you relax about the schools "you are always on camera" signs, you'll find a beautiful little area, fenced in and well maintained. There is pretty cherry tree blossoming and thriving even though it’s being cut away from the electrical lines above it. Underneath, wild California Poppies, one of my favorite flowers, were growing.

Fleeing the civil "Boshin" war being fought in Japan between the Imperial Court and the Shogunate, 3 Samurai families accompanied Mr. Schnell, their benefactor, to the United States.

As an aside…. I thought it interesting that the U.S. sold the CSS Stonewall, a civil war ship, to the Japanese. The Japanese renamed it and it was pivotal in one battle.

After looking around, Mr. Schnell  decided to buy in Gold Hill and they found a ranch for $5000.00. Each family, 3 now but many more to come, would have their own house and garden.

The farm would have a central processing area for the tea crop.

Newspapers across the U.S. wrote about the Japanese arrival in a positive manner. Quite contrary to how the Chinese were treated and people didn't have a problem comparing the two groups in a way that would be so socially unacceptable today. Well, not just socially unacceptable but truly not at all fair or objective.  

In July, the news reported that the Japanese are excited “for their friends to come to a country where everybody is free to do as he likes, and there is no stanero".  It was written that "stanero" is the enforced kneeling when in presence of a superior but I have been unable to verify that.

An 1870 news story gave quite a few interesting "facts" about the Japanese. Its obvious people were curious...it was reported that their buildings "do not contain a nail, all of the joints and timbers being dove tailed together by many ingenious devices". As to the how they decorate it was noted that the "Japanese are neat people, for they use no paint to hide any blemishes of construction or ornamentation, no filigree work, or plaster of Paris geegaws" and for their personalities, they were "bright, intelligent, and polite, lifting their hats and bowing gracefully to strangers". The article closed with this little bit of "knowledge"...." Take them all in all, they are in every respect a superior race to the Chinese, and resemble them in no manner except their physical appearance." So sad!

By early spring in 1871, it was obvious the colony was in trouble. It was reported that Mr. Schnell took his wife and kids and said he'd be back but never did. Slowly, the Japanese moved from the colony until in April 1871, news articles were saying the farm has been abandoned and sold.  Looks like the workers figured out that the $4 a month Mr. Schnell was paying was insufficient and they could get a higher pay elsewhere.

The next family to buy the farm held it for 125 year until the America River Conservancy bought it in 2010.