HISTORICAL SITE: Newcastle Portuguese Hall
LOCATION: 690 Taylor Rd., Newcastle, Placer Co., CA
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.
