The sign on the tall, blue house in Virginia City caught our eye as we whizzed past one recent afternoon: “The Chapin House.” It’s an unusual last name — and one we recognized from old letters in Alpine County. So, just who was Samuel A. Chapin? We tracked down a few pieces of his life story puzzle — and […]
How a Fire Saved the Fiske Hotel
Just how often do you get to walk inside a piece of history? Built in 1863, this hotel is a slice of life from Alpine County’s version of the Comstock days. And the building still exists — thanks to a fire. Yes, a fire is what saved this historic building. Two fires, actually. Here’s how it happened: […]
Great Nevada History Reads
You can’t have too many friends, too many adventures, or too many books. (And books, after all, are a whole lot like friends and adventures!) Here are four new Nevada history books we recently found — or that recently found us. We wanted to share in hopes they follow you home, too! Nevada State Orphans/Children’s Home: […]
Why You’ll Actually Want to See The Inside of THIS Jail Cell. . .
. . . the historic jail at the Alpine County Museum, that is! Built in 1867, these heavy iron cells were created for a new jail in the mining boomtown of Silver Mountain City. Silver Mountain was Alpine County’s original county seat and a quintessential mining town, back in the days of the Comstock Lode. […]
Virginia City’s Cemetery
So beautiful – and so many mysteries are buried here! We recently paid a visit to the historic cemetery on the outskirts of Virginia City. Here’s Tip #1: Be sure to bring your camera. (You’ll definitely wish you had one!) And Tip #2: Don’t count on it being a quick visit. If you’re like us, you’ll find […]
Tips for Writing Your Memoir
Looking for some great tips to help you write your Life Story or Memoir? Try these six tips from the summer issue of Calaveras County Genealogical Society’s newsletter! LifeStory tips – Froghorn Summer 2018 And for more in-depth help, check out our new ebook, “Writing a Memoir: From Stuck to Finished” on Kindle!
Gold Country Roses
Visit a historic old graveyard in Mother Lode Country to see the — roses?!? You bet! Plymouth Pioneer Cemetery off Highway 49 is a cool place to visit, all by itself. But it turns out that this pioneer cemetery’s roses are so special they even have their own Facebook page! (Just type “Plymouth Pioneer Cemetery Heritage Roses” […]
Walking Tour of Old Minden, Nevada
The pillars on County Road at the entrance to the Town of Minden once proudly bore a date of 1905. Perhaps it was wishful thinking; plans for this fresh town actually weren’t approved by County commissioners until 1906. And once it was a go, new homes began to spring up immediately in the fresh town. […]
Stage Robberies -Wells Fargo’s Finest (Part 2)
It was June 15, 1893 on a remote stretch of road outside Jackson, California. Mike Tovey was again riding shotgun as security guard for Wells Fargo, this time aboard the stage headed from Ione into Jackson. Mike had been shot once before in his dangerous career; no doubt his eyes were always scanning the countryside for possible trouble. […]
(More) Best Sierra History Books!
After our recent round-up of Sierra history books (you can find it here), we realized we’d left off a number of our own favorites — and we’ve also gotten some more great suggestions from readers! So check out this additional list for more fascinating Sierra history reads — and be sure to let us know if […]
Stage Robberies and Wells Fargo’s Finest (Part 1)
Did stage robberies still occur as late as 1893? Just ask poor Mike Tovey; he died in one. The headstone of Mike Tovey stands its silent vigil in the Jackson City Cemetery. It was erected by his employer, Wells Fargo & Co., which evidently felt a bit guilty about Tovey’s death. Our story begins back […]
Woodfords, California
If you’ve ever stopped at Woodfords, you may have seen the Wade House — and probably never gave it a second glance. But this small, nondescript green house has an amazing claim to fame: it’s said to be the oldest continuously-inhabited dwelling on the entire Eastern Sierra! The original cabin (likely just a single room) was built by mill-builder […]