Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission
Dedication Ceremonies
Truckee's Chinatowns Latest County Landmark
When: May 10th, 2024
Where: Old Truckee Jail Museum, Truckee.
The Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission is pleased to announce that at its June 13, 2023 meeting, the Board of Supervisors designated Truckee’s Two Chinatowns as the County’s latest historical landmark. The applicant was the Truckee-Donner Historical Society. The landmark was designated Nevada County Historical Landmark NEV 23-02.
This long overdue acknowledgement identifies and honors those many Chinese people, who contributed to Truckee’s viability and sustainability, in the late 19th century. Besides laboring to build the Transcontinental Railroad, they were merchants, cooks, teamsters, domestic servants, gardeners, doctors and launderers. Without such businesses to support the Chinese population and Truckee residents, Truckee may not have survived and thrived. The Chinese deserve due honor to be a recognized part in the history of Truckee.
A plaque will be mounted on the site of the Old Truckee Jail Museum, located within the boundaries of Truckee’s historical Chinatowns. Installation and Dedication will be May 10th, 2024, the 155th anniversary of the building of the transcontinental railroad.
This plaque will be featured in the Commission’s interactive map and in the next edition of its book Exploring Nevada County, a guide to all the County’s historical landmarks. The book is available in electronic format for any smartphone or tablet from Apple or Amazon. Go to You Bet Press to find clickable links. A print version of the guide is available at local bookstores and museum gift shops.
Dedication of Dr. W. C. Jones Hospital Landmark Plaque
When: October 22, 2023.
Where: Swan Levine House at 328 S. Church St in Grass Valley.
A few months ago, The Friends of the Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission called on Jones Hospital babies and staff to help fund a plaque for this historic landmark. The response was awesome and the fundraising was successful. Now the Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission invites the public to attend a dedication ceremony and reunion of the Jones Hospital babies and staff on October 22, 2023. The hospital building, also known as the Swan Levine house, is located at 328 S. Church St in Grass Valley.
These are the angels who contributed: Alec and Carol Ostrom, Alex Gourley, Alice Horton McHale, Andrew and Kathleen Cassano, Aria McLauchlan, Austin Wilson, Charles Durbrow Baker, Charlie Jakobs, Cindi Anderson, Dan and Karen Davis, Danny Wilson, David DeMartini, Debbie Hunyada, Dolores and Gregory Bulanti, Gage
McKinney, Janeva Junies Galayda, Jerry Martini, Linda Vance Bennett, Marian Jewett, Michael Hieronimus and Dorothy Carroll, Nicholas and Catherine Whittlesey, Patrick Farrell and Melissa Fowlkes, Steven Sharsmitt, Tara Sullivan, Terry and Susan Ann Wearne, Trish Moreland, Vern and Joyce Canon, and Vicki Spannagel. More
information about them can be found in the program that will be distributed at the ceremony.
The W.C. Jones Hospital is featured in the Landmarks Commission’s interactive map and in its book Exploring Nevada County, a guide to all the County’s historical landmarks. The book is available in electronic format for any Apple smartphone or tablet. Go to www.youbetpress.com to find clickable links. A print version is available at local bookstores and museum gift shops and from Amazon.
The purpose of the Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission is to promote the general welfare of Nevada County and its citizens through official recognition, recording, marking, preserving and promoting the historical resources of Nevada County. For more information, please call 415-264-7230.
Pictured Left: Chuck Scimeca, Jerry Martini, Tara Joeng, Bruce Boyd, Torben Eriksen installed the new plaque for the Jones Hospital dedication ceremony.
Washington's Chinese Community - Historical Landmark Dedication
When: Saturday, May 27, 2023
Where: 15382 Washington Road, Nevada County, CA 95959
Did you know that in the 1850s, over 20% of Nevada County‘s population was Chinese and the town of Washington had one of the County’s largest Chinese communities. Learn more on Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 11 AM when a plaque commemorating Washington’s Chinese Community will be unveiled. The Nevada County Historical Landmarks commission invites the public to attend the ceremony at the head of China Alley, which led down to the Chinese community. The Alley is located next to the General Store at 15382 Washington Road. Explore the rest of this historic town while you’re there.
One of the most prominent Chinese families was that of Suey Chung (later better known as Fong Chow) and his wife, Lonnie Tom. Mr. Fong operated the nearby Omega Mine for some years. The plaque was sponsored by their descendants, led by Professor Gordon Chang of Stanford University, who will attend and speak.
The landmark is featured on the Commission’s interactive landmarks map and in the electronic edition of Exploring Nevada County, a guide to the over 200 historical landmarks in the County, available for any smartphone or tablet from Apple or Amazon.
Go to You Bet Press to find clickable links. A print version of the guide is available at local bookstores.
The purpose of the Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission is to promote the general welfare of Nevada County and its citizens through official recognition, recording, marking, preserving and promoting the historical resources of Nevada County. For more information, please call 530-263-4963.
Grass Valley School District - Kentucky Flat School Dedication
When: Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Where: 13281 Newtown Rd, Nevada City, CA 95959
The Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission and the Grass Valley School District are pleased to commemorate the Kentucky Flat School as a historical landmark.
The Kentucky Flat School was originally located near the Kentucky Flat mining camp below Kentucky Ridge. It became too small for that community and was moved to its current Newtown site in 1855. In 1877, Mr. Hubertus Schardin deeded to the Kentucky Flat School District the property the School now sits on. The original building was destroyed by fire in 1895, but was quickly rebuilt. The School continued to operate for 108 years. In 1963, it closed after serving generations of Nevada County school children. The School was annexed to the Grass Valley School District in July, 1964, and leased to the Kentucky Flat Community Center. Today, it continues to serve young children as the Kentucky Flat Community Pre School.
The landmark is featured on the Commission’s interactive landmarks map and in the electronic edition of Exploring Nevada County, a guide to the over 200 historical landmarks in the County, available for any smartphone or tablet from Apple or Amazon. Go to You Bet Press to find clickable links. A print version of the guide is available at local bookstores.
The purpose of the Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission is to promote the general welfare of Nevada County and its citizens through official recognition, recording, marking, preserving and promoting the historical resources of Nevada County. For more information, please call 530-263-4963.
Chinese Narrow Gauge Rail Workers Dedication Ceremony
When: March 22, 2022
Where: Corner of Sacramento Street and Railroad Avenue in Nevada City
The Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission is pleased to commemorate the Chinese workers who were integral in building the Narrow Gauge Railroad. The Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum is sponsoring this plaque which is expected to be placed during the summer near the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad kiosk at the corner of Sacramento Street and Railroad Avenue in Nevada City. It reads:
“In the race to build the western portion of the Transcontinental Railroad, the Central Pacific Railroad recruited over ten thousand young men from China, creating a skilled and dependable work force. Upon completion many of these workers, who had come to America under contract for employment, returned home to China. Others remained to find employment building railroads throughout the United States.
This site marks one end of the 22-mile Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad that connected Nevada City and Grass Valley with Colfax and the Central Pacific Railroad. After construction of the NCNGRR started in 1875, over three hundred Chinese immigrants labored to build the railroad. They built the railroad grade over the rugged and uneven terrain between Colfax and Grass Valley, scaling canyons, filling ravines, and prepared the way for bridges and trestles. Using hand tools, horse drawn scrapers, hand carts and their determination, they completed the task in early 1876. Although considered more dependable than white workers, they were paid less.
When the railroad was completed in 1876 most of the Chinese moved on to other railroad construction projects, A few Chinese workers remained as track workers maintaining the NCNGRR. Apart from laboring on the railroad, several Chinese businessmen in Nevada City were investors and retained stock in the company into the 20th century. The contributions of Chinese immigrants were an essential element in the building and success of the NCNGRR.”
The purpose of the Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission is to promote the general
welfare of Nevada County and its citizens through official recognition, recording, marking,
preserving, and promoting the historical resources of Nevada County.
Kentucky Ridge Slave Mine Historical Landmark Dedication
When: June 2021
Where: Intersection of Bitney Spring Rd and Lone Lobo Trail,
The Kentucky Ridge Slave Mine Site Historical Landmark was dedicated in with a small celebration of commission members, Board of Supervisors, the landowner, and neighbors in June of 2021.
Located near the intersection of Bitney Spring Rd and Lone Lobo Trail, the Kentucky Ridge Mine Site was the largest enterprise in California operated by enslaved Black labor despite California joining the Union as a free state. After gold was discovered on the site in 1851, former Florida plantation owner Colonel William F. English, one of over a dozen slave owners in Nevada County at the time, brought between 30 and 45 slaves from Florida and South Carolina to mine.
After English died in a gun accident in August 1852, the mine failed. Some of the former slaves stayed and tried to mine for themselves, but most gradually migrated down into Grass Valley, many settling in the Boston Ravine area. Many of the slaves went on to be pillars of the community. Isaac Sanks, husband of Chasey, one of the slaves, became a religious leader, businessman, and newspaper reporter who helped to gain Black men the right to serve on juries and vote by 1870. Mr. Sanks may have been the first Black to run for public office in California, when he ran for Grass Valley town trustee in 1870.
Ellen Sargent Plaque Dedication Ceremony
When: August 26, 2021
Where: Calanan Park, Nevada City
This is a plaque to celebrate Ellen Clark Sargent was placed in Calanan Park in Nevada City, CA. Ellen was a prominent suffragist and was crucial in helping to get the 19th Amendment passed to allow women the right to vote.
Bernie Zimmerman, Chair of the Nevada County Historic Landmarks Commission, welcomed everyone and spoke briefly on why we are holding a public rededication ceremony on the 101st anniversary of the enactment of the 19th Amendment.
Fran Cole, president of the local chapter of the League of Women Voters of Western Nevada County will speak on the 19th Amendment and the importance of voting. Mary Baird, actress, will appear as Ellen Sargent and will focus on Ellen‘s personal life.
This plaque celebration was in August of 2020. Thanks to commissioner Chuck Scimeca for the video!