38:
861:
316:
453:
The
Morning Transcript on May 3, 1882 editorialized: "There will be trouble if the Blue Tent mining company does not cease giving employment to the small army of Chinamen working in its gold mines. We ask that company, how it can expect sympathy and financial aid from our people when it daily insults
280:
Subsequently, the mine was operated until 1906 as a drift mine. In 1907, the Blue Tent mine, renamed the
Channel mine, was reopened to resume hydraulicing. Soon thereafter, the miners went on strike, seeking an eight-hour work day. The mine closed in 1916 and about a year later a fire destroyed its
297:
As mining declined in Blue Tent, agriculture started taking over. Two prominent families in the Blue Tent area were the
Arbogasts and the Brindejohns. Jacob Arbogast came to Nevada County around 1860 and mined around Blue Tent. He bought 160 acres of land, which he first mined and later farmed. His
185:
A school was established in 1868. In 1879, the Blue Tent school district had 37 students, of whom 20 were boys, and one female teacher. The schoolhouse was originally close to the N. Bloomfield Road. In 1892, it was moved to its present location on what is now Blue Tent School Road. The school
535:
Hydraulic mining uses water directed at great pressure against gold bearing hillsides to dislodge the gold. Drift mining, which is much more expensive than hydraulicking, requires tunneling into hillsides and blasting to dislodge the gold. See generally
Greenland, Powell, Hydraulic Mining in
288:
There were other efforts to resume mining. To help, in 1914, the road between Nevada City and Blue Tent was improved, cutting the distance by a mile. In 1909, there was what one newspaper described as an "extremely rich" ore discovery at the Native Son mine. Efforts were also made to resume
256:
Hydraulic mining reached its heyday in the 1870s. The principal mine was the Blue Tent Gold Mining
Company, which produced $ 780,00 in gold in 1873 alone. Between 1874 and 1876, the Blue Tent Mining and Water Company spent $ 160,000 constructing a ditch to bring water from far up the
311:
Today, the Blue Tent district is a rural, largely residential area. The only substantial evidence of the former mining district is the Blue Tent school, which remains at the site to which it was moved in 1892. It has been converted to a private residence..
277:. A farmer near Sacramento had sued the major mining company in state court to stop it from discharging mining debris into the Yuba River. This debris was destroying farmland downstream. By the early 1890s, the Blue Tent mine was closed.
302:
in France, arrived in Blue Tent around 1864. Louis
Brindejohn acquired 400 acres of land, which he farmed. His three sons, Louis, Eugene and Paul attended the Blue Tent school and jointly managed the family farm.
230:
Hydraulic mining required large amounts of water. A ditch bringing water from Rock Creek was built by the South Yuba Canal
Company in 1857 and significantly enlarged in 1860 to accommodate the growing mines.
249:. In 1867, the Nevada Ice Co. began harvesting blocks of ice and shipping them throughout the California. Ice was harvested as late as 1910. Blue Tent also had its own lime kiln, producing a kind of
289:
hydraulic mining, in 1914 by D. A. Campbell, and in 1918 by
Eleanor Hoeft, who sought a permit to contain the debris so it would not enter the Yuba River, but these do not appear to have succeeded.
635:
Its construction was difficult. To build the six miles which ran along the face of a cliff, workmen were suspended by ropes 1000 feet above the bottom of the gorge. Greenland, ibid, pp. 85-6.
1492:
1497:
1388:
197:. Over 500 Chinese workers, most of them miner, inhabited the community. However, these workers were eventually fired, due to pressure from white miners and the local community.
207:
For recreation, residents of Blue Tent participated in ice skating when the reservoir above the town froze, horse racing, and balls at the St. Louis House. They could also take
789:
211:
from Mrs. Stone, described as "a lady of rare capability… thoroughly versed" in the art of hydropathy. At the same time, Blue Tent had its share of robberies, and arson.
37:
151:
Blue Tent also served as a supply base for the more remote mines in that part of Nevada County. The firm of
Lindsay & Dick distributed supplies from Blue Tent by
200:
In 1878, Blue Tent was connected to the world's first long distance telephone line, established in 1878 to link the mining communities around the San Juan Ridge. A
1502:
1349:
148:. Before long, it had its own store, dance hall, blacksmith shop, boarding house and other buildings. A non-denominational Union Church was erected in 1861.
1507:
274:
204:
branch was established in 1878. David Hughes, Superintendent of the Blue Tent Mining
Company, was the first postmaster. The post office closed in 1889.
1159:
167:
926:
782:
1179:
1119:
951:
1219:
1099:
1139:
1134:
991:
1114:
1342:
1189:
775:
1393:
536:
California (2001) pp. 242, 297-9. See also Lindgren, Waldemar (1911) The Tertiary Gravels of the Sierra Nevada of California, p. 24.
238:
in 1857. Other sawmills were built by the Cooper brothers, Roberts and Brewer. In addition, near Brewer's sawmill, was Prosper's
100:
Its approximate location is at the intersection of N. Bloomfield Road and Blue Tent School Road. It was part of Nevada Township.
1036:
298:
son John Peter took over the family ranch, expanded to 360 acres, and became a successful farmer. The Brindejohns, natives of
767:
463:
Welselsky, Audrey, Another First for Nevada County, Nevada County Historical Society Bulletin, Vol. 2, No.7, (Dec.1949) p. 3.
1335:
901:
273:
Like the other communities in the region that depended on hydraulic mining, Blue Tent began to decline following the 1884
186:
continued to serve the community until 1961, though there were times when the school was closed due to lack of a teacher.
1214:
1006:
832:
921:
554:
Sacramento Daily Union, October 1, 1857; Nevada Democrat, October 25, 1860; Marysville Daily Appeal, October 27, 1860.
1209:
1149:
1104:
1094:
1069:
1011:
976:
911:
122:
1461:
1409:
1307:
1164:
1089:
1031:
961:
906:
799:
1279:
1199:
1144:
956:
890:
840:
662:
The Sawyer decision is reported as Woodruff v. North Bloomfield Gravel Mining Co., 18 F. 753 (CCD Cal. 1884).
1239:
1184:
1169:
1129:
1109:
1064:
996:
916:
880:
872:
845:
821:
160:
94:
1259:
1229:
1074:
986:
981:
931:
130:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1234:
971:
885:
599:
Thompson & West, ibid, p. 166; Nuggets, ibid, pp. 21-2; Sacramento Daily Union, February 15, 1867.
1358:
1314:
1124:
1016:
895:
179:
1274:
1269:
1204:
1174:
1154:
1041:
1021:
941:
850:
126:
426:
Undated newspaper article found in the Blue Tent folder in the Doris Foley Library in Nevada City.
223:
around Blue Tent. In one reported instance, Weston, Holmes and Co set off a blast of 304 kegs of
1372:
1284:
1264:
1224:
1026:
1001:
966:
175:
454:
them by employing rice eaters in the place of white men? " Quoted in Greenland, ibid, pp. 244-5.
1194:
1059:
653:
Lardner, W.B. and Brock, M.J. (1924) History of Placer and Nevada Counties California, p.324.
1435:
1430:
1084:
258:
250:
145:
1414:
336:
Thompson, Thomas H. and West, Albert A. (1970 ed.) History of Nevada County -1880, p. 179.
171:
140:
Blue Tent was established in 1850 and named after its first dwelling, a tent made of blue
201:
118:
1486:
1456:
134:
345:
Carlson, Walter A., Gold Nuggets of Nevada County (1951) (hereinafter Nuggets) p.13.
224:
220:
208:
265:, below which was a 1000 foot long tunnel. By 1880, the ditch was 30 miles long.
1473:
1440:
814:
246:
90:
315:
1051:
526:
Morning Transcript, August 1, 1861; Sacramento Daily Union, November 17, 1869.
282:
245:
The ditch, and the reservoir it created, gave rise to another local industry,
194:
156:
152:
190:
114:
517:
Nevada Democrat, February 7, 1861; Marysville Daily Appeal, June 23, 1875.
299:
239:
363:
Nevada Democrat, August 1, 1861; Sacramento Daily Union, August 3, 1861.
1327:
390:
Morning Transcript, November 7, 1860. Thompson & West, ibid, p.137.
235:
182:. This suggests a total population at that time in the range of 3-500.
725:
San Francisco Call, April 7, 1909; Los Angeles Herald, April 12, 1909.
626:
Janicot, Michel, A History of Nevada County Post Offices (1994) p. 10.
166:
No accurate population figures are readily available. However, in the
372:
Bean, Edwin F., History and Directory of Nevada County (1867) p.86.
314:
262:
141:
444:
Nuggets, ibid, quoting long-time resident Peter Arbogast, p. 18.
1331:
771:
159:
line was started that connected Blue Tent with Nevada City and
219:
Though known as a center for hydraulic mining, there was also
1298:‡This CDP also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
859:
1389:
List of people associated with the California Gold Rush
113:
Blue Tent lies on a gold-bearing channel of an ancient
689:
Sacramento Union, January 30, 1907; Id, March 2, 1907.
261:. At the head of the ditch was a four and a half mile
242:
pit, charcoal being often used as a coal substitute.
234:
Mining also required lumber. J. N. Turner erected a
189:
Blue Tent had its own "Chinatown", located near the
1449:
1423:
1402:
1381:
1365:
1293:
1050:
940:
871:
831:
76:
71:
63:
55:
47:
21:
170:, 60 votes were cast in Blue Tent for candidates
285:. The uninsured loss was estimated at $ 15,000.
1493:Former settlements in Nevada County, California
144:. The community thrived, becoming a center for
93:community located about six miles northeast of
1498:Mining communities of the California Gold Rush
227:inside a tunnel that ran 65 feet into a hill.
1343:
783:
435:See e.g. Sacramento Union, January 28, 1921.
16:Mining community in California, United States
8:
42:Ice Harvesting on Rock Creek near Blue Tent
1350:
1336:
1328:
790:
776:
768:
18:
860:
168:1860 United States presidential election
545:Sacramento Daily Union, March 31, 1869.
329:
70:
46:
34:
1503:Former populated places in California
75:
62:
54:
7:
734:Sacramento Union, November 23, 1914.
608:Sacramento Union, November 24, 1910.
680:Sacramento Union, January 30, 1907.
572:Thompson & West, ibid, p. 167.
798:Municipalities and communities of
743:Sacramento Union, January 7, 1918.
707:Sacramento Union, August 29, 1917.
698:Sacramento Union, August 28, 1907.
508:Morning Transcript, June 20, 1861.
481:Nevada Democrat, January 24, 1861.
381:Young America, September 28, 1853.
14:
1508:1850 establishments in California
1394:Women in the California Gold Rush
716:Sacramento Union, March 16, 1914.
121:through Scotts Flat, California,
752:Lardner and Brock, ibid, p. 594.
644:Thompson and West, ibid, p. 173.
36:
563:Nevada Journal, March 13, 1857.
1:
215:Other businesses in Blue Tent
193:about two miles south of the
117:. The channel runs from the
89:is a historic 19th century
1524:
581:Nuggets, ibid, pp. 14, 23.
1470:
1462:Copper mining in Michigan
1424:Key California Gold sites
1410:Oh My Darling, Clementine
1303:
857:
812:
801:Nevada County, California
35:
28:
269:End of hydraulic mining
161:Downieville, California
123:Hunt's Hill, California
95:Nevada City, California
865:
499:Id, February 15, 1862.
490:Id, February 21, 1861.
320:
253:used in construction.
131:Dutch Flat, California
863:
617:Nuggets, ibid, p. 18.
318:
1472:Part of a series on
1359:California Gold Rush
1316:United States portal
671:Janicot, ibid, p.10.
472:Janicot, ibid, p.10.
399:Nuggets, ibid, p.13.
180:John C. Breckinridge
127:You Bet, California
1373:Gold in California
866:
321:
176:Stephen A. Douglas
77: • Total
1480:
1479:
1325:
1324:
1309:California portal
902:Lake of the Pines
864:Nevada County map
84:
83:
1515:
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1007:North Bloomfield
862:
833:Cities and towns
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319:Blue Tent School
259:South Yuba River
146:hydraulic mining
40:
30:Mining community
19:
1523:
1522:
1518:
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1516:
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1512:
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1450:Early US mining
1445:
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1415:Mursheen Durkin
1398:
1377:
1361:
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1326:
1321:
1315:
1308:
1299:
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1046:
943:
936:
922:Rough and Ready
867:
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827:
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815:
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796:
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751:
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307:Blue Tent today
295:
275:Sawyer decision
271:
217:
172:Abraham Lincoln
111:
106:
43:
31:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1217:
1212:
1210:Remington Hill
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1160:Indian Springs
1157:
1152:
1147:
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1137:
1132:
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1122:
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1112:
1107:
1105:Camp Spaulding
1102:
1097:
1095:Brass Wire Bar
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1072:
1070:Baltimore Town
1067:
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1056:
1054:
1048:
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1044:
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1034:
1029:
1024:
1019:
1014:
1012:North Columbia
1009:
1004:
999:
994:
989:
984:
979:
977:Higgins Corner
974:
969:
964:
959:
954:
948:
946:
942:Unincorporated
938:
937:
935:
934:
929:
924:
919:
914:
912:North San Juan
909:
904:
899:
893:
888:
883:
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875:
869:
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270:
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216:
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202:US Post Office
119:San Juan Ridge
110:
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78:
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1457:Comstock Lode
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1434:
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1215:Rose's Corral
1213:
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1193:
1191:
1188:
1186:
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1173:
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1168:
1166:
1165:Kentucky Flat
1163:
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1158:
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1138:
1136:
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1118:
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1113:
1111:
1108:
1106:
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1090:Boston Ravine
1088:
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1032:Willow Valley
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962:French Corral
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907:Lake Wildwood
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806:United States
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155:. In 1853, a
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135:Placer County
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109:The community
108:
104:Early history
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88:
79:
66:
58:
51:United States
50:
39:
27:
20:
1280:Woolsey Flat
1200:Orleans Flat
1145:Hobart Mills
1079:
957:Chicago Park
927:Soda Springs
891:Graniteville
841:Grass Valley
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757:
748:
739:
730:
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225:black powder
221:drift mining
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209:Hydrotherapy
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150:
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112:
99:
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85:
1474:Gold mining
1441:Empire Mine
1240:Spenceville
1185:Moores Flat
1180:Meadow Lake
1170:Little York
1150:Hunt's Hill
1130:French Lake
1120:Coyoteville
1110:Chalk Bluff
1065:Badger Hill
1052:Ghost towns
997:Mooney Flat
952:Cedar Ridge
944:communities
917:Penn Valley
881:Alta Sierra
846:Nevada City
823:Nevada City
816:County seat
761:Id, p. 768.
293:Agriculture
247:Ice cutting
178:and 33 for
91:gold mining
1487:Categories
1260:Union Hill
1230:Snow Point
1220:Sebastopol
1100:Bridgeport
1075:Birchville
987:Hirschdale
982:Hills Flat
932:Washington
590:Id. p. 14.
324:References
283:stamp mill
195:Yuba River
157:stagecoach
153:pack train
72:Population
59:California
1294:Footnotes
1255:Tsekankan
1250:Town Talk
1245:Sweetland
1235:Snow Tent
1140:Gold Hill
1135:Glenbrook
1080:Blue Tent
992:Lake City
972:Gold Flat
886:Floriston
417:Id, p.13.
408:Id, p.13.
191:lime kiln
174:, 15 for
115:river bed
87:Blue Tent
23:Blue Tent
1125:Democrat
1115:Cherokee
1017:Peardale
896:Kingvale
300:Brittany
240:charcoal
64:Township
1403:Culture
1366:Geology
1275:Wokodot
1270:Waloupa
1205:Red Dog
1190:Newtown
1175:Maybert
1155:Iceland
1042:You Bet
1022:Polaris
851:Truckee
236:sawmill
48:Country
1382:People
1285:Yamako
1265:Ustoma
1225:Shands
1027:Relief
1002:Norden
967:Gaston
251:mortar
125:, and
67:Nevada
1195:Omega
1060:Alpha
263:flume
142:denim
56:State
1085:Boca
1037:Wolf
873:CDPs
133:and
354:Id.
281:20
129:to
80:300
1489::
819::
804:,
163:.
137:.
97:.
1351:e
1344:t
1337:v
898:‡
791:e
784:t
777:v
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