Gold Rush Era Collections

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Gold Rush Era Collections
Letters written by various people during the Gold Rush era 1848-1855. Please note that historical materials in the Gold Rush Collections may include viewpoints and values that are not consistent with the values of the California State Library or the State of California and may be considered offensive. Materials must be viewed in the context of the relevant time period, but views are in no way endorsed by the State Library. The California State Library’s mission is to provide credible information services to all Californians and, as such, the content of historical materials should be transcribed as it appears in the original document.

Works

Cyrus Richmond

Cyrus Richmond

In this collection of letters Cyrus Richmond writes to his family in Maine, about his business dealings in California during the Gold Rush. He details his first impressions of life in San Francisco and the impact of gold mining. **Please note that historical materials in the Gold Rush...

46 pages: 6% complete (7% indexed, 96% transcribed, 89% needs review)
Hosea Dudley

Hosea Dudley

This collection consists of 34 pages of an unbound diary documenting Hosea Dudley’s trip aboard the ship Pharsalia which departed Boston for San Francisco and carried 160 passengers and crew. Dudley begins his diary on February 2, 1849, and much of the diary describes the voyage and daily life...

35 pages: 0% complete (0% indexed, 100% transcribed, 100% needs review)
What Cheer House Lease

What Cheer House Lease

This two-page document dated May 14, 1854 documents the land Joseph L. Folsom leased to Robert B. Woodward. This was the site of the famous What Cheer House, a hotel operated by Woodward. The What Cheer House was unique in several ways. It catered to men only and was priced to appeal to miners...

3 pages: 33% complete (33% indexed, 100% transcribed, 67% needs review)
William P. Warren

William P. Warren

In this collection William writes to his family of his 1850 overland journey to California. He describes the hardships on the trail and his arrival in California. His family’s return letters keep him up to date with news from home. **Please note that historical materials in the Gold Rush...

20 pages: 20% complete (10% indexed, 100% transcribed, 80% needs review)
William R. Olden

William R. Olden

Twenty-two letters from William Rodman Olden in California to his family in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The first letter is addressed to his wife and dated from Panama on May 13, 1849. The rest of the letters were sent to his sister, Mrs. A. Murray McIlvaine, and date from 1849 to 1877. This...

117 pages: 74% complete (62% indexed, 99% transcribed, 25% needs review)
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People, Places