Manuscripts
This collection contains 62 letters from twenty-six different authors, including Milton B. Stevens, C. K. Dixon and Byron Whitcomb, in mining camps and cities throughout Northern California illustrating aspects of the Gold Rush experience, chiefly from 1849-1864. Milton B. Stevens is the most prolific figure in this collection, as he wrote fifteen of the letters in the collection and was the addressee of twenty. There are, however, twenty-five other authors in these letters, including four women, two of them writing from California. Other significant authors in this collection are: Abbey Stevens (5 letters), Byron Whitcomb (7 letters), and C. K. Dixon (9 letters). The letters mention various mining camps throughout Northern California, such as Fosters Bar, Galena Hill, Murderers Bar, Pilot Hill, Salmon Falls, Weber Creek, and the Klamath River Valley mines. The letters illustrate several aspects of the Gold Rush experience: the journey to California through South America; life in California and the gold camps; gold discoveries, or the lack thereof; the techniques and equipment used in mining; loneliness and longing for home. The letters from Milton B. Stevens' mother tell of the experience of the miners' families back at home in the East. The letter dated 1954 was written by Stephen C. Lyon, who at one time owned the collection. Eighteen of the letters have handwritten or typed transcripts.
mssHM 59471-59532
