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Archiver > CA-GOLDRUSH > 1998-08 > 0902503854


From: Nancy Howard <>
Subject: [CA-GOLDRUSH-L] Fiddletown to Oleta to Fiddletown
Date: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 08:30:54 -0700 (PDT)


Hi Particia and Listers,
A quick check of Rensch's 'Historic Spots in California' yields:
A few miles east of Plymouth is the picturesque settlement of
Fiddletown, immortalized by Bret Harte's story "An Episode of
Fiddletown." It was first settled by in 1848 by a party of
Missourians. "They are always fiddeling," said an old Missouri
partiarch; "call it Fiddletown." And Fiddletown it was until 1878
when the name was changed to Oleta. The change was made by the state
legislature, at the insistance, it is said, of Judge Purinton, a
prominent citizen who on frequent business trips to Sacramento and San
Francisco had been greatly embarrassed as being known as "the man from
Fiddletown." Through the efforts of the Committee of Historic
Landmarks of the California Historical Society, the old name of
Fiddletown was restored in 1932.
In the 1850s and early 1860's Fiddletown was the trading center
for a number of rich mining camps--American Flat and American Hill,
French Flat, Loafer Flat, Lone Hill and others. The entire region, now
including the ridge between Suckertown (now Brdgeport) and State
Creek, forms a part of extensive river deposits.
The author goes on the cite the rich farming lands and thriving
agticulture and farming of the area...many descendants of the originl
pioneer settlers still live there on the old homesteads.
I have a small book on the history of Fiddletown and will try to
answer questions about the town and its history...just send a post.
It's cooler today in scenic Studio City,
Nancy Howard

==
Nancy Doyle Howard;
"Let us, before we die, gather up our heritage
and offer it to our children." Will Durant
Perkins VA>KY>TN>MO> Visalia CA
Doyle VA>KY>TN>MO> Fresno CA
Howard ME>NY>OR> Fresno CA

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