Red Dog, California
Encyclopedia
Red Dog was a California gold rush
mining town located in the Gold Country
in south-central Nevada County
, California
, United States
, 6 mi (9.7 km) northeast of Chicago Park
. Red Dog Hill, a mine and campsite, was founded by three men all under the age of 22, and was named by their youngest, a 15-year-old prospector. As mining operations grew, the campsite became a settlement, and then a town with a population of 2,000 residents, before it was eventually abandoned. Still considered important today, Red Dog Townsite is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
mine.
Mining campsites began to form in Red Dog as well as other places nearby such as Chalk Bluff
(1.5 mi (2.4 km) away), Hunt's Hill
, Little York
and You Bet
(1 mi (1.6 km) away). Their existence was tied to ongoing mining operations. Red Dog Mining Company's Mine was situated at an elevation of 2910 ft (887 m) above sea level
and expanded over 200 acre (0.809372 km²). It used water powered through Old Chalk Bluff ditch from the head of Deer Creek.
Red Dog evolved from a campsite into a settlement by 1851. During the next four years, it became an active and progressive mining town, replete with a department store
, hotel, restaurant, professional buildings, lodges, and homes. Eventually, the miners of Chalk Bluff moved to Red Dog, and the town decided to rename itself "Brooklyn" (sometimes spelled "Brooklin"). When a post office was established in 1855, it was the post office's decision to stick with the name Red Dog, as Brooklyn, California
already existed in Alameda County
.
Several times, the town was devastated by fire; each time, it was rebuilt. The fire of January 1859 resulted in an $8,600 loss. The fire of August 1862 destroyed most of the town's business district, resulting in a $50,000 loss.
An Odd Fellows
Lodge preceded the building of a Masonic Lodge
, which opened on the east side of Main Street in 1862. In 1863, Main Street and Plumb Street had two general variety stores, a hardware and tin shop, a shoemaker's shop, butcher's shop, blacksmith
's shop, dressmaker's shop, two hotels, three saloons, and stands for fruit and liquor. Macy & Martin of Red Dog are credited with inventing a rifled nozzle for Hydraulic mining
in 1863, an improvement subsequently used by all hydraulic nozzles.
By 1867, the town had four cement Stamp mill
s, including Wright & Company, and Cozzens, Garber & Company. But the continuous rains of 1867–68 washed away the mine's hydraulic ditches and flume
s destroying much of the town. Many of the approximately 300 residents left, and many of the buildings, including the Odd Fellows Lodge, were moved to You Bet
. The post office remained until 1869. While three cement mills were operating in Red Dog in 1873, including Wier & Garber, Williams & Riggs, and Wright & Company, the Mason's Lodge closed.
Red Dog Cemetery is the only part of the town
that remains today. It is located on You Bet Road near Red Dog Road in what is now Nevada City
. Stehr (died 1881), Stehr's son, Chew (died 1900) and three of Chew's brothers are buried there.
(No. N2143) on May 9, 1975.
On September 14, 2001, the Red Dog Townsite was designated a landmark (No. 01000968) by the National Register of Historic Places
. Owned by the Federal government, and address restricted, the townsite was honored for its 1850–1899 information potential in community planning, development, commerce, settlement and exploration; as well as the social history of those who emigrated to the town, such as the Chinese.
Nevada County also designated Red Dog as a Historical Point of Interest (No. 25).
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
mining town located in the Gold Country
Gold Country
Gold Country is a region in the central and northeastern part of California, United States. It is famed for the mineral deposits and gold mines that attracted waves of immigrants, known as the 49ers, during the 1849 California Gold Rush.-Geography:State Route 49 was built through the Gold Country,...
in south-central Nevada County
Nevada County, California
Nevada County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of California, in the Mother Lode country. As of 2010 its population was 98,764. The county seat is Nevada City.-History:Nevada County was created in 1851 from parts of Yuba County....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 6 mi (9.7 km) northeast of Chicago Park
Chicago Park, California
Chicago Park is an unincorporated community in Nevada County, California, United States, along State Route 174 southeast of Grass Valley, California, and north of Colfax, California.-History:...
. Red Dog Hill, a mine and campsite, was founded by three men all under the age of 22, and was named by their youngest, a 15-year-old prospector. As mining operations grew, the campsite became a settlement, and then a town with a population of 2,000 residents, before it was eventually abandoned. Still considered important today, Red Dog Townsite is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
History
While prospecting in 1850, three young men, all aged 21 or younger, discovered gold on a hill on the east side of Greenhorn ridge. The two from Arkansas, Henry Jacob Stehr and the Irishman Joseph Chew (or Chow), named the ravine after their home state of Arkansas. Charles ("Charlie") Wilson of Illinois, the youngest of the three at age 15, named the hill "Red Dog" after a zincZinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
mine.
Mining campsites began to form in Red Dog as well as other places nearby such as Chalk Bluff
Chalk Bluff, California
Chalk Bluff is a former settlement in Nevada County, California. Chalk Bluff is located east of Red Dog. It still appeared on maps as of 1873.It was a mining camp started around 1850. All the residents moved to nearby Red Dog.-References:...
(1.5 mi (2.4 km) away), Hunt's Hill
Hunt's Hill, California
Hunt's Hill is a former settlement in Nevada County, California, United States. Hunt's Hill was located on the Sierra Nevada range north of You Bet....
, Little York
Little York, California
Little York is a former settlement in Nevada County, California, located near Chicago Park, between Bear River and Greenhorn Creek....
and You Bet
You Bet, California
You Bet is a small unincorporated community mining town in Nevada County, California, United States. You Bet is located northeast of Chicago Park. The town was founded in 1858, on the Sierra Nevada Range, and is bordered by the Yuba and Bear Rivers....
(1 mi (1.6 km) away). Their existence was tied to ongoing mining operations. Red Dog Mining Company's Mine was situated at an elevation of 2910 ft (887 m) above sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
and expanded over 200 acre (0.809372 km²). It used water powered through Old Chalk Bluff ditch from the head of Deer Creek.
Red Dog evolved from a campsite into a settlement by 1851. During the next four years, it became an active and progressive mining town, replete with a department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
, hotel, restaurant, professional buildings, lodges, and homes. Eventually, the miners of Chalk Bluff moved to Red Dog, and the town decided to rename itself "Brooklyn" (sometimes spelled "Brooklin"). When a post office was established in 1855, it was the post office's decision to stick with the name Red Dog, as Brooklyn, California
Brooklyn, California
Brooklyn is a former city in Alameda County, California, now annexed to Oakland, California.Brooklyn first formed from the amalgamation in 1856 of two settlements, the sites of which are both now within the city limits of Oakland: San Antonio and Clinton. The name Brooklyn commemorated the ship...
already existed in Alameda County
Alameda County, California
Alameda County is a county in the U.S. state of California. It occupies most of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,510,271, making it the 7th most populous county in the state...
.
Several times, the town was devastated by fire; each time, it was rebuilt. The fire of January 1859 resulted in an $8,600 loss. The fire of August 1862 destroyed most of the town's business district, resulting in a $50,000 loss.
An Odd Fellows
Odd Fellows
Odd Fellows is a name broadly referring to any of a large number of friendly societies, fraternal and service organizations and/or Lodges.-Societies using the name "Odd Fellows" or variations:...
Lodge preceded the building of a Masonic Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
, which opened on the east side of Main Street in 1862. In 1863, Main Street and Plumb Street had two general variety stores, a hardware and tin shop, a shoemaker's shop, butcher's shop, blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
's shop, dressmaker's shop, two hotels, three saloons, and stands for fruit and liquor. Macy & Martin of Red Dog are credited with inventing a rifled nozzle for Hydraulic mining
Hydraulic mining
Hydraulic mining, or hydraulicking, is a form of mining that uses high-pressure jets of water to dislodge rock material or move sediment. In the placer mining of gold or tin, the resulting water-sediment slurry is directed through sluice boxes to remove the gold.-Precursor - ground...
in 1863, an improvement subsequently used by all hydraulic nozzles.
By 1867, the town had four cement Stamp mill
Stamp mill
A stamp mill is a type of mill machine that crushes material by pounding rather than grinding, either for further processing or for extraction of metallic ores. Breaking material down is a type of unit operation....
s, including Wright & Company, and Cozzens, Garber & Company. But the continuous rains of 1867–68 washed away the mine's hydraulic ditches and flume
Flume
A flume is an open artificial water channel, in the form of a gravity chute, that leads water from a diversion dam or weir completely aside a natural flow. Often, the flume is an elevated box structure that follows the natural contours of the land. These have been extensively used in hydraulic...
s destroying much of the town. Many of the approximately 300 residents left, and many of the buildings, including the Odd Fellows Lodge, were moved to You Bet
You Bet, California
You Bet is a small unincorporated community mining town in Nevada County, California, United States. You Bet is located northeast of Chicago Park. The town was founded in 1858, on the Sierra Nevada Range, and is bordered by the Yuba and Bear Rivers....
. The post office remained until 1869. While three cement mills were operating in Red Dog in 1873, including Wier & Garber, Williams & Riggs, and Wright & Company, the Mason's Lodge closed.
Red Dog Cemetery is the only part of the town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
that remains today. It is located on You Bet Road near Red Dog Road in what is now Nevada City
Nevada City, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Nevada City had a population of 3,068. The population density was 1,399.7 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Nevada City was 2,837 White, 26 African American, 28 Native American, 46 Asian, 0 Pacific Islander, 40 from other races,...
. Stehr (died 1881), Stehr's son, Chew (died 1900) and three of Chew's brothers are buried there.
Landmark
Red Dog was designated by the state as a California Point of Historical InterestCalifornia Point of Historical Interest
California Points of Historical Interest are sites, buildings, features, or events that are of local significance and have anthropological, cultural, military, political, architectural, economic, scientific or technical, religious, experimental, or other value...
(No. N2143) on May 9, 1975.
On September 14, 2001, the Red Dog Townsite was designated a landmark (No. 01000968) by the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Owned by the Federal government, and address restricted, the townsite was honored for its 1850–1899 information potential in community planning, development, commerce, settlement and exploration; as well as the social history of those who emigrated to the town, such as the Chinese.
Nevada County also designated Red Dog as a Historical Point of Interest (No. 25).
See also
- California Gold RushCalifornia Gold RushThe California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Nevada County, California