| Diamond
Springs – The First Ten Years
© 2004- Anthony Belli
California Registered Historical
Landmark #487 ... Click on image to read the plaque. |
1849
"Diamond Springs", taking its
name from a group of natural springs on the north side of Main Street,
Diamond Springs was founded by an early day 49er who first erected
a cabin here in 1849. Unable to persuade
mining partners to remain in Diamond Springs, they soon left for
diggings at Coloma.
1850
The migration of Missourians arrived at
the camp in Diamond Springs in 1850. The Missouri folks settled
here for Gold Rush and for it's great potential as farm land. Unlike
many Gold Rush era settlements where women were scarce, these Missourians
came with their families.
The 1850 census shows seven married couples
and one single woman with a total of 34 children, all from Missouri.
33 other residents were foreign born (Northern Europe mostly), and
one black man, Kentucky born Francis Jackson. The census reports
44 females, 18 were married, and 59 children under 16 years made
up the settlement at Diamond Springs.
A letter appeared in the Alta California
on November 17, 1850 reporting that more then 100 new homes had
been built in just a few weeks at Diamond Springs. The town became
a voting precinct which cast almost as many votes as Coloma in the
special election of November, 1850.
1851
During the next year, 1851, Diamond Springs
grew rapidly adding 13 mercantile, three hotels (one complete with
a Saloon), two butchers, a blacksmith. With five carpenters in the
village, construction soon began on clap board homes and other permanent
structures. There were 262 men living here by the end of 1851 --
all miners. By the end of the year the Missouri founders represented
a full ¼ of the population, down from ½ the year before.
Diamond Springs was to be graced with families
and children during the anarchy years of the Gold Rush. It had indeed
showed all the signs of developing into a normal civilized community
by Eastern standards.
1852
November, 1852 the Alta California reported
165 new frame buildings had been built in town, many of which were
quite large in size. Diamond Springs had become a boomtown consisting
of primarily one street.
1853
The Post Office followed in October, 1853.
1854 - 1855
In May, 1855 a prize fight was held here
between two titans, Dougherty and Welsh. The Miner’s Advocate
reported the brutal battle had lasted for 19 rounds before Welsh
took the purse. The event drew a tremendous crowd from towns and
camps throughout the county.
1856
Two newspapers were published here, The
Miner’s Advocate and the El Dorado County Journal. The Journal
only ran eight issues between January 1, 1856 through February 17th,
whereupon the publisher, B.L. Bradley relocated to Folsom. Only
one issue, that of January 29th has survived.
California has historically been plagued
by fire. 1856 was a bad year for fires that saw Marysville, Nevada
City and Benicia all burned. El Dorado County was particularly hit
hard. Georgetown and Placerville were gutted by fires in 1856 followed
by Diamond Springs which was left in ashes when a fire broke out
on August 5th, in the center of town at the Howard House around
9a.m. Strong winds advanced the fires fury as it spread in all directions.
Residents battled the flames by routing water from the Eureka ditch
into town. Regardless when it was over, the only two fireproof buildings
in town, the Wells Fargo office and the Eureka Canal Co., were among
the few buildings remaining.
1857-1858
Diamond Springs was rebuilt this time with
brick and stone structure and in a relatively short period of time
the town was once again thriving.
Diamond Springs Historical Building
[EDC Photo Library] |
1859
Again in 1859, the heart of Main Street was once again consumed
by fire. Again the village rebuilt and survived.
1860
Diamond Springs was one of the stops for
transfer of riders on the Pony Express, which began 1860 from St.
Joseph, Missouri to San Francisco. [see
our story on the Pony Express]
The 1860 census reports 521 residents of
Diamond Springs proper. Not one of the original founders from the
first 1850 census were living here at that time!
The I.O.O.F. Hall - Odd Fellows
Hall |
More Details of Diamond Springs
Fraternal organizations and social events
separated Diamond Springs from many of the mining camps in the vicinity.
The I.O.O.F. (Odd Fellows) Masons and Sons of Temperance all provided
respectable men alternative activities and recreation. Today, the
Odd Fellows Hall is thought to be the oldest Odd Fellows Hall in
the United States in continuous use. These organizations were responsible
for community fund raisers which built churches, schools, and also
helped out destitute families.
While Diamond Springs had certainly developed
nicely into a civilized community it did so during the halcyon years
of the Gold Rush, making it a huge attraction for those men living
in the mining camps that surrounded the town. For these men their
chose of entertainment generally could be found in the various Saloons,
with drinking, gambling, billiards and ten pens all topping the
list. There were likewise plenty of soiled doves on hand to “mine
the miners” as it was known. Needless to say Diamond Springs
saw its fair share of excitement on plenty of occasions involving
the use of knives or firearms during a quarrel, or in concert with
the execution of some criminal act.
________________________________________
Edited by Sharon Baldwin
IT Web Development
Sources:
- Paolo Sioli, History of El Dorado County, (Oakland, Ca. Sioli
Publishing, 1883) p. 205-207
- Alan H. Patera, El Dorado and Diamond Springs California, (Lake
Grove, Or., Western Places Publishing, 2001) p. 11 - 22 |
