Downieville
DOWNIEVILLE
DOWNIEVILLE IS HISTORICALLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT & COLORFUL TOWNS
OF THE NORTHERN MINES. GOLD DEPOSITS WERE DISCOVERED IN 1848 - 1849. THE
SPOT WHERE THE TOWN LATER DEVELOPED WAS KNOWN AS JIM CROW DIGGINS,
WASHINGTONVILLE, MISSOURI TOWN OR SIMPLY THE FOLKS. IN THE SPRING OF
1850 IT WAS NAMED FOR MAJOR WILLIAM DOWNIE WITH "GENERAL JOLLYFICATION".
BY MAY OF 1850 THE TOWN HAD 15 HOTELS & GAMBLING HOUSES, 4 BAKERIES,
4 BUTCHER SHOPS & EVERY PIECE OF GROUND WAS CLAIMED. IN 1851 IT HAD IN
EXCESS OF 5,000 INHABITANTS. PHILO HAVEN & FRANCIS ANDERSON WERE
CREDITED WITH BEING AMONG THE FIRST TO DISCOVER GOLD A SHORT
DISTANCE ABOVE JERSEY BRIDGE.
JOSEPH ZUMWALT, WHO ARRIVED HERE IN 1850 AND MINED AN AREA LATER
KNOWN AS ZUMWALT FLAT, BROUGHT WITH HIM THE SECRETS OF THE ANCIENT
AND HONORABLE ORDER OF E CLAMPUS VITUS AND FOUNDED ITS FIRST CHAPTER.
WHEN SIERRA COUNTY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1852 DOWNIEVILLE WAS NAMED COUNTY
SEAT. IT ALSO RECEIVED 10 LESS VOTES THAN SACRAMENTO IN ITS BID TO BE
THE STATE CAPITOL.
GOLD WAS EVERYWHERE. A HOUSEWIFE DISCOVERED $500 WORTH WHEN SHE
SWEPT THE EARTHEN FLOOR OF HER KITCHEN. THE EARLIEST AND RICHEST MINES
WERE SAILOR RAVINE, BLUE BANKS OPPOSITE ZUMWALT FLAT, TIN CUP DIGGINS
AT THE FOLKS OF THE TWO RIVERS IN TOWN, AND THE GRAVELS OF DURGEN FLAT.
ONE OF THE EARLIEST LODE MINES, THE GOLD BLUFF, WAS BEGUN IN EARLY 1850.
THE FIRST DRIFT TUNNEL, THE CATON, WAS BEGUN IN JULY OF 1851.
ONE OF THE MOST OFTEN TOLD TALES OF THE GOLD RUSH WAS THE HANGING OF
JUANITA, HANGED FOR STABBING JOHN CANON AFTER THE FORTH OF JULY
CELEBRATION IN 1851.
CREDO QUIA ABSURDIM
DEDICATED AUGUST 29, 1987
DOWNIE CHAPTER NO. 1849 E CLAMPUS VITUS
Submitted by Debby Drake.