California lettersheet collection

Details

Title: California lettersheet collection
Date: circa 1850-1870
Identifier or Call Number: Kemble Spec Col 09
Scope and contents: The collection consists of California lettersheets, mostly pictorial, created approximately between the years 1850 and 1870, with the bulk dating from the 1850s. Pictorial lettersheets are illustrated with lithographs or wood engravings depicting California and Western themes. Intended to be used as stationery during and after the California Gold Rush, these lettersheets served as a kind of reportage, depicting important events and popular stories of the day. Common illustrated topics and scenes include: murders and executions; the San Francisco Vigilance Committee; natural disasters, especially fires (San Francisco) and floods (Sacramento); the Gold Rush; mining life (from perspectives sentimental, cautionary, and comic); festivals, holidays, and parades; buildings and street scenes; and views of San Francisco, Sacramento, and towns throughout the state's mining region.
Finding Aid: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8rx9dfv

(1 - 20 of 24)

Pages

Title: Assassination of James King of Wm. By James P. Casey. San...
Description: This rare trial proof does not include the text of the final version. The caption "Funeal of Js. King" is misspelled.

Title: Benicia and Straits of Carquinez from the sout [sic] east...
Description: Two illustrations of Benicia from different vantage points, with the following identifications: Martinez ferry; steamboat lan...

Title: Celestial empire in California. Miners [upper] Gamblers [...
Description: Includes two vignettes depicting Chinese miners and gamblers.

Title: Chinese Buddhistic Worship in San Francisco, undated

Title: City of Stockton
Description: View of Stockton from across the river, with (Boggs?) lumber yard in the foreground, city in the background, and boats on the...
Gift of Lowell J. Hardy.

Title: Coining money at the San Francisco Branch Mint

Title: Downieville, Sierra County, Cal.
Description: Sketched by Mrs. M.N. Horton [Herton?]. Lith. of Cooke & LeCount S. Francisco. Entered according to act of Congress in the ye...
Gift of Lowell J. Hardy.

Title: Georgetown and Pilot Creek Canal, El Dorado County.

Title: Joe Bowers. A very pathetic ballad, as sung by Mr. Johnso...
Description: "A variety house, known as Johnson's Melodeon, was opened December 15, 1857, at 182 Montgomery street..." San Francisco Call,...

Title: The Jolly old miner
Description: Humorous illustration of a drunk miner riding backwards on his horse, with two laughing miners at his left, and text below.
Caption reads: "What! -- Jim!.. Come home tight again? -- No, I an't tight: I'v been knocket of my horse and robbed, after ro...

Title: Map of the burnt district of San Francisco, showing the e...
Description: Map of the burnt district of San Francisco, showing the extent of the fire. And also the brick, iron, and adobe builddings [s...
Map of the burnt district, bounded by Pine, Dupont, Vallejo, and Front Streets. The map identifies fifty-four destroyed build...

Title: Mokelumne Hill, Calaveras County, Cal.
Description: Gift of Lowell J. Hardy.

Title: Oh! Home of my boyhood.
Description: Depicts a happy domestic scene, beneath which is printed the text of the song "Oh! Home of my boyhood," by I. F. Shepard.
Oh! Home of my boyhood, California Lettersheet Collection, Kemble Spec Col 09, California Historical Society

Title: Prospecting on Feather River.
Description: Depicts two miners crossing Feather River on a fallen tree, dwarfed by a waterfall, boulders, trees, and a cloudy sky.

Title: A road scene in California
Description: Shows a variety of travelers on a California road, including Native Americans, and Chinese, African American, Chileno, Mexica...
C. Nahl Del. Anthony & Baker Sc. Published at Wide West office, San Francisco.

Title: Sackett's Hotel
Description: Shows Sackett's Hotel in Sacramento, with signs for Barr Griggs & Coursen, State Treasurer, Merchants Exchange, W.M. Hares & ...
"It was known as Sackett's Hotel, 1854-55, and in 1856 as the John Gardner House, with lodgings on the second floor, as well ...

Title: San Francisco--California.
Description: Panoramic view of San Francisco from Nob Hill to the east over North Beach.

Title: San Francisco, 1858.
Description: Panoramic view from Russian Hill looking east to the harbor.
Gift of Edith Lamm.

Title: Sn. Fo. the morning after the great fire of May 4th. View...
Description: View to the west of the burnt area, showing empty lots and the shells of destroyed buildings. Signs for Dewitt & Harrison, Ed...

Title: The times!!!
Description: Illustration of the arrest of an arsonist, with the state prison and a Vigilance Committee hanging juxtaposed in the background.

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