A Ferris Wheel

I hear the train a’comin’

It’s rollin’ ‘round the bend

And I ain’t seen the sunshine

Since I don’t know when...

We went to Folsom Prison

To find a Ferris Wheel

So a few days ago, in one of my rabbit hole internet searches, I discovered there is a Ferris Wheel constructed of one quarter million toothpicks located in the Folsom Prison Museum.

William Jennings-Bryan Burke was born June 11, 1909. He was a small kid growing up and always felt like he needed to prove himself to the other kids. As a result of that he ended up getting himself into trouble with the law as a teen-ager. He was sent to various reform schools but always ran away from them. He was finally sent to Folsom Prison on May 19, 1928.

It was in Folsom Prison that Billy Burke’s creativity started to flourish. He first started carving cars, model airplanes and model ships out of wood. He even built a roller coaster out of shotgun shells. Eventually he starting creating carnivals. Billy built three carnivals during his years in prison. So fascinating were these carnivals that prison wardens would bring visitors to see them. Two of them were sold to amusement parks eventually.

Billy’s prison years were certainly not uneventful, however. In 1929 Billy escaped from Folsom Prison. He later was captured and returned to prison. A Sacramento Bee reporter found his life and escape story so compelling that she wrote a book based on tape recordings she made of interviews with him.

The Ferris Wheel is very detailed, as you can see from these photos.

Of course, my driver wouldn’t pose for a photo with la rueda de la fortuna so I had to sneak a shot of him. You can tell he is not happy. But he was a sport and went along with the silly little adventure.

The Side of a Building Covered with a Mural

Team Gold Country took quite a few scavenger photos during our outing in Auburn on the last day of July, including several murals. I couldn’t decide which one to use so I am posting two. The first one represents Gold Country and the Gold Rush so it earned priority for me.

Located on High Street in Auburn, this one is directly across the street from Rico’s Barber Shop which you have seen previously during the Scavenger Hunt.

And on the side of the building across from this one is one which truly covers the entire side of a building. Interesting but I’m not sure what it says……

I guess the security guard is asleep on the job.

An Obscure Historical Marker

Another spot I pass on nearly every bicycle adventure is this marker memorializing the location of this Land Grant. It is fairly obscure as you need to be hiking or biking to come across it.

250 feet due west from this point is an original corner
of the Rancho Rio Delos Americanos Land Grant of 1844 and the most Northwesterly corner of the town site of Folsom of 1855. On the right was the mining camp of Negro Bar. On the left was the mining camp of Texas Hill.

A Lone Tree

I knew I should have held out for a better “lone tree.” On Friday, I was reminded of a lone tree I regularly pass on my bike expeditions around Lake Natoma. This lone tree sits high above me as I cruise along the shoreline. You can see a flag near the tree. This flag marks the spot where Star 6, one of the Sheriff's Department's EC-120 American Eurocopters went down. There are often flags and flowers placed on the hill as well as at the level of the trail. It is a sad spot to pass.

On the opposite side of Lake Natoma stands a monument to honor the men who died in this fiery crash. The circle on the monument frames the spot where the helicopter went down.

Sacramento was experiencing one of its historically hot summer evenings. This could either be good or bad for law enforcement. It could remain quiet or tempers and drinking could erupt into an incident that could turn the night into an ugly scene for officers in the air and on the ground. The helicopter would be there leading the way. This is something they are always prepared for. This is the type of incident that makes our helicopter personnel so valuable. They are truly our eyes in the sky. They can see the big picture, evaluate the situation and report to fellow officers responding on the ground.
This evening, July 13th, Joe was flying over the Lake Natoma recreation area after they had responded to a routine burglary call at a Folsom business. The lake and surrounding beaches were filled with people trying to get relief from the sweltering heat. Pilot and crew were checking to make sure everything looked safe on the waterway before they continued to patrol. What happened next will be in the minds and hearts of the men and women of the Sheriff's Department forever. Star 6 went down. Witnesses claimed to have heard a loud popping sound and seeing flames shooting from the rear of the helicopter. Some of the observers on the ground said that it seemed that the pilot was trying desperately to steady the ship. Minutes later the helicopter crashed into the hillside. Deputies Joe Kievernagel and Kevin Blount lost their lives in the crash. Deputy Eric Henrikson was critically injured. Joe and Kevin, longtime friends, dedicated to the art of flying and protection of this community were taken from us within moments. Beat partners while assigned to Patrol, they were described as teacher, pupil, and friend. Two guys who had achieved their ultimate career goal---working the skies over Sacramento, helping their fellow officers on the ground. Both officers were highly regarded for their professionalism and expertise in the law enforcement profession they both loved.
Catastrophic engine failure brought down Star 6. We know Joe and Kevin did everything in their power to land that helicopter safely, away from the crowds of people gathered at the lake. they truly are and will remain our heroes in the sky. They cannot be replaced. They can only be remembered....and remember we will".

And here’s me, getting my face in the picture.

And the Memorial Plaque for Heroes in the Sky.

A Sign that Includes the Name of a U.S. State

I ride through Negro Bar, on both sides of Lake Natoma, on most of my regular rides. Yesterday, however, was the very first time I rode up the hill to the entrance to capture this sign. The actual town of Negro Bar is now situated far under the waters of Lake Natoma but there are signs and reminders everywhere of its existence.

And now for a little history: Negro Bar is now brought to mind by the state park of that name on the lake's north shore, but the original gold camp was on the south bank of the American River long before Nimbus Dam created Lake Natoma in the 1950s. It was a mining camp named for the African American miners who first worked the gravel bar there in 1849 and in short order became one of the larger gold camps along the lower American River.

Actually, Negro Bar was not a particularly significant spot for African American miners. They were scattered throughout the transient Gold Rush population, said Clarence Caesar, a historian with the state Office of Historic Preservation and a student of African American miners. By 1850, there were only 962 African Americans enumerated by the census in the entire state, and it is not known if the number includes slaves, he said. Three years later, the population of African American miners had doubled, but the overall population had so mushroomed that they still amounted to only about 1 percent of the population.

The word "Negro" or the pejorative N-word occurred often in the names of Gold Rush places, according to historian Erwin G. Gudde, "not because there were large numbers of Negroes but because the presence of a single one was sufficiently conspicuous to suggest" such a name. In the case of Negro Bar, there is no direct record of who the original miners were, but historian Mary Maniery, in preparing a history of Negro Bar for the city of Folsom, found Sacramento County court documents from 1860 that indicate one of the men was named Samuel Smith. Folsom Constable B.N. Bugby testified of Smith, "I think he was one of the Negroes who gave the name Negro Bar," Maniery wrote, telling of a trial in which Smith was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in San Quentin for murdering a man named Freeland Morton in Folsom.

Another name connected with African ancestry and Negro Bar is that of William Leidesdorff, a Dane born in the West Indies who came to California in 1841 and became a businessman and property owner in San Francisco. He became a Mexican citizen in 1844 and was granted the 35,500-acre Rio de los Americanos rancho along the south bank of the American River from Sutter's Sacramento grant upriver past Folsom including Negro Bar. Leidesdorff died of typhus in 1848 before he could profit from the excitement of the Gold Rush, and Army Capt. Joseph L. Folsom bought up Leidesdorff's holdings.

A National Park Sign

I am fudging just a tiny bit here but this IS a National Recreation Trail. In my opinion, the best one in the country. Thirty-two miles of scenic dedicated bike trail along the American River and Lake Natoma, ending at Folsom Lake, called the Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail/American River Parkway, but commonly known as the Jewel of Sacramento. It is where I am at my happiest.

This photo was taken after I had ridden 72 miles on July 13 of this year.

And here’s a detail of the sign.

A Statue with 2 or More People

Thanks to my good friend and teammate Teresa on Team Gold Country, I was reminded of this statue in front of the Roseville Library Maidu Branch. It is a sculpture by a woman named Tommie Moller with whom I actually took photography classes back in the early 90’s.If you can remember back that far. This statue was originally installed in 1992 in a concrete form. That is how I remember it. I actually thought it was quite unattractive at the time as it was painted a ghastly orange red color. But since I left Roseville, they evidently found the money to have the statue cast in bronze and reinstalled in 2002. And this is the statue Roy photographed today. Yes, my reluctant partner helped me out again today. I will draw him into this game by hook or by crook.

The statue is called Maidu Family and depicts a seated woman holding her infant with her man behind her. From the crest of the High Sierra, west to the Sacramento River and south to the Consumnes River, three groups of closely related people have inhabited the land for thousands of years. Collectively known as the Maidu, they are the Mountain Maidu of Plumas and Lassen counties, the Konkow of Butte and Yuba counties, and the Nisenan of Yuba, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, and El Dorado counties.

I was able to trap Roy into the photo below by snapping very quickly. He did not give me permission.

Detail shot of the plaque.

A Sign that is intentionally or unintentionally Funny

 

Took these photos on July 22 on a bike ride across the American River. The historic Folsom Truss Bridge has quite a story:

This bridge has crossed two rivers and traveled more than 600 miles.

The Historic Steel Truss Bridge now serves as a pedestrian and bicycle crossing for the American River, but in the decades between the 1930s and 1990s, it served as the bridge over the Klamath River near the Oregon border.

Originally constructed in 1893 in Folsom, the truss bridge had outlived its usefulness when the Rainbow Bridge was built in 1919 just down river.

The truss bridge was closed and in 1931 it was sold for $250, ripped from the banks of the American River, and moved to the Klamath River.

There it sat until another bridge was constructed nearby, forcing it to be closed once again. It was returned to Folsom, in its original location, in the late 1990s. About 60 percent of the bridge was reused but many components had to be replaced due to age.

I think the sign is funny. Don’t think it was intentional.

A Lone Tree

Quote from DH: I'm not gonna get killed for this s**t. Yes, Roy waited in the car on the shoulder while I stood out in the middle of Prairie City Road to capture this self-portrait of me and a lone oak. It was a Just Dandy moment.

A Date Stamped in Concrete

Giuseppe (Joe) Murer was born in Crespano del Grappa,
a small town about 30 miles east of Venice, Italy, on November 15, 1885.

After the San Francisco earthquake of April 12, 1906,
news quickly spread to Italy of the plentiful work available for carpenters to come and rebuild the city.  Murer, then 21 years old, decided overnight to go to California with three other young men from his Crespano del Grappa.

After a few years, with money he had earned building small hotels, he came to Folsom.  Once in Folsom, Murer became the proprietor of the New Western Hotel (now known as the Folsom Hotel) at 703 Sutter Street. 

He then built the gas station and garage at 701 Sutter.  He also built the Folsom Fire House across the street, which still stands between the Hacienda restaurant and American Visions gallery.  He bought 705 Sutter Street and basically reconstructed it, tearing down the wood store front and replacing it with the detailed inset windows present today.  In 1940, he built the Folsom post office at 627 Sutter Street, along with three offices/stores at 305, 307, and 309 Riley Street.

Giuseppe Murer became an American citizen in 1913.  Giuseppe “Joe” became involved in the local community, developing long lasting ties.  He served as Fire Chief of the Folsom Volunteer Fire Department and joined the Knights of Phythias in 1917. He was a 25-year member of the Folsom Aeries of the Eagles organization.  He also served as President of the Portuguese Club, to his chagrin, after being asked to serve by his numerous Portuguese friends.

Mallory took the photo of me on Tuesday, during our scavenging in Folsom.

And this is a photo I took of the building on May 13 on a Funday.

A Flatbed Ford

It's a girl, my Lord, and a flatbed Ford.

At B & J Body Shop in Rancho Cordova.

I returned to the shop that repaired my Forester last month and begged one of the gals to take me into the back storage yard where they park their utility vehicles. She looked at me like I was a little tiny bit crazy but did it anyway. If you can believe this, Roy is the one who encouraged me to get this one. He actually drove me to the lot. Sometimes he does show a little bit o’whimsy.

A Barber Pole

Rico’s Barber Shop is the place Mallory’s Dad has gotten his haircuts for many years. I’ve heard his name many a time but have never met him. Unfortunately, it was Sunday and Rico was closed. We did snap our requisite photo, though, thanks to Teresa once again.

Courthouse Steps

Team Gold Country spent a couple of hours on Sunday searching out items for the checklist. One sure thing I knew all along was that I would be using the Placer County Courthouse steps for one of my required photos. I have photographed this building many times in the past, including an interior photo shoot before it was restored. It’s a pleasure to see it now, restored to its former glory.

Mallory and I climbed the steps. Teresa snapped the photo. This is a grand three-story Classic Revival structure topped by a bracketed cornice and simple Renaissance Revival inspired dome.  Monumental stairs lead to a main second floor from both the north and south.  This building is one of four surviving northern and central California courthouses which retain most of their architectural ornamentation and magnificent domes.

The Placer County Courthouse you see today was completed in 1898 with most of its building materials coming from Placer County: the granite from Rocklin, the bricks and terra-cotta trim from Lincoln, lime and lumber from various other areas in the county.  The slate roof is from El Dorado County.  The courthouse bell came around Cape Horn and was used regularly to summon officials to court.  This building is listed on The National Register of Historic Places.

A Motel you would NOT want to stay in

While driving to meet Mallory and Teresa on Wednesday for a Starbuck’s farewell, I realized I would be passing by a few motels where I would not want to stay. I lost my nerve on a couple of them but finally summoned up some courage to stop at this one. It was impossible to take the photo of myself in front of the sign from inside my vehicle so I quickly opened the door, stepped out, grabbed the shot and jumped back in, locking the doors again simultaneously. I know. I’m a ‘fraidy cat. Anyway, this isn’t the worst motel I’ve ever seen but it will suffice for this challenge. I suppose this was a list item I should not have attempted alone.

It was difficult to obtain a photo of the actual building itself so I chose the sign, which I’ve always wanted to photograph anyway.

Lest anyone think I was too much of a coward, I travelled on down the street to another motel where I actually did get the building but didn’t dare get out of the car at this one so, alas, no photo of me at this wonderful establishment. Just to prove I actually did try to meet all qualifications.

And look. It’s PINK. It’s a twofer.

Stay tuned for more items from the list.

A Rainbow

Team Gold Country spent some time in Folsom on Tuesday. I believe it was Mallory who spotted this rainbow.

I was over-ruled on inclusion of a photo of the ACTUAL Rainbow Bridge but this sign is certainly more colorful.

A Little Pink House

And a little blue bug. While driving on First Street in Napa on Monday, Team Gold Country spotted this cute little gingerbread house. It just so happened that a little blue bug was parked in the driveway. We quickly parked illegally, hopped out and crossed the street illegally and grabbed some quick shots. First me.

And then Mallory.

Black Bear

Team Gold Country is the name of my Spohn Super Summer Snapshot Scavenger Hunt team. One of my team members, Teresa, alerted me to the fact that a black bear stands at the top of the Foresthill Road. So on Sunday on my way to her home in Auburn, I stopped and parked at a gas station, hopped out and captured my very own black bear. Rather strange the way he is waving his little paw….

Abandoned Shopping Cart

As Bob and I approached the terminus of the American River Parkway at Discovery Park, we travelled through the area of the Homeless Encampment. Off on the side of the bike trail, I spied an abandoned shopping cart. It’s “owner” was obviously busy under the nearby trees sleeping it off (or some other homeless activity). What a lucky find!

Western Wagon Wheel

Without further ado, here is my Western Wagon Wheel, number 16 on the list.

This photo was taken in Old Sacramento on a bike ride. I figured if I couldn’t find a Western Wagon Wheel in Old Town, I couldn’t find it anywhere.

Made a decision tonight to transfer my Spohn Super Summer Snapshot Scavenger Hunt photos to this old P365 blog just to give it something to do and to keep  them all in one place. Apologize for any confusion.

The Spohn Family Checklist

As I have announced, I have invited myself into the annual Spohn Super Summer Snapshot Scavenger Hunt, a fun extravaganza of hard target searches looking for items from a list of twenty. I have already photographed a number of them (probably the easy ones) so I thought I should start posting them here. I had an overly-ambitious idea that I could find them all while out on my bike but that will prove to be too difficult. I am hoping to find more over the next few days of my Staycation with Teresa and Mallory who is home from ASU for a week.

Guess I should post the list here so you can follow my progress. If you have any suggestions where I might find some of these, any assistance is appreciated. So far, I’m stumped by the black bear.

• A little pink house
• A sign that includes the name of a US state
• A rainbow
• A ferris wheel
• An abandoned shopping cart
• An obscure historical marker
• A motel you would not want to stay in
• A black bear (not from the wild!)
• A sign that is intentionally or unintentionally funny
• A lone tree (not from someone's yard)
• Courthouse steps
• A statue with 2 or more people
• A red mailbox
• A bus stop with a Ad for a movie
• A National Park sign
• A western wagon wheel
• A barber poll
• The side of a building covered with a mural
• A date stamped in concrete
• A flat bed Ford