Number 107___________________________________________________Fall 2017 A DISCUSSION ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA BOUNDARIES A Series by Frank Tortorich Few people know that Great Britain, Spain, Russia, France, Mexico, Florida, Texas and Utah all played a role in how California became a state! For this discussion let’s define what I mean by California. Prior to 1850, it was Mexican territory known as Alta California and prior to 1821 it was Spanish territory. It was all the land south of the 42nd parallel (Oregon-California state line) and from the Pacific Ocean to the Continental Divide. In 1818 the United States and Great Britain signed an agreement over the Oregon Territory. This was known as the Joint Occupation Agreement, meaning citizens of both US and Great Britain could occupy the Oregon Territory.1 This did not address the southern boundary of the Oregon Territory, which came one year later. The southern boundary of Oregon and northern boundary of present day California and Nevada was established in 1819 by agreement between Spain and the United States; it being known as the Adams-Onis Treaty. John Quincy Adams (US secretary of state) and Louis de Onis (Spanish Foreign Minister) were the signers of this document. This was also known as the Transcontinental Treaty or the Florida Treaty. This treaty gave Florida to the United States and better defined the Texas area. This settled the ongoing boundary dispute between the US and New Spain (Mexico). The 42nd parallel was agreed upon and still defines several state boundaries today.2 All the land west of the Rocky Mountains was Spanish and not clearly defined as to how far north it went until the 1819 Treaty. In 1821-22 the Mexicans revolted and drove the Spanish out of Mexico for good between 1819 and 1848, not much changed regarding the eastern boundary of Alta California. Manifest Destiny Donner Trail By 1844 people were flooding into the Oregon Territory to find new land while others had their eyes on California. A wagon group called the Murphy-Stephens- Townsend group was looking to come to California by way of a Sierra crossing which had never been accomplish with wagons. They opened the Truckee River Route for wagon travel. Two years later this trail would see the Donner disaster take place and the trail became known as the Donner Trail. (Continued on page 5) 1 Jacobs, Melvin, Winning Oregon, Caxton Printers, LTD. Caldwell, Idaho 1938. 2 Wikipedia free encyclopedia. chapter meeting on April 28 in Fallon, Nevada. If CA-NV Board of Directors you would like to be a candidate or would like to and Officers: nominate a person, contact Mark Wilson at [email protected] or call 646-812-1727. I would Dick Waugh, President like for you to also consider being a candidate for [email protected] board of directors. It also has openings every year. Steve Shaw, Vice President [email protected] Although CA/NV has the largest chapter Mark Wilson, Past President membership, we only have one elected board [email protected] member, Dick Waugh. John Winner now serves on Phyllis Smith, Treasurer the national board as past president. [email protected] Kathy Koester, Secretary [email protected] CA-NV & OCTA Additional Directors & Officers: MAINTAINING OUR TRAILS David Smythe [email protected] HERITAGE Steve Knight By Frank Tortorich [email protected] Last winter experienced record snowfall in the Ken Johnston Sierra Nevada. The deep and heavy snow damaged [email protected] Duane Jones buildings, cabins, roads and tumbled numerous trees [email protected] across the Carson River Route. All our interpretive signs John Winner, Preservation Officer on the Carson River Route came through with flying [email protected] colors. Publications: However, that was not the case in the winter of Trail Talk Editorial Board: 2015-2016 when the heavy snow snapped off one of our Dave Hollecker, Editor: [email protected] interpretive signs from its supporting base. This one is Phyllis Smith, Assistant Editor located at the Caples Lake Boat Launch Ramp where we Bob Evanhoe, proofing have two interpretive signs. The problem stemmed from Email: [email protected] the use of an incorrect design base for the area. Website: www.canvocta.org For some reason, known only to the sign gods, Dee Owens, Editor we were originally sent two different designed bases for Adam Welch, Webmaster E-News: the CA-NV Chapter the signs at Caples Lake. offers rapid communi- It is important to know that we did not get the two cation of announcements signs in the same year. If my fading memory serves me and chapter news via private correctly, the first one came one or two years before the email, through Google groups. second one, which is the one that broke. If you would like to be included in this group, email Dee Owens at: The first sign has the base with the two legs [email protected] supporting the middle of the sign panel providing even support. CHAPTER BOARD NOMINATIONS The second one had a cantilever design, meaning the two legs supported the two front lower It is that time of year again to find members corners of the sign panels, leaving the sign panel who like to serve on the Chapter Board of Directors. suspended upward and outward with no support. Each year two of the six seats on the board become This might be an acceptable design for the low available. Each director serves a three (3) year term country and desert, but a poor design for our mountain and may be a candidate for a consecutive three year snow. term. Members who have served on the board in the In the spring of 2016, my friend Carl, an Eldorado past may serve again, providing there is a lapse of Irrigation District (EID) Park Ranger, notified me that one one year from their last six consecutive years of of our signs at Caples Lake had broken off of its service. You may nominate a person or you may supporting base. He took the sign and interpretive panel nominate yourself. Candidates will be presented to for safe keeping until I could pick it up and inspect the the membership during the spring symposium and 2 (Next page) damage. We both concluded it was heavy snow and not vandalism that caused the damage. We are fortunate that only the base was damaged and not the interpretive panel. I took the panel home and contacted our CA-NV Chapter Board of Directors, and submitted a request to purchase a new base to replace the one destroyed. Without hesitation, the board approved $1,000 for the replacement base that included shipping and materials for installation. On August 17, 2017, five dedicated CA-NV OCTA members assembled at Caples Lake to replace the legs and sign. Those members were Jon and Janet Eagle Scout candidate Steven Schroetlin and Nowlin, Larry and Phyllis Schmidt and Mike Stroude. BLM archaeologist Rachel Crews providing instructions Along to help was EID Ranger Denney and me. I wore for the cleanup. two hats: an OCTA member and the US Forest Service representative. When we arrived at Caples Lake to start the work Ranger Denny was there with the area coned-off so we could work unencumbered by parked vehicles. I did not expect that wonderful support by EID. The US Forest Service should also be thanked Submitting Trail Talk Articles for their help providing tools, transporting of the sign base We need you to send in electronic- and an employee (me) to assist with the project. digital articles only and to submit them: The crew did a wonderful job, completing it in SINGLE SPACED about two hours. INDENTED paragraphs SWALES CLEANUP The trash cleanup of the historic Fernley Deep In WORD (.doc) Sand Swales on Public Lands Day, Sept. 30, was a success, thanks to the efforts of over 50 volunteers from NO SPACES between paragraphs. the local community, the Bureau of Land Management, It is not necessary to “layout” an The Oregon-California Trails Association (OCTA) and the Daughters of the American Revolution. article as I have to fit it between other articles The work was coordinated by Fernley Boy Scout and pages. Write your story and include pictures Troop 1783 and the Fernley Rotary, in partnership with at the end of it. You can indicate where you BLM and OCTA. Hopefully, having removed 4 years of would like them placed if you want. trash accumulation, continued public education will reduce future trash dumping on this historic resource. 3 Wedge Warriors’ Outing July 17– 18, 2017 by Dee Owens On July 17th and 18th the yearly Wedge Warriors’ outing took place on the Big Tree Road, starting in Hope Valley. With the goal of mapping in mind, Frank Tortorich led the group along segments of the road he has discovered over the years. Beside the Wedge Warriors, archaeologists from the Humbolt-Toiyabe National Forest participated in data collection and mapping. The Big Tree Road was opened in 1856. It was a built road designed to take emigrants to the southern mines on the Merced, Tuolumne, and Stanislaus rivers and to the city of Stockton. Leaving the Carson Route at Hope Valley, the Big Tree Road goes south to meet up with the present day Highway 4 corridor at Hermit Valley. It is named for the grove of Giant Sequoias at Calaveras Big Tree State Park on Highway 4 through which it passes. The field work began at the start of the Big Tree Road where Blue Lakes Road leaves Highway 88. A good part of the wagon road is under modern Blue Lakes Road until reaching Hope Valley Campground, but sections of visible trail can still be seen on either side of the road.
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