Collection context
Summary
- Abstract:
- This collection is comprised of correspondence, agreements, and receipts related to the Nevada County Narrow Gauge.
- Extent:
- .17 Linear Feet 1 half-box
- Language:
- English .
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Nevada County Narrow Gauge Records, MS 91, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This collection is comprised of correspondence, agreements, and receipts related to the Nevada County Narrow Gauge. There is correspondence to and from H. E. Jaeger, Purchasing Agent, Oakland to H. C. Phillips, Superintendent, Grass Valley regarding purchase of components and supplies as well as an agreement between Frank G. Beatty, General Purchasing Agent of the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad and J.H. Fitzpatrick, Agent for the Norris and Rowe's Show to allow transport of the Show. There is also a freight conductors train book for Herbert E. Morris and a collection of receipts.
- Biographical / historical:
-
The Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad was located in Northern California's Nevada County and Placer County, where it connected with the Central Pacific Railroad. The need for rail service in the semi-mountainous and wooded area of Grass Valley and Nevada City was precipitated by mining operations subsequent to the California Gold Rush.
On January 24, 1874, Charles Marsh, who was a prominent citizen of Nevada City and 19 others organized a "Committee of Twenty" to build a narrow-gauge railroad from Nevada City and Grass Valley to connect with the transcontinental railroad at Colfax. Marsh also served as chairman of the executive committee of the Nevada & Grass Valley Railroad Association.
The company's first President was John C. Coleman, president of the North Star Mine. John Flint Kidder was the chief engineer and in 1884, became the second president. Upon his death in 1901, Kidder's widow, Sarah, took over, becoming the first female railroad president in the world.
By 1912, the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad was running three mixed trains daily, each way, between Nevada City and Colfax, while a fourth mixed train ran daily, each way, between Grass Valley and Colfax. Sarah Kidder sold her interests in 1913 and retired to San Francisco.
In 1926, Earl Taylor and his associates purchased the railroad for $1. With the outbreak of World War II, they sold it in 1942 for $251,000 to Dulian Steel Products Company and the last train to run over the line was on May 29.
For more information please review, "Nevada County narrow gauge" by Gerald Best
- Acquisition information:
- Former MS 1.76 [Folder 1]; MS 100 [Folder 4]
- Arrangement:
-
Arranged by type of material
- Physical location:
- Statewide Museum Collections Center
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Railroad conductors
- Places:
- Correspondence--Letters
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Collection is open for research by appointment. Contact Library Staff
- Terms of access:
-
Copyright has not been assigned to the California State Railroad Museum. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the CSRM Library & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the CSRM as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Nevada County Narrow Gauge Records, MS 91, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California.
- Location of this collection:
-
111 I StreetSacramento, CA 95814, US
- Contact:
- (916) 323-8073