In 1851, San Francisco mayor Charles Brenham referred to his numerous French constituents as "one of the two great elements (with Americans) that compose the population of California." This strong French presence so early in the history of our State, remains one of the little-known facets of that world-wide epic.
In her first session, Claudine will explore, with pictures and original texts, what triggered the rush of Frenchmen to California starting in September 1849. How they escaped from endless riots and the collapse of social order in their embattled nation, only to land, after a six-month voyage around Cape Horn, in a city that had no law, no infrastructure, no sanitation, no raison d'être except for gold. They survived, prevailed, and with their special talents and skills, they helped shape the city so often called "Paris of the Pacific."
In her second session, Claudine will show how prevalent these pioneers were in the goldfields as well so that "French" is the most common name of nationality in the toponymy of the Gold Country. She will follow the success stories of three lucky Frenchmen who found a fortune on the banks of the Yuba and Bear rivers, will touch on Baptiste Charbonneau’s life story, and provide a few examples of valuable early reports on our gold towns by French visitors.
*Class Dates: 7/21 & 7/28.