Horse team carrying sand for the construction of the Mountain Quarries Railroad

The Mountain Quarries Bridge and railroad were built in 1912 to bring limestone from the quarry to nearby Auburn. The construction that took place when animals worked alongside early 20th Century machines documented with this photo.

This photo looks like a mixed "pack train" of horses and mules. They are hauling sand for making concrete with teamster Charles Ray (on the lead horse). I counted 14 horses/mules, three men, and a dog, which can be seen in the close-up below.

A horse-mule pack train near Auburn and the Mountain Quarries Bridge, 1910. Photo from: Placer County Museums.

This spot looks familiar as we have hiked the Mountain Quarries Trail before. The concrete foundations seen in the photo are for a railroad trestle crossing, but not the Mountain Quarries Bridge. There are 17 places along the old railbed where they built trestles over canyons and sides of hills. We will try and take a photo of this spot next time we hike the trail.

Map of the area. Click to see a closer view.

Rattlesnake Bar Road and Bridge site

Folsom Lake has receded enough that artifacts the lake submerged over 70 years ago are visible once again. We have explored the site of the Rattlesnake Bar Bridge before. On this visit, we also walked the old road section that had made an appearance since the water has receded. We had wondered about the route of the road and how it made its way to the bridge. A wonderful section of the road is quite visible, as seen in the photo above. This is facing away from the bridge site, headed away from the bridge.

1873 map of the Georgetown Divide showing the bridge site and road. Click map for a larger view.

Rattlesnake Bar Road was a well used crossing of the American River all the way up to the lake filling in 1955/56. This was an easy way to cross the river and access Pilot Hill headed east or Auburn headed north west. Once the lake was filled this old crossing was inundated and the road on the El Dorado County side was changed to Goose Flat Road, still a county road, though not maintained and on now private land.

Bridge foundations on either side of the north fork of the American River. Looking from Placer County.

The above photo is from the Placer County side and shows the two foundations on either side of the river. The lake was low enough on the day we visited that the Placer County side's road is visible and shows the approach to the bridge site. The old road does not follow the present-day Rattlesnake Bar Road into the state park where the bridge stood but follows its own course, hidden from view most of the time. Below is a section we found covered with asphalt.

We have located the short sections of the road in the photo on the map below. You can also see the bridge foundation locations from this satellite photo, though the lake submerges both.

Click map for a closer view.

We enjoyed checking out the surreal landscape of a low Folsom Lake. All of the area around Folsom Lake was mined by gold seekers during the 19th and early 20th Centuries. That with the rising and lowering of the reservoir has created an otherworldly landscape with multiple levels of dirt of different colors. Quite striking and combined with the history of the area makes for a great day trip.

Below is a photograph of the old bridge. There is a man and a boy in the photograph along with smoke coming out of the bridge tenders shack. The printing above the man reads, “All persons driving or riding faster than a walk over this bridge will be fined to the extent of the law.”

The Rattlesnake Bar Bridge, 1860s to 1870s. Can you see the child in the photo?

Georgetown Junction, historic crossroads along the Lincoln Highway

Map of the area between Kyburz and Strawberry, and The Georgetown Junction. Click map for larger view.

Leaving Strawberry, we head down the old Lincoln Highway, which Highway 50 closely follows today. However, there are many places along the freeway where the Lincoln Highway followed a more casual route. Milestone 41 is one such road, which today acts as an entrance to summer cabins. A number of these milestone roads were the Lincoln Highway, including Milestones 34 and 35. Another place the old road veers from today’s path is Wright’s Lake Road and the Georgetown Junction.

The Georgetown Junction once had a toll house, where a stone chimney left from those days stood well into the 20th Century. It seemed to be a popular place to take a photograph for Lincoln Highway and early Highway 50 for travelers. At its earliest, Georgetown Junction was where Johnson’s Trail left the river and climbed high up to Peavine Ridge, and eventually down to the river and a crossing at Bartlett’s Bridge. Later, after 1858 the state took over control of the road and built a new trail leaving the river further west at Silver Fork and the Sugar Loaf House site. Georgetown Junction then became a cut-off road for travelers headed to Georgetown rather than Placerville.

Monica on a found segment of the highway, off Wright’s Lake Road. Highway 50 is below, and to the right.

Map showing new segment in red. Wrights Lake Road is The Lincoln Highway. Click map for larger view.

While we were exploring the area around Wright’s Lake Road, we discovered a small stretch of the old Lincoln Highway at the Wright’s Lake Road turnoff. On the map at left, you can see a red line indicating the section of the found road. You can see Monica standing on that portion of the road in the above photo, with Highway 50 down below and Wright’s Lake Road to the left.

Continuing downhill from Wright’s Lake Road, we come to a wide spot on the right that is the site of Fred’s Place, a top-rated stop for food and lodging from the Lincoln HIghway days well into the Highway 50 era. We have written about Fred’s Place before. You can read more about it here.

During the Highway 50 era, Fred's Place placed the fake, wooden CHP car to get people to slow down as the grade here was quite steep, and people tended to pick up speed.

A bit further downhill from Fred's Place's site is Milestone Tract 34, which enters and exits on your left side. Drive this section of forest road to experience the Lincoln Highway in its original form. Half-way down Milestone 34, we come to the site of the "Register Rock,” or “Split Rock," which acted as a billboard back in the day. Some of the writing is still visible, such as an ad for pianos in Oakland.

Below is a short 2-minute video Monica and I made a few years back on Milestone 34.

Strawberry on the Lincoln Highway's southern route, part 6.

These wonderful photos show Strawberry’s two locations. The location of the Strawberry House has been a source of confusion for me. The secret is realizing there were a total of four Strawberry Houses over the years. Irad Barry built the first roadhouse in 1858 along what is now Highway 50. There is a state rock monument describing the first location just west of the gas station. It was here that a second larger lodge was built and stood until a fire destroyed it in 1867. The photo above shows the huge structure.

Strawberry cabins in 1920. We are facing east. Click photo for closer look. “McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 068,” California State Archives Exhibits,

After the disastrous fire of 1867, the new owner, Charlie Watson, re-built the station, but a bit up the road, just before the bridge crossing the American River. The photo above shows this new location. It was this location that would see the rise in automobile traffic after the turn of the century. This spot would be owned by the Watson and Martin Families from 1867 to 1938. While autos did pass down the old Swan-Henry Road, the Lincoln Highway in 1913 breathed new life into the old rest stop. For the next 16 years, the place was a beehive of activity as American's took to the road in their new Model T's.

Strawberry Resort on the Lincoln Highway, The photo above is courtesy of Laura Bantz

In 1929 the Great Depression was upon us, and the acquisition of automobiles and traveling slowed down as well. Who had the money to do it? The second reason business slowed was the highway's re-routing in 1931 from the old Swan-Henry Toll Road/Lincoln Highway to today's route. This bypassed the old resort and, combined with the Depression, helped in its eventual demise in 1939, just before World War II.

In 1939 Fred Baumhoff built the structure we know today as Strawberry Lodge along the new Highway 50. This would make the third location of the famous Strawberry House/Lodge/Resort. Fred’s Resort didn’t have much time to become a success as World War II roared into the 1940s, and men and equipment were in short supply. In 1943 Fred sold the business, and it had some success in the 1950s and 1960s, but people and their driving habits changed, and no one wanted to stop and take in the fresh air and views anymore.

Today the resort sits somewhat forlorn, waiting for its next big break or its next big disaster. Until people slow down and stop to smell the flowers once again, it will likely be a place that most just speed by on their way to somewhere else.

Our next stop along the southern route of the Lincoln Highway will be the Georgetown Junction, a wide spot along the road today, but back in the 1800s a major crossroads.

Map showing the sites of the three Strawberry buildings. Click map for a larger view.

Slippery Ford to Strawberry on the Lincoln Highway, part 5

We have explored the Slippery Ford area on our eastward journey on the Lincoln Highway from Stateline to Placerville in part 4 of our El Dorado County Lincoln Highway adventure here. The Slippery Ford area is rich in history, and if you like hiking, it’s a great trip from Lover’s Leap campground to the Slippery Ford parking lot. If you are going to walk in both directions, we recommend starting at Lovers Leap campground and heading uphill first, then returning with the downhill, making it a bit easier to finish. The other option would be two cars with one parked at your destination. The walk is medium difficulty, though in the summer it can become scorching. The gravel roadbed has eroded in some areas making it difficult to walk over the small loose gravel.

Swan-Henry Toll Road and Lincoln Highway looking east.

The photo above shows a boulder that has fallen into the roadbed. We are a few hundred yards from the Slippery Ford Trail parking lot at Twin Bridges. This part of the old roadbed is easy to walk as it is not very steep. A forested area behind the photographer, a hundred yards or so, provides some welcome relief from the summer sun.

Pretty soon, we come to a wonderful rock which has been marked by old-time travelers. What era did they write this? We don’t know, but the Pony Express, Swan-Henry Toll Road, and the 1913 Lincoln Highway passed by this very rock. Someone wanted to record their passage through this historic route.

Register Rock on the Pony Express Trail, Swan-Henry Toll Road, and Lincoln Highway.

Heading down the old road a bit, we can see off to our right and below a rock building lacking a roof. At some point in the 1930s, the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) built this as a ski hut. Apparently, it was never finished or used. You can head down and check it out from the trail.

Ski Hut built by the CCC in the 1930s. Never used. We are looking north.

A bit further on, we come to the Slippery Ford House site, a boarding house and supply stop for travelers in the 1860’s. This spot is amazing as there is literally nothing left of this old place other than debris, which should be left in place as archeological evidence. It’s great fun to take the photo below and compare it to the site today.

1866 photo shows Slippery Ford House with teams outside. The team is headed up-hill, east, towards Slippery Ford. . Library of congress photo.

Below you will find a short video we made in 2018 at the Slippery Ford House site.

These historic photographs come to us from the Library of Congress, Lawrence & Houseworth Collection, made in 1866. Slippery Ford was famous enough they took many photographers of the area, including the Slippery Ford House. The photo below is interesting as it appears to shows the third building on site. We assumed from previous photos there were just two buildings.

From Slippery Ford House looking east on the old Swan-Henry Toll Road.

Looking at these old photos of Slippery Ford House, the first thing I notice is the roadbed's great condition. Today this road is often a jumble of rocks resembling a stream bed more than a road. This is due to erosion over the years, with water etching deeper into the ruts each year. In addition there is no road maintenance anymore, so nature is left to it’s own creation along this trail.

Monica standing in the middle of the badly eroded roadbed. You can see a old culverts sticking out of the ground. That is likely Lincoln Highway era pipe.

Monica's photo above shows how the roadbed has been eroded over the years, exposing the base, which consists of softball size and larger sized rocks. These sections of the road can be difficult to walk as every time you step the rocks move. You can see a Lincoln Highway era culvert sticking out of the ground.

Looking west towards Strawberry Valley from the Slippery Ford House, 1866. Look closely and you can see the wagons coming up the hill towards the house. Click photo for larger view. Photo from Library of Congress.

Monica and a blasted rock.

As we travel these 19th Century roads in the Sierra Nevada, we often come across these rocks with a star-shaped pattern. These rocks were just too big to move, so the road builders blasted them, making the roadbed level. Dirt would then be graded on top of the rocks to make a smooth surface for travel. That’s why many of these roads were toll roads, to pay for the ongoing maintenance.

A rock showing the star shaped pattern from blasting.

We are approaching our destination near Strawberry, and there is one more historic obejct to enjoy, Monks Rock. Hank Monk was quite famous in his day for being a devil may care stage driver, who held records for his speed of travel. It’s said that one night, when stage traffic would travel the less crowded roads, he hit his head on this rock while speeding to his destination.

Monk’ Rock, on which the famous stage drive Hank Monk hit his head while driving his stagecoach team up the Slippery Ford Trail. Photo from the Library of Congress. Click the photo for a closer version.

We have looked at Monk’s Rock trying to envision how he managed to get close enough to actually hit it. Still can’t figure it out, but it’s a great story about a big old rock, of which this area abounds.

Monks Rock.

Just past Monk’s Rock, headed west towards Strawberry, the end of the hike is the Lovers Leap Campground. This campground is usually filled with rock climbers who find it thrilling to climb up the sheer side of Lovers Leap. Lover’s Leap Campground is only a short 1/4 mile from Strawberry. There is day-use parking at the campground.

Lover’s Leap Campground at Strawberry.

Now that we’re done hiking down the Slippery Ford Trail we’ll take a look around the Strawberry area in our next episode of our Lincoln Highway Adventure in El Dorado County.

Map of area showing key features. Click map for larger view.

Google Earth view looking east.This 3D view shows the topography of the area well. Click map for a closer view.

The children of Long Valley School, Placer County, 1890

This photo from the Placer County Museums is full of personalities who once inhabited Long Valley, with a population of around 60. We see kids from the school enjoying their lunch around the school well. The teacher, looking very professorial, is enjoying a drink of that cool Long Valley water.

The fun is taking a closer look at the photo and the kids. You’ve got the older boys looking mischievous at the right while numerous younger kids look like they will burst out laughing at any moment. Be sure to check out the old-school lunch/water buckets.

One resident of Long Valley, born in 1893, was Clark Ashton Smith, writer and artist most famous for his fantasy writing along the vein of H. P. Lovecraft. You can read more about Smith here.

Long Valley was located on the Auburn Sacramento Road, a mile or so south of Auburn. Leaving Long Valley heading south on Rattlesnake Bar Road, you would have crossed the old Rattlesnake Bar Bridge, which we have written about before. Long Valley School still stands at the corner of Auburn Folsom Road and Rattlesnake Bar Road and is used as a community hall.

I’ve posted a map, The Georgetown Divide in 1873, and marked where the town was. To see the complete map go here.

1873 Map showing Long Valley and the Rattlesnake Bar Bridge site, Click map for closer view.

Slippery Ford on the Lincoln Highways southern route, Part 4

When it comes to California history, Slippery Ford is a name and place that conjures up a terrifying chapter in transportation history. The name suggests that this river “ford” or crossing was dangerous. Indeed, until a bridge was built nearby, travelers would have to cross this portion of the American River by wading through, depending on the season, a shear film or torrent of cascading water. One slip and you and your wagon would slide down the river to a doubtful, likely painful outcome.

A wagon team and riders make their way down the grade from Sayle’s Flat towards Slippery Ford, 1866. Photo from the Library of Congress.

Before the Lincoln Highway passed this way, John Calhoun Johnson built what was known as Johnson’s Cut-Off Trail in 1852, which brought emigrants over the Sierra Crest. This route soon replaced the earlier Carson River emigrant route up and over Carson Pass to the south, a more difficult climb and a higher elevation. Johnson’s Cut -Off Trail soon became the road to use.

Another 1866 photo showing the wagon train headed up the grade. The photo was taken at the horseshoe bend as located on the map at the end of the post. Photo: Library of Congress.

Something to keep in mind when exploring Slippery Ford, is there are two Slippery Fords just a few hundred yards from each other. The original crossing was the Johnson Cut-Off Trail which crosses Pyramid Creek, not the American River as the later Slippery Ford does. I will admit, that until I learned this it was a bit confusing reading the records of this area. One crossed Pyramid Creek, the other the American River.

Perhaps a Swan-Henry toll road bridge crossing the river near Slippery Ford. Photo:Library of Congress.

As traffic increased tolls were collected to help find a new trail with the Slippery Ford Grade down to Strawberry being rebuilt by George W. Swan. It’s Swan’s brand new 1866 grade we are seeing in the above photos. The bridge at Snow Slide Mountain could be the first bridge built here in 1858. Both Slippery Fords are shown on the map at the end of the post.

One of the twin bridges that once crossed the American River at Slippery Ford.. Photo from: Lincoln Highway Association collection.

As we have learned, the original 1913 alignment of the Lincoln Highway followed old wagon roads, and this was the case here. The Lincoln Highway followed the Swan-Henry toll road, with the addition of two bridges, or “twin bridges” that crossed the American River. The bridges were not side by side, but rather one went to a island while the other bridge exited the island. In the photo above we see an early auto on one of those bridges.

The following two video show us the first Slippery Ford of Johnson’s Pass over Pyramid Creek. This was the original emigrant trail that was later bypassed by the Swan-Henry Toll Road.

The following video gives you a good view of the area around Slippery Ford. One correction to the video. I mention we are on the ”Scenic Route” of the Lincoln Highway, but this is actually known as the “Pioneer” or southern route of the Lincoln. The Slippery Ford in this video is the later one used after Johnson’s Cut-Off Trail ford.

Once travelers crossed the American River, the road continues down the grade past Register Rocks, Lovers Leap, and into Strawberry. We’ll cover that part of the adventure in our next post of the El Dorado County section of the Lincoln Highway, Part 4.

Map of location and features discussed, Click map for larger view.

Echo Summit to Slippery Ford on the Lincoln Highway southern route, Part 3

Leaving Echo Summit on the old Lincoln Highway we continue our adventure west. Johnson Pass Road was the old highway, passing by the road to Echo Lake on the right. It was here that the American House roadhouse once stood during the 1800s. Later during the 1920s and 30s Echo Portals stood here. This was a resort with food and lodging as well as Echo Summits first rope tow for skiing. This resort went out of business with the arrival of the Great Depression in the early 1930s.

The early transcontinental driver making their way across the country might have used “strip maps” to guide them on their journey. In the above photo, we see one such “strip” of maps, which were originally produced by the Southern California Auto Association and is currently housed in the Library of Congress.

The California section from a strip map of the Lincoln Highway, 5th edition. Click map for a larger view.

In the above photo, we can see the California map that was part of the “strip maps” series showing the entire country. The above map is the California section of the maps. This map showed the 1913 Lincoln Highway route heading south from Sacramento towards Stockton and the Altamont Pass. In 1928 the Carquinez Bridge near Martinez was opened, and the newer, faster route was drawing in red by someone on the above map. You still would need to take a ferry from Berkely to San Francisco.

Phillips Station, just before it burned down around in 2019.

After passing the site of Phillips Station, and old stage stop and roadhouse, we come to Sierra Springs Road off to the right. As we can see in our Lincoln Highway interactive map, that road was the Lincoln Highway! Keep your eyes open for California “C” monuments, indicating this was a state highway. We have yet to find any, so maybe you’ll be the first! Go here to find out about “C” Monuments. Let us know if you find one, or two.

Edelweiss Ski Hill along Highway 50.

Just beyond the Sierra Springs alignment, we come to Sayle’s Flat, home of Camp Sacramento. The City of Sacramento has leased this land since the 1920s for recreation. Across from Camp Sacramento once stood Edelweiss, a small ski resort that once was the home of Spyder Sabich, a world-class skier. The above photo shows the ski resort in the 1950s. Eventually, low snow years and changing habits of skiers forced the closure of this place.

Looking towards Sayles Flat from the old Edelweiss Ski Resort Hill. Camp Sacramento is just out of view at left. You can see me lower left looking at the Trails West “T” Marker.

The original 1913 alignment of the Lincoln Highway often followed the old emigrant trails in these parts. As witnessed by the Trails West Association “T” marker just downhill from the Edelweiss site, this is no exception. This is the course of Johnson’s Cut-Off trail, which guided early travelers of the 1950s and 60’s down the mountain and across the American River at a place called “Slippery Ford.” We will discuss that extraordinary place in our next blog post following the southern route (Pioneer) of the Lincoln Highway.

Map showing location and features. Click map to see larger version.

Greenwood, El Dorado County school and playground, 1953

Above is a Paul L. Henchey photograph taken in June 1953 that shows the old Greenwood schoolhouse, which is still standing today. You can find the location on the map at the bottom of the post.

When you hear from the elders about how dangerous and fun old playground equipment was, this is a prime example. The merry-go-round looks to be an advanced version of other merry-grounds that did not tip. With the conventional merry-go-round, kids would propel themselves using their feet to gain speed as the contraption spun around, throwing off those who couldn’t hold on!

This merry-go-round not only spins but seems to tilt, adding to the g-forces and making it even harder to hold on. You can zoom in on the photo to get a better view.

My question for those who remember this is, how was it propelled? Does it look like there may be a handle in the center used to tilt it or propel it? Was this powered by the kid’s feet like the non-tilting versions? You can see two children playing tetherball behind the merry-go-round. A lone dog stands at the entrance.

Map showing location and features. Click the map for a larger view.

The Lodge at Echo Summit, Lincoln Highway, Part 6

The early autoist would have finally reached Johnsons Pass after climbing up the steep Meyer’s Grade from the Tahoe Valley floor. These old autos would need supplies like water and oil once they reached the summit, as they were constantly leaking or burning up fluids. Fortunately, entrepreneur TC Wholbrick had built an early service station and food stop that he called a “Canteen.” We have talked about TC and his Canteens here. While there had been a small forest service cabin, TC added to it, creating the building we see in the above photo.

Inside of the Echo Summit Lodge and Canteen.

Above is a rare photograph of the inside of the Echo Summit Canteen. Everything seen in the photo was handmade by TC. Some of the furniture is inside the present Alpine Club Lodge, which occupies the site today.

The view from the Echo Summit Canteen, looking east.

While enjoying a break from the road, you could head to the deck in the back and check out the magnificent view, as seen above.

Once your supplies were purchased, you started back down the west slope of the Sierra Nevada. If you were a transcontinental autoist, having left New York weeks ago, this was your final mountain challenge on your way to San Francisco. The sign pictured below was just 100 yards beyond the Canteen, a popular spot to photograph your passengers and auto.

Summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Johnson’s Pass, Echo Summit, El Dorado County.

In the photo below, we look back at the lodge as we head down the west slope of our journey on the Lincoln Highway. You can see a Lincoln Highway sign in the tree on the right.

Looking east at the Echo Summit Lodge and Canteen.

Below is the official Lincoln Highway map showing the location and features. To see the entire interactive map, go here.

Map showing locations. Click the map for a larger view.