Home of Lotta Crabtree facts for kids

The Home of Lotta Crabtree is a special historic building in Grass Valley, California. It's located at 238 Mill Street. This house was once the home of a famous American entertainer named Lotta Crabtree.

Lotta Crabtree's Early Life

Lotta Crabtree's father, John Crabtree, came to Grass Valley in the early 1850s. He was looking for gold during the exciting time known as the California Gold Rush. Lotta and her mother joined him in 1853.

The Crabtree family, who were immigrants from Britain, turned their home into a boarding house. A boarding house is like a small hotel where people, often miners, could rent a room and get meals. Many of their guests were miners from Cornwall, England.

When Lotta was only six years old, she met her neighbor, Lola Montez. Lola Montez was a very famous singer and dancer from around the world. Her own house was on the same street and is now also a historical landmark. Lola Montez taught young Lotta how to sing and dance. Lotta moved away from Grass Valley in 1856. She later became a very rich and popular American entertainer in the late 1800s.

A Special Historical Landmark

This building in Nevada County is recognized as California Historical Landmark No. 293. It was officially registered on August 15, 1938. A special plaque on the building tells its story:

Home of Lotta Crabtree

Lotta Crabtree was born in New York in 1847. In 1852-53, the "gold fever" brought her family to California. Several months after arriving in San Francisco, Mrs. Crabtree and Lotta went to Grass Valley. With Mr. Crabtree, they started a boarding house for miners. It was here that Lotta met Lola Montez, who taught her to sing and dance. In Scales, Plumas County, Lotta made her first public appearance. This led to a very successful career on stage both in America and in other countries.

The house is also listed in a special collection of women's history sites. This collection was created by the Women's Progress Commemorative Commission.