Red Dog, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Red Dog
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Former settlement
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 Red Dog
Location in California
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Nevada |
| Elevation | 2,615 ft (797 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
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Red Dog Townsite
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Location | Address Restricted, Nevada City, California |
| NRHP reference No. | 01000968 |
| Added to NRHP | September 14, 2001 |
Red Dog was a lively mining town during the California gold rush. It was also known as Brooklyn or Brooklin. You could find it in the Gold Country of south-central Nevada County, California. It was about 6 miles (9.7 km) northeast of Chicago Park.
The town started as a mine and campsite called Red Dog Hill. Three young men, all under 22, founded it. The youngest, a 15-year-old gold seeker, gave it its name. As more gold was found, the campsite grew into a settlement. Soon, it became a town with 2,000 people. Eventually, the town was left empty. Today, the Red Dog Townsite is still important. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
Discovering Gold at Red Dog
In 1850, three young men were looking for gold. They were all 21 years old or younger. They found gold on a hill on the east side of Greenhorn ridge.
Who Discovered Gold in Red Dog?
Two of the men, Henry Jacob Stehr and Joseph Chew (or Chow), were from Arkansas. They named a nearby ravine after their home state. The third young man was Charles ("Charlie") Wilson from Illinois. He was only 15. Charlie named the hill "Red Dog" after a zinc mine.
How Red Dog Became a Mining Hub
Soon, mining campsites started to appear in Red Dog. Other nearby places like Chalk Bluff (1.5 miles away), Hunt's Hill, Little York, and You Bet (1 mile away) also had camps. These camps existed because of the ongoing gold mining.
The Red Dog Mining Company's Mine was very large. It was located at 2,910 feet (887 m) above sea level. The mine covered over 200 acres (0.81 km2). It used water power from the Old Chalk Bluff ditch, which came from Deer Creek.
Red Dog's Growth and Challenges
Red Dog quickly changed from a campsite to a settlement by 1851. Over the next four years, it became a busy and modern mining town. It had many important buildings and services.
What Was Life Like in Red Dog?
Red Dog had a department store, a hotel, and a restaurant. There were also professional buildings, lodges, and homes. Eventually, miners from Chalk Bluff moved to Red Dog. The town decided to change its name to "Brooklyn" (sometimes spelled "Brooklin").
However, when a post office was set up in 1855, it kept the name Red Dog. This was because another town called Brooklyn, California already existed in Alameda County.
Fires and Rebuilding in Red Dog
The town faced many challenges, including fires. Several times, large fires destroyed parts of Red Dog. But each time, the people rebuilt it.
For example, a fire in January 1859 caused $8,600 in damage. Another fire in August 1862 destroyed most of the town's business area. This fire caused a huge loss of $50,000.
Community Life and Innovations
Red Dog had strong community groups. An Odd Fellows Lodge was built first. Then, a Masonic Lodge opened on the east side of Main Street in 1862.
By 1863, Main Street and Plumb Street were busy. They had two general stores, a hardware shop, and a shoemaker's shop. There was also a butcher's shop, a blacksmith's shop, and a dressmaker's shop. The town also had two hotels, three saloons, and stands selling fruit and liquor.
Macy & Martin, two people from Red Dog, made an important invention in 1863. They created a special "rifled nozzle" for hydraulic mining. This improved how water was used to blast away earth to find gold. This new nozzle was later used by all hydraulic miners.
Mark Twain's Visit to Red Dog
Famous writer Mark Twain visited Red Dog in 1866. He was on a lecture tour that started and ended in San Francisco. Twain gave a lecture in Red Dog on October 24. This was the first time he was introduced as Mark Twain, not Samuel Clemens.
An old miner introduced Twain in Red Dog. He joked that he only knew two things about Twain: he had never been to prison, and he couldn't imagine why! Twain's lecture was about his travels to the Sandwich Islands.
The Decline of Red Dog
By 1867, Red Dog had four cement Stamp mills. These included Wright & Company, and Cozzens, Garber & Company. However, heavy rains in 1867–68 caused a lot of damage.
Why Did People Leave Red Dog?
The continuous rains washed away the mine's hydraulic ditches and flumes. This destroyed much of the town. Many of the 300 residents left Red Dog. Many buildings, including the Odd Fellows Lodge, were moved to You Bet. The post office stayed open until 1869.
Even though three cement mills were still working in Red Dog in 1873, the Mason's Lodge closed.
What Remains of Red Dog Today?
Today, the Red Dog Cemetery is the only part of the town that remains. It is located on You Bet Road near Red Dog Road. This area is now part of Nevada City. Some of the early founders, like Stehr (who died in 1881) and Chew (who died in 1900), are buried there. Stehr's son and three of Chew's brothers are also buried in the cemetery.
Red Dog's Historical Importance
Red Dog is recognized as an important historical site. It has received several special designations.
State and National Recognition
The state of California recognized Red Dog as a California Point of Historical Interest (No. N2143) on May 9, 1975.
On September 14, 2001, the Red Dog Townsite was named a landmark (No. 01000968) by the National Register of Historic Places. The federal government owns the townsite. It was honored for its history from 1850–1899. This includes its role in community planning, development, business, and settlement. It also recognizes the social history of people who moved there, like the Chinese.
Nevada County also named Red Dog a Historical Point of Interest (No. 25).
