Art and the Gold Rush: Grass Valley in Time

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Even from her native Cannes, France, award winning author, Claudine Chalmers had a fascination with California’s Gold Rush and the artists that captured it. Chalmers’ fascination was more than a fleeting fancy. It became a passion prompting not only her doctoral dissertation but many articles and a 2001 Commonwealth Club of California Silver medal winning book.

In her most recent book, “Grass Valley”, Chalmers draws on her vast research as well as interviews with local families and museum curators to get at the lesser known local history. Chalmers describes this short book as a “memory lane” sort of experience that despite its length provides the first truly comprehensive look a Grass Valley’s transformation from the Maidu settlement to an industrial mining town. Rare photographs along with histories of the lesser known cultural groups such as African-American and Jewish pioneers help “Grass Valley” to find its place on the shelf among the other Gold Rush history books.

Chalmer’s love for the Gold Rush history brought her from France in 1974. After many years in the Bay Area, she moved to Nevada County where she now lives. After renovating several old Grass Valley homes from the 1890s, Chalmers found that the stories of the houses themselves mixed with her life-long interest in early French artists and pioneers. This propelled her search deeper into the history specific to Grass Valley. An historian and historical conservationist, Chalmers hopes that the light she sheds on corners of the past in “Grass Valley” will add more details to what is known about the region and will encourage the on-going efforts to protect local landmarks and cultural heritage.

Whether you are a writer, an art lover, a historian or just want to know a little more about your local history, this evening will be a learning experience for all.

The meeting will begin promptly at 6:30 pm. Members and visitors are welcome. There is no charge. Sierra Writers meet the second Wednesday of each month, however due to Valentine's Day this meeting is on February 15th. Sierra Writers provides a venue for writers of all types to meet and learn about each other’s work and share experience and expertise.

Location:

Madelyn Helling Library, Community Room
980 Helling Way, Nevada City (next to the Rood Administration Center off of Route 49.)