Food for the Mines

49 Miles Along Highway 49

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 3, 2013

1. Food for the Mines Marker

Inscription. Hay was packed to Sierra City from Sierra Valley as early as 1852. Many of these pack trains used 50 to 75 animals. By the end of the decade, beef, butter, barley, oats, hogs and poultry products were being packed to west side.

In 1870, the Yuba Gap wagon road was opened. The first wagon over the summit belonged to Joseph Miller and carried butter and eggs. Originally a toll road, a horse and ride paid $1.50, cattle .50 each, sheep and hogs .25 each.

This high Sierra country was a perfect location for sheep herding. The Basque people from the Pyrennes Mountain of Spain used this area for herding flocks of sheep.

Erected by Tahoe National Forest.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1852.

Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 39° 36.996′ N, 120° 29.404′ W. Marker was in Calpine, California, in Sierra County. It was at the intersection of Golden Chain Highway (California Route 49) and Yuba Pass Road, on the right when traveling east on Golden Chain Highway. Touch for map. Marker was in this post office area: Calpine CA 96124, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker was in California’s Sierra Nevada.

It was also in the American Mountain West.

Globally, it was in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least

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8 other markers are within 10 miles of this location, measured as the crow flies: Crossing the Summit - Weather or Not (here, next to this marker); Site of Howard Ranch and Inn (approx. 5.4 miles away); Memorial (approx. 7.6 miles away); Busch & Heringlake Building (approx. 8.4 miles away); Miner’s Hotel (approx. 8.6 miles away); Webber Lake Hotel (approx. 9.7 miles away); Henness – Zumwalt Pass (approx. 9.7 miles away); Here Today – Gone Tomorrow (approx. 9.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Calpine.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Sierra Valley History (was approx. 2.2 miles away but has been confirmed missing).

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 3, 2013

2. Food for the Mines Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on November 20, 2016. It was originally submitted on June 15, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 567 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 15, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.