Near Igo in Shasta County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Piety Hill

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 23, 2015

1. Piety Hill Marker

Inscription. The townsite is located along Cloverdale Rd. for 0.7 of a mile. Established in 1849, the town grew quickly to 1,500 residents, including 600 Chinese closeby. The Hardscrabble mine began operations in 1853, served by the Dry Creek Tunnel and Fluming Co.'s twenty-two mile long ditch constructed by Chinese labor. When the Hardscrabble's hydraulic operations threatened to destroy the town in 1866, may white residents moved across Conger Gulch to the newly established town of Igo. The Chinese population remained engaged in both mining and vegetable gardening. The town was saved from destruction by the passage of the anti-debris act which limited hydraulic mining. The Chinese stayed until the early 1920's when the last two residents died. In 1907, the water rights of the Dry Creek Tunnel and Fluming Company transferred to the Happy Valley Land and Water Company which extended the ditch system providing agricultural water for the Happy Valley area. Behind this monument is the extension ditch.

Erected 2010 by Ono Grange #445, E Clampus Vitus, Trintarianus Chapter # 62 with the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management.

Topics and series.

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This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Asian Americans • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Chinese Heritage Sites of the American West, and the E Clampus Vitus series lists.

Location. 40° 30.06′ N, 122° 31.392′ W. Marker is near Igo, California, in Shasta County. It is on Cloverdale Road, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 14389 Cloverdale Road, Igo CA 96047, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Sacramento Valley,

specifically in the Central Valley,

and in the Shasta Cascade.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

in the Cascade Range,

on the Ring of Fire,

on the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Historic Igo Inn (approx. 1.1 miles away); Reading's Bar

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 23, 2015

2. Piety Hill Marker

(approx. 1.4 miles away); U.S. Army Special Forces Memorial (approx. 1.8 miles away); Military Order of the Purple Heart Memorial (approx. 1.9 miles away); Submariners Memorial (approx. 1.9 miles away); Northern California Veterans Memorials (approx. 1.9 miles away); Native Americans in the Clear Creek Watershed (approx. 3 miles away); Gold Fever in Clear Creek (approx. 3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Igo.

More about this marker. This marker is located at the BLM trailhead 1 mile south of Igo on the Cloverdale Road

Piety Hill extension ditch image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Lester J Letson, September 28, 2015

3. Piety Hill extension ditch

Concrete water diversion dam across the street from the marker, about the only thing remaining from the town.

Photographed by Lester J Letson, October 26, 2014

4. Piety Hill extension ditch

A few of the wooden beams remain from the walls of the extension ditch. These relics are visible in the portion of the ditch that sit behind the marker.

Photographed by Lester J Letson, September 28, 2015

5. Piety Hill

Nothing visible remains of the town. Local historians report that artifacts identified as Chinese were being dug out of the ground as recently as 10 years ago. Most of the property is private, fenced and posted no trespassing, so there is little access to what was once Piety Hill.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on September 28, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,218 times since then and 76 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 28, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 3, 4, 5. submitted on October 2, 2015, by Lester J Letson of Fresno, California.