Downieville

Downieville has a rich and sometimes illustrious past. The early years saw the region as a summer hunting and fishing grounds for the Maidu and Washoe Indian Tribes. The first White settlers arrived around 1848 in search of gold, forever changing the region. Major William Downie and his crew discovered gold here in 1849 at the fork where the Downie River joins the north branch of the Yuba.
Downieville is also the Sierra County seat. Today, Downieville still has many historical buildings despite the floods and fires that have ravaged the area over it's 150 year history. The thought of riches kept the region's inhabitants coming back after suffering monumental hardships in this wild and untamed land.

Gold called to many throughout the territory. Once James Marshall found that fateful nugget in the water by Sutter's Mill a flood of fortune seekers came to California to find their own riches. Only a few made their fortunes and many of the those were earned by supplying the miners with goods and services. Downieville was said to have had a population of close to five thousand during the peek gold years. The population is currently around three hundred and twenty five. Gold fever still affects some residents of this mountain town, and mining claims are abundant.

Downieville was a wild west town complete with claim jumping, robbery, murder and just plain bad behavior. Downieville's first district attorney, Thaddeus Purdy, was accidentally shot and killed on the steps of the Craycroft Saloon in 1853 when an argument got out of hand. The Downieville-Sierra City stage was robbed in 1893. Sometimes mining wasn't profitable and one had to resort to other, less legal, forms of work. Public drunkenness led to the creation of a temperance society; a young lawyer, Robert Tevis, was killed in a duel when a disagreement over a set of resolutions passed by temperance society upset Dr. Lippincot. The Anglo miners of the day were not overly enthused about the Mexicans living in the area. One night in 1851 John Frederic Cannon (There is some dispute about Mr. Cannon's full name), in a drunken stupor, broke down the door of a young mexican woman named Juanita. The next day an argument ensued between Juanita and Joseph and he called the young woman a whore. She took offense and stabbed him through the heart. The news spread like wild fire and a mob formed calling for her immediate execution. Juanita was hung from Durgan Bridge in Downieville, becoming the only women lynched during the gold rush. She was unrepentant to the end and declared that, if so insulted again, she would defend her honor in the same way.

Today, Downieville is a picturesque town with the the echoes of its past seeping in from the many historical sites that still survive. People come to fish, mountain bike, soak up the history of a bygone era and escape from the fast pace of modern life. One can stroll down the wooden sidewalks and relax in this quiet town.

The Craycroft Building

The Craycroft building is one of the more historically interesting buildings in Downieville. The first structure on the location was made of hewn logs in 1850 and was operated as the famous Craycroft Saloon. It was destroyed in the fire of February, 1852. The present building, made of local brick and stone was constructed by Jack Craycroft immediately following the fire. It was said to be one of the largest structures of the time in the region east of Sacramento. The bar was immense, being made of a single sawed board said to be seventy feet long, although likely this was a slight exaggeration. In the main room there was a platform suspended from the ceiling by iron rods upon which rested a piano and chairs for the musicians who played for the many dances which were held in the saloon. Above the bar there was a room where the Lodge of Masons and the Court of Sessions met, as well as the printing office of THE SIERRA CITIZEN and several private rooms.

Many political meetings were held in the Craycroft building before the completion of the County Courthouse late in 1854. Many of the leading political figures in the State attended meetings held at this location. The Craycroft building was also host to arts. For example, in June of 1852 the “Grand Concert" was presented by Signora Biscaccianti.

Unfortunately, one of the many floods to disrupt life in Downieville destroyed the main floor, which housed the Craycroft Saloon. The streets were built up over time and the original second story now serves as the main floor. Over the years many businesses have called the Craycroft building home. Newspapers, restaurants, grocery stores, bike shops and antique shops among others. Presently, the St. Charles Place occupies the front of the Craycroft building and shares the main floor with the Yuba Expeditions bike shop and a great little burrito shop.

St. Charles Place

St. Charles Hotel began operation around 1850. It was a place where room and board could be had for $16 per week. It had a restaurant and a bar and was one of the nicer places to stay in Downieville. Since Downieville is the county seat the hotel played host to politicians, miners, and vacationers. The hotel was damaged by fire several times and rebuilt over the years. Orie and Ray Huggins bought and operated the St. Charles Restaurant and Hotel in Downieville in 1944. Following a fire that destroyed the St. Charles Hotel on July 28, 1947 the hotel was not rebuilt. This was a major historical loss to the region. Orie Huggins bought out his brother's share in the property and operated the St. Charles Restaurant & Bar at the location of the old county barn on Main Street. The St. Charles Place stayed in that location for 50 years. In the Spring of 2002, the St. Charles Place moved to it's current location accross Main Street in the historic Craycroft building.