OSLHP Newsletter - September 2004

President's Message

The OSLHP continues to grow in many unseen areas. In August, for the first time outside of GRD, the museums in Old Sac finally got together to plan joint programs and training. New programs for next year will include an Old-Sac-wide Gold Rush themed tour for school groups and an Old-Sac-wide Women's History Day. Requests for tours and meet-and-greets are up, and we can expect to be busy throughout the year. Without the wonderful support and experience from every member, new and old, none of this could happen. Thanks to everyone.

Executive Council Meeting
The next executive council meeting will be held Sept. 16th at 7pm in the OSLHP center.

General Meeting:
The next general meeting will be Saturday, Sept. 18th, for a Gold Rush Days recap, 10am in the OSLHP center.

PAST EVENTS

Gold Rush Days
GRD will be in October newsletter.

Walking Tours
102 people participated in July. Everyone is doing a great job. While the public tours will end Sept. 29, school tours and tours by reservation will continue throughout the year. Also, Reserve America will be taking reservations for school tours, Tuesdays and Thursdays, March 1 through November 30.

ONGOING EVENTS

Links to the Past
The OSLHP is updating the Links to the Past. This is an online resource of web sites of general interest, costuming, Internet stores, and basically anything related to Living History. If you have a site you would like to share please send its address and a brief description about why it is useful. Information can be sent to Richard Sneed at rsneed5820@aol.com

COMING EVENTS

Living History Riverboat Cruise

Tuesday, Oct 12, 10:30am to 1pm. Lunch will be provided. This cruise will be mainly meet and greet with visitors and provide a small program highlighting Sacramento history and character presentations. You will need to be in costume. To sign up: Amy

Ghost Tours

Thanks to all those who already signed up. We will have a meeting September 18th after the GRD review meeting. Bring a bag lunch or plan to buy. Meeting is at 12:30pm.

Red Hat Society Walking Tours

October 2, 10:30 and Noon. Guides and assistants are still needed for these tours. Amy

Historic Old Sacramento Foundation Meet and Greet

October 7, 5:30 to 8pm, at the Firehouse Restaurant. This is the first fund-raiser for the Foundation. Members are needed to mingle with guests and staff an information table. Appetizers and drinks provided. Amy

Wednesday Jazz Concert Series

Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29, and Oct 6. 5:30 to 8:30pm. Costumed members are needed to come and sell raffle tickets during the concerts, all dates but Sept 8 are still open. Amy

Lamplight Tours

December. If you are interested in helping plan or participate in this event please contact Ken Knott

Santa Parade

November 27, 2004. If you are interested I helping plan or participate please contact Penny Adams

Who Are We?

My name's the Widow Chambers. You can see the Clan Cameron tartan in the ribbon I wear. My family was part of the great English-Scot-Irish immigration to this country, that's Scot or Scottish, not "Scotch" - Scotch is a drink.

I made my dress. It was burned in the skirt while cooking by a campfire. Fire was the number two cause of death in women of my time. A slave dumped a keg of cider on me to quench the fire, so I've been baptized twice: once with blessed water and once with the fruit of Eden. The run-away slave had been on his own, in hiding, but earned his keep with the wagon train by fetching kindling and tending campfire. I gave him the gold coin I had. His name was Ned.

I traded my dead husband's shoes for a skirt to cover the burnt part of my dress. Included in the trade were two young lady's' pinafores. I made my apron out of them. Wagon people mostly bartered for necessaries. Well, so much about my wearin's.

When Mr. Chambers and I married, there was nary a word against it. I was a Cameron and Mr. Chambers was Clan Cameron, too. We performed in The Chambers Street Theatre in New York, then Mr. Chambers had a mind to go to the Gold Rush, and we started the great trek from East to West. As we camped high the Rockies for a spell, the cholera finally took the wee bit of life left in his body. The pestilence took Mr. Chambers as it did so many. He sleeps now beneath the soil of the Great Plains, with his feet toward the west and his dreams of gold, his pain of this earthly life over…by the blessed mercy of our Lord. Amen.

Upon my oath, this is how I became The Widow Chambers and came to abide in Sacramento City. I found fittin' work baking pies and selling them on the street. The particulars of how I started my business are simple: I sold my long hair to a wig maker. After a while, I had set aside enough, so I reckoned I could start a jollification, and that's how the street puppet show began. I call it The Chambers Street Theatre…By the blessed mercy of our Lord. Amen.

If you have not appeared in this section, please write your story (350 words) and contact Terry Nelson so we can check if we have a picture of your character. If we don't, we will be sure to get one. We would love to have characterizations and pictures of all our members. They are a great recruiting tool. If I haven't called upon you yet, be sure I will.

Planning Calendar

September 2004
3-6- Gold Rush Days
16 - Executive Council, 7pm
18-Gold Rush Days recap, 10am

October 2004
8/9, 15/16, 22/23- Ghost Tours, 6:30 to 9pm
13- General Meeting, 7pm

November 2004
9- Executive Council, 7pm
13- General Meeting
27- Santa Parade, 9am to Noon

December 2004
4- OSLHP Holiday Party, TBA
11 or 12- Old Sacramento Holiday Event/Program, TBA

January 2005
4- Executive Council, 7pm
8- General Meeting, 10am

February 2005
5- Free Museum Day, TBA
9- General Meeting, 7pm
TBA- Teacher Workshop
TBA- Women's History Day

March 2005
8- Executive Council, 7pm
12- General Meeting, 10am
17- St. Patrick's Day Parade
26- Easter Bonnet Promenade, Noon

April 2005
Sat/Sun- Walking Tours 10am
13- General Meeting, 7pm

May 2005
Ongoing: Sat/Sun- Walking Tours 10am
10- Executive Council, 7pm
14- General Meeting, 10am
27- Jazz Parade, 11am

June 2005
Ongoing: Sat/Sun- Walking Tours 10am
8- General meeting, 7pm