Dutch Flat, California
Encyclopedia
Dutch Flat is a small unincorporated community
and census-designated place
(CDP) in Placer County
, California
, United States
, about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Auburn
along Interstate 80
. It was founded by German
immigrants in 1851 and was once one of the richest gold mining
locations of California. Its ZIP code
is 95714 and its area code 530
.
was another camp, Little York, and just west, a trading post at Cold Springs (later known as Gold Run). All these camps were supplied by mule train from Illinoistown, near today's Colfax
. The muleskinners referred to the Dornbach's camp as 'Dutch Charlie's Flat,' and thus the town was named.
The Dutch Flat post office opened in 1856.
20 miles (32.2 km) further up the ridge, and Dutch Flat lost most of its importance as a stage stop.
In 1859 Dr. Daniel Strong of Dutch Flat invited railroad surveyor and chief engineer of the Central Pacific Railroad Theodore Judah
to come and evaluate a possible route across the Sierra Nevada mountains. One of the first large mining ditches to reach Dutch Flat had, in effect, demonstrated the existence of easy grades up to Emigrant Gap
; from there, the line of the old Donner Trail across the Sierra Nevada was also such that a railroad could be built. Judah argued vociferously for the Central Pacific's financial backers—including California's "Big Four
": Leland Stanford
, Collis P. Huntington
, Mark Hopkins
, and Charles Crocker
—to employ the route for a trans-Sierra route that would link up to existing Union Pacific service in Utah or Nevada, instead of Huntington's less-ambitious plan to cater to the lucrative stage and wagon-hauled freight between Sacramento and the Comstock mining boom by building a well-surfaced toll road from Dutch Flat to Donner Lake, and then onward to the Carson Valley.
Judah may have been the most vocal critic of the Dutch Flat-Donner Pass Wagon Road, but he wasn't the only opponent. San Francisco investors, Sierra miners, and even the general public believed that the Central Pacific Railroad was focused only on getting their line built to Dutch Flat. Other Californians believed the whole railroad construction project a scam and that no one, not even "Crazy Judah," had ever really figured out a practicable route through the Sierra range.
The perception of greed and avarice raised the ire of many. San Francisco newspapers boldly accused the Central Pacific of planning only to lay track up to Dutch Flat and no further. Numerous articles and pamphlets arguing against the "Great Dutch Flat Swindle!" flooded the press. San Francisco's Alta California editorialized, "The Sacramentans Big Four are determined to have no railroad but Dutch Flat. The Capital City has aided in the raid upon this county for $80,000, upon Placer County for $25,000, and upon the state for millions. There will never be a railroad via Dutch Flat to Nevada Territory. There are obstacles which cannot be overcome. The Pacific Railroad will follow another route, not through Sacramento or anywhere else in the vicinity."
Despite the intense backlash, there was never any foundation to the stories spread by detractors of the Central Pacific Railroad. Judah's successor as chief engineer, Samuel S. Montague, was immediately ordered to continue surveying the future route as far as the "Big Bend of the Truckee River" (where it turns north toward Pyramid Lake), more than 40 miles (64.4 km) east of the California border. Obviously, there was no doubt among the Big Four that the Central Pacific line would eventually connect with the Union Pacific somewhere in Utah or the Nevada territory.
Mining operations at Dutch Flat reached their peak during the 1870s, with thousands of miners worked the surrounding area. Prior to the 1870s, gold mining
was often a solitary and small-scale pursuit. In 1872, however, the Cedar Creek Company of London purchased over 30 claims in the area and began working them in a more aggressive and industrial fashion, employing hydraulic mining
to reach hitherto unreachable deposits of gold by literally blasting it out of alluvial deposits with high-pressure water cannons known as “monitors.” The many dozens of mining claims dividing the old channel gravels beside Dutch Flat and Gold Run
made for a thriving economy. In January 1884, however, in a historic verdict, a United States District Court
banned the flushing of debris into streams. Implementing the decision was difficult, as many miners refused to accept the court decision. Court challenges were filed, injunctions were disobeyed, inspectors were threatened with violence, but eventually hydraulic operations were brought to an end.
was a prominent industry in Dutch Flat's history. From 1861 to 1907, the Towle Brothers Lumber Company was among the largest in the state, owning over 20000 acres (80.9 km²) of land, with a private narrow-gauge railroad 38 miles (61.2 km) long, and employing a workforce of around 200 men, including fifty Chinese workers.
. Adjoining the pioneer American cemetery just above the town is the Chinese burial grounds.
lectured at its Opera House. Dutch Flat was also frequently mentioned in works by Bret Harte
, including "Muck-A-Muck: A Modern Indian Novel After Cooper."
, the CDP covers an area of 0.6 square miles (1.5 km²), all of it land.
was 270.0 people per square mile (104.2/km²). The racial makeup of Dutch Flat was 155 (96.9%) White, 0 (0.0%) African American, 3 (1.9%) Native American, 1 (0.6%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 0 (0.0%) from other races
, and 1 (0.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4 persons (2.5%).
The Census reported that 160 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 85 households, out of which 13 (15.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 36 (42.4%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 5 (5.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2 (2.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 5 (5.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 0 (0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 37 households (43.5%) were made up of individuals and 17 (20.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.88. There were 43 families
(50.6% of all households); the average family size was 2.60.
The population was spread out with 19 people (11.9%) under the age of 18, 7 people (4.4%) aged 18 to 24, 25 people (15.6%) aged 25 to 44, 66 people (41.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 43 people (26.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 55.0 years. For every 100 females there were 122.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.9 males.
There were 138 housing units at an average density of 232.9 per square mile (89.9/km²), of which 65 (76.5%) were owner-occupied, and 20 (23.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 12.5%. 124 people (77.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 36 people (22.5%) lived in rental housing units.
.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
and census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Placer County
Placer County, California
Placer County is a county located in both the Sacramento Valley and Sierra Nevada regions of the U.S. state of California, in what is known as the Gold Country. It stretches from the suburbs of Sacramento to Lake Tahoe and the Nevada border. Because of the expansion of the Greater Sacramento,...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Auburn
Auburn, California
Auburn is the county seat of Placer County, California. Its population at the 2010 census was 13,330. Auburn is known for its California Gold Rush history.Auburn is part of the Greater Sacramento area.- History :...
along Interstate 80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
. It was founded by German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
immigrants in 1851 and was once one of the richest gold mining
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
locations of California. Its ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
is 95714 and its area code 530
Area code 530
North American area code 530 is a California telephone area code that covers Auburn, Chico, Colfax, Davis, Grass Valley, Marysville, Oroville, Placerville, Redding, Red Bluff, Susanville, Truckee, Woodland, Yuba City and South Lake Tahoe....
.
History
Dutch Flat was founded by two German brothers, Joseph and Charles Dornbach. To the south of their settlement was the busy mining camp of Green Valley, where 2,000 men were at work when the Dornbachs arrived. Across the Bear River in Nevada CountyNevada County, California
Nevada County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of California, in the Mother Lode country. As of 2010 its population was 98,764. The county seat is Nevada City.-History:Nevada County was created in 1851 from parts of Yuba County....
was another camp, Little York, and just west, a trading post at Cold Springs (later known as Gold Run). All these camps were supplied by mule train from Illinoistown, near today's Colfax
Colfax, California
Colfax is a city in Placer County, California, at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and State Route 174. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,963 at the 2010 census...
. The muleskinners referred to the Dornbach's camp as 'Dutch Charlie's Flat,' and thus the town was named.
The Dutch Flat post office opened in 1856.
Travel Center
While Dutch Flat was originally settled by miners, it first gained prominence as an important stagecoach stop, making it one of the largest and most important towns in Placer County from about 1864 to 1866. In the fall of 1866, however, the railroad and reached CiscoCisco, California
Cisco is an unincorporated community in Placer County, California. Cisco is located on the Southern Pacific Railroad, south-southwest of Cisco Grove. It lies at an elevation of 5938 feet ....
20 miles (32.2 km) further up the ridge, and Dutch Flat lost most of its importance as a stage stop.
In 1859 Dr. Daniel Strong of Dutch Flat invited railroad surveyor and chief engineer of the Central Pacific Railroad Theodore Judah
Theodore Judah
Theodore Dehone Judah was an American railroad engineer who dreamed of the first Transcontinental Railroad. He found investors for what became the Central Pacific Railroad...
to come and evaluate a possible route across the Sierra Nevada mountains. One of the first large mining ditches to reach Dutch Flat had, in effect, demonstrated the existence of easy grades up to Emigrant Gap
Emigrant Gap
Emigrant Gap is a gap in a ridge on the California Trail as it crosses the Sierra Nevada, to the west of what is now known as Donner Pass. Here the cliffs are so steep that, back in the 1840s, the pioneers on their way to California had to lower their wagons on ropes in order to continue.The...
; from there, the line of the old Donner Trail across the Sierra Nevada was also such that a railroad could be built. Judah argued vociferously for the Central Pacific's financial backers—including California's "Big Four
Big Four
- People :* The Big Four , Alberta businessmen and philanthropists of the early 20th century* Big Four , US railroad entrepreneurs of the 19th century...
": Leland Stanford
Leland Stanford
Amasa Leland Stanford was an American tycoon, industrialist, robber baron, politician and founder of Stanford University.-Early years:...
, Collis P. Huntington
Collis P. Huntington
Collis Potter Huntington was one of the Big Four of western railroading who built the Central Pacific Railroad as part of the first U.S. transcontinental railroad...
, Mark Hopkins
Mark Hopkins
Mark Hopkins was one of four principal investors who formed the Central Pacific Railroad along with Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker, and Collis Huntington in 1861.-Early years:...
, and Charles Crocker
Charles Crocker
Charles Crocker was an American railroad executive.-Early years:Crocker was born in Troy, New York, to a modest family and moved to an Indiana farm at age 14. He soon became independent, working on several farms, a sawmill, and at an iron forge. In 1845 he founded a small, independent iron...
—to employ the route for a trans-Sierra route that would link up to existing Union Pacific service in Utah or Nevada, instead of Huntington's less-ambitious plan to cater to the lucrative stage and wagon-hauled freight between Sacramento and the Comstock mining boom by building a well-surfaced toll road from Dutch Flat to Donner Lake, and then onward to the Carson Valley.
Judah may have been the most vocal critic of the Dutch Flat-Donner Pass Wagon Road, but he wasn't the only opponent. San Francisco investors, Sierra miners, and even the general public believed that the Central Pacific Railroad was focused only on getting their line built to Dutch Flat. Other Californians believed the whole railroad construction project a scam and that no one, not even "Crazy Judah," had ever really figured out a practicable route through the Sierra range.
The perception of greed and avarice raised the ire of many. San Francisco newspapers boldly accused the Central Pacific of planning only to lay track up to Dutch Flat and no further. Numerous articles and pamphlets arguing against the "Great Dutch Flat Swindle!" flooded the press. San Francisco's Alta California editorialized, "The Sacramentans Big Four are determined to have no railroad but Dutch Flat. The Capital City has aided in the raid upon this county for $80,000, upon Placer County for $25,000, and upon the state for millions. There will never be a railroad via Dutch Flat to Nevada Territory. There are obstacles which cannot be overcome. The Pacific Railroad will follow another route, not through Sacramento or anywhere else in the vicinity."
Despite the intense backlash, there was never any foundation to the stories spread by detractors of the Central Pacific Railroad. Judah's successor as chief engineer, Samuel S. Montague, was immediately ordered to continue surveying the future route as far as the "Big Bend of the Truckee River" (where it turns north toward Pyramid Lake), more than 40 miles (64.4 km) east of the California border. Obviously, there was no doubt among the Big Four that the Central Pacific line would eventually connect with the Union Pacific somewhere in Utah or the Nevada territory.
Mining
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
was often a solitary and small-scale pursuit. In 1872, however, the Cedar Creek Company of London purchased over 30 claims in the area and began working them in a more aggressive and industrial fashion, employing hydraulic mining
Hydraulic mining
Hydraulic mining, or hydraulicking, is a form of mining that uses high-pressure jets of water to dislodge rock material or move sediment. In the placer mining of gold or tin, the resulting water-sediment slurry is directed through sluice boxes to remove the gold.-Precursor - ground...
to reach hitherto unreachable deposits of gold by literally blasting it out of alluvial deposits with high-pressure water cannons known as “monitors.” The many dozens of mining claims dividing the old channel gravels beside Dutch Flat and Gold Run
Gold Run, California
-History:A post office was established titled "Mountain Springs", after the Mountain Springs Hotel, in 1854, a few miles southwest of Dutch Flat. The town was founded by O. W. Hollenbeck, and was known for its hydraulic mines. The post office moved one mile north and the name was changed to Gold...
made for a thriving economy. In January 1884, however, in a historic verdict, a United States District Court
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
banned the flushing of debris into streams. Implementing the decision was difficult, as many miners refused to accept the court decision. Court challenges were filed, injunctions were disobeyed, inspectors were threatened with violence, but eventually hydraulic operations were brought to an end.
Lumber
LumberLumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
was a prominent industry in Dutch Flat's history. From 1861 to 1907, the Towle Brothers Lumber Company was among the largest in the state, owning over 20000 acres (80.9 km²) of land, with a private narrow-gauge railroad 38 miles (61.2 km) long, and employing a workforce of around 200 men, including fifty Chinese workers.
Chinatown
Dutch Flat's Chinatown began in the 1850s, and by the late 1860s, when the transcontinental railroad was under construction, it was one of the largest Chinese settlements outside of San Francisco. In 1853, Dutch Flat had a population of 6,000 including 3,500 Chinese. In 1877 Old Chinatown burned down, and the settlement relocated south of town, near the Dutch Flat Depot on the Central Pacific RailroadCentral Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
. Adjoining the pioneer American cemetery just above the town is the Chinese burial grounds.
Culture
In the 19th century, Dutch Flat was referred to by residents as "the Athens of the Foothills." It had a thriving amateur dramatical society and debating society, and Mark TwainMark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
lectured at its Opera House. Dutch Flat was also frequently mentioned in works by Bret Harte
Bret Harte
Francis Bret Harte was an American author and poet, best remembered for his accounts of pioneering life in California.- Life and career :...
, including "Muck-A-Muck: A Modern Indian Novel After Cooper."
Present
As of October 2009, Dutch Flat had 333 residents. The town is designated "semi-ghost" and while tourism makes up much of the local economy, many of its current residents are retirees, families and professionals who commute to nearby jobs.Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP covers an area of 0.6 square miles (1.5 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
The 2010 United States Census reported that Dutch Flat had a population of 160. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 270.0 people per square mile (104.2/km²). The racial makeup of Dutch Flat was 155 (96.9%) White, 0 (0.0%) African American, 3 (1.9%) Native American, 1 (0.6%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 0 (0.0%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1 (0.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4 persons (2.5%).
The Census reported that 160 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 85 households, out of which 13 (15.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 36 (42.4%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 5 (5.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2 (2.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 5 (5.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 0 (0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 37 households (43.5%) were made up of individuals and 17 (20.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.88. There were 43 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(50.6% of all households); the average family size was 2.60.
The population was spread out with 19 people (11.9%) under the age of 18, 7 people (4.4%) aged 18 to 24, 25 people (15.6%) aged 25 to 44, 66 people (41.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 43 people (26.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 55.0 years. For every 100 females there were 122.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.9 males.
There were 138 housing units at an average density of 232.9 per square mile (89.9/km²), of which 65 (76.5%) were owner-occupied, and 20 (23.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 12.5%. 124 people (77.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 36 people (22.5%) lived in rental housing units.
Tourism
Recently, residents of Dutch Flat have sought to increase tourism by asking the state Department of Transportation for a sign on I-80 saying Dutch Flat is a national historic landmark. The Golden Drift Museum on Main Street is open in summer. Historic buildings of note include the Dutch Flat Hotel (1853), Methodist Church (1861), old Dutch Flat Elementary School (1898), Odd Fellows Building and the Masonic Hall (both pre-1856), and the Dutch Flat Cemetery. Dutch Flat is near all mountain recreation areas and only a short distance from snow and water skiing, fishing, biking, kayaking, gold panning and hiking the abundant mountain trails. The town hosts a parade on the 4th of JulyIndependence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
.
Literature
Dutch Flat has been mentioned or used as a setting by the following authors:- Mark TwainMark TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
, who derided Dutch Flat poetry as "smooth and blubbery" in a small piece for the 1864 Californian. He also noted Dutch Flat as the death place of "George", the subject of his essay "General Washington's Negro Body Servant: A Biographical Sketch" - Bret HarteBret HarteFrancis Bret Harte was an American author and poet, best remembered for his accounts of pioneering life in California.- Life and career :...
used Dutch Flat as a location for "Muck-A-Muck: A Modern Indian Novel After Cooper" and for "Wan Lee the Pagan." - M.K. Hobson sets several scenes in 1876 Dutch Flat in her alternate history fantasy novel The Native StarThe Native Star (novel)The Native Star is a historical fantasy novel, and the first novel from writer M. K. Hobson. It was nominated for the 2010 Nebula Award.-Plot summary:...
- Russel Towle "The Dutch Flat Chronicles" is a portrait of Dutch Flat from 1849 to 1906, composed of almost 1,000 different newspaper articles, short stories, diary fragments, and poems. These were collected from Dutch Flat's three nineteenth-century newspapers, and many other sources.