Thursday, 28 March 2024

California State Parks showcases history of Donner Summit at Donner Memorial State Park

TRUCKEE, Calif. – California State Parks invites the public to visit Donner Memorial State Park and explore the history of Donner Summit through two new videos being shown at the visitor center.

“Chinese Story, Artifacts from the Camps” focuses on the artifacts uncovered and left behind by the Chinese community during the construction of the transcontinental railroad.

The second video – “On the Road with the Green Book Guide, African-American Travel” highlights the challenges African-Americans faced while traveling on the road.

Located in the beautiful Sierra Nevada, Donner Memorial State Park is surrounded by magnificent alpine scenery at an elevation of 6,000 feet.

Visitors are welcome year-round at the Donner Memorial State Park Visitor Center and at the Pioneer Monument, built to commemorate those who immigrated to California from the east in the mid-1800s.

The visitor center features compelling new exhibits that tell the stories of the Emigrant Experience, the Donner Party, the Land of the Washoe, Chinese construction of the railroad and early motoring adventures over Donner Pass.

Video highlights include:

“Chinese Story, Artifacts from the Camps” shows items archaeologists discovered in a transcontinental railroad workers’ camp. Partiality narrated by Connie Young Yu, Chinese Historical Society of America, the video features artifacts of the Chinese laborers’ daily life including work and domestic items.

Unknown to most visitors, the thousands of Chinese workers who built the transcontinental railroad through the Sierra Nevada Mountains retained their traditions as much as possible. Due to their healthy diet and hygiene, they were able to work longer and harder than European workers.

Artifacts shown in the video include a coin, shovel, pottery, gaming pieces, and a bone toothbrush.

The year 2019 marks the 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad and this video honors those Chinese workers.

“On the Road with the Green Book Guide, African-American Travel,” shows the only resource available during the Jim Crow era.

America’s love affair with automobiles and travel was not an open road for all. African-American travelers were restricted where they could stay, eat or buy gas. Many towns, known as “Sundown Towns,” did not permit African-Americans to be within city limits after dark.

Thanks to the efforts of Victor H. Green, the Green Book started in 1936 as a nationwide list of friendly establishments for African-Americans. Dr. Shirley Moore, Professor Emeritus of History at CSU Sacramento and Ken Rudolph of “Good Day Sacramento” walk the audience through the challenges and frustrations faced by many Americans.

Both videos are the product of collaboration between California State Parks and Recreation and CSU Sacramento, Creative Services Department. They join the previously released video of the Washoe Cooking Hearth.

Donner Memorial State Park is 100 miles east of Sacramento via Interstate 80, and is within the town of Truckee. The state park offers camping, picnicking, boating, fishing, water-skiing and hiking in the summer. During the winter, visitors can cross-country ski and snowshoe on trails and enjoy the season’s beauty. Visitors are welcome year-round at the Donner Memorial State Park Visitor Center and at the Pioneer Monument. School group reservations are available.

For more information, please visit the state park’s Web site at www.parks.ca.gov/DonnerMemorial.

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