August 16, 2007

New Almaden prepares for annual Almaden Day Sept. 8

Dedication of Tillman and hard rock miner monument

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

Kitty Monahan is busy each morning. She and a group of residents are planning New Almaden Day complete with a “jump-in” parade, dedication, music, games and barbecue on Sept. 8.

Everyone jumps into the New Almaden Parade. In 2006, Dutch Mapes [far right] attended in full cowboy gear. Photos by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

“I’ve just sent out invitations to Nancy Pyle, Don Gage, Mike Honda and Zoe Lofgren for the dedication,” said Monahan. “But everyone is invited to New Almaden Day to join in the parade and come to the barbecue, play the games and listen to the music after. It’s a real fun day.”

On top of the list for completion is the installation of the Pat Tillman monument to be dedicated on Almaden Day. Residents currently are moving the 2-ton granite rock that will grace the plaque honoring Tillman, who grew up and played in the bucolic area, as well as the hard rock miners who toiled the land before him.

Tillman received national admiration when he gave up a lucrative NFL football career with the Arizona Cardinals to enlist as an Army Ranger. He was killed by friendly fire in 2004. Congress is still investigating the army’s treatment of the incident and why there was a cover-up.

Monahan, president of the New Almaden County Quicksilver Park Association [NACQPA], joins other members and residents of the area--Dutch Mapes, Mike Boulland and Bill Jones--working on the monument. Their plan is to move the granite from the backyard of Rick Dill’s home on Almaden Road on Mapes’ forklift and deposit it at Bulmore Park at the intersection of Almaden Road and Way. Toucan Crane will place the rock on the mortared brick base that Mapes built with the help of Boulland, Jones and Monahan.

Memorials
The enterprise is hard work, but the crew is working well together. The monument is 59 inches tall with separate plaques honoring both Tillman and the quicksilver miners on the historic granite. It will read:

“Patrick Tillman November 6, 1976—April 22, 2004

Pat lived in New Almaden for most of his life. He came to love the area for its history, community spirit and serene atmosphere. He roamed he hills with his brothers as a kid, and as he grew older, he hiked and trained on the trails as an athlete and a soldier.

Pat grew up to be an inquisitive scholar, faithful friend, loving son, brother and husband, community volunteer, aggressive athlete and heroic Army Ranger.

New Almaden and our nation lost Patrick Tillman in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004 in service to his country.”

New Almaden resident Dutch Mapes, 91, built the brick and mortar base for the Pat Tillman and hard rock miner monument. Here he prepares to move the granite rock that will be placed on top of that base.

The words were written and approved by the Tillman family who still live in the area. They are expected to attend the dedication on New Almaden Day.

The second plaque will read:

“Hard Rock Miners

Drilling contests were the miners’ own distinctive event. The contest pitted individuals or teams of two miners against one another. They centered on hand drilling, an essential aspect of the hard rock miners work. Drilling contests tested participants’ skill at this particular task; the men bored into a boulder, usually Colorado or Vermont granite. This piece of granite was used for one of these contests and came from the Delores Taranga Tunnel site in the park. The competition required courage, skill, strength and endurance.

Sponsored by Historical Heritage Commission and Department of Parks and Recreation of Santa Clara County

New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association

New Almaden Community Club.”

NACQPA and the New Almaden Community Club applied for a grant from the Historical Heritage for $4,000 of the necessary $5,000 for the monument. Historical Heritage ruled that Tillman was not a historical figure and approved a grant of $3,000. The group was undeterred and covered the additional cost. They will also install a brick bench at a later date.

New Almaden residents Bill Jones, Mapes and Kitty Monahan strategize how best to move the two-ton granite rock that will be placed on the brick and mortar base for to honor Tillman and hard rock miners of New Almaden’s quicksilver mines.

New Almaden Day
The New Almaden Day Parade is a 1.6-mile procession that begins on Bertram Road in front of the Community Club, circling past Casa Grande. It’s a “jump-in” pageant where everything and everyone can participate from themed floats to antique cars to people pushing baby carriages. It will stop at the newly erected Tillman and hard rock miner monument at Almaden Road and Way and then will continue on to Bertram Road where the activities—music, games, and food—will start at noon.

Almaden Day started in the 1870s when mine manager Jams Randol declared a holiday for the Quicksilver miners and their families. In those days, the mine featured whole barbecued animal carcasses as well as music and dancing.

The “jump-in” parade was added years later when residents were invited to join in the parade as it passed by the homes on Bertram and Almaden roads.

Today’s procession passes historic monuments honoring the people and places who lived in the rural New Almaden. The latest is the Tillman and hard rock miner tribute.

“This is truly a community project,” said Boulland. “The Community Club is not just a neighborhood group. This is something we’re doing for everyone. On the walking tours of the area I stop here with the school kids and reflect on Pat who lost his life for his country. I also take time to think about the tragedies of war and of the pioneering spirit of the American hard rock miners.”

New Almaden Day will be celebrated on Sept. 8 from 11a.m. to 5 p.m.