October 18, 2007

Pioneer spirit

History comes alive at 25th annual Pioneer Day

New interpretive plaque is dedicated at Santa Isabel Shaft

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

The pioneer spirit was alive and well Saturday as the New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association didn’t let showers deter their celebration of the 25th annual Pioneer Day in New Almaden.

Keeping history alive in New Almaden is a goal for NAQCPA members who enact historical figures from the area at Pioneer Day on Oct. 13. Photo by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

“In 25 years we’ve only had two that were rained out,” said NAQCPA President Kitty Monahan, who spearheads the yearly event. “We’ll party and eat and maybe take a couple of vans up later if it’s dry enough to dedicate the Santa Isabel Shaft house.”

Monahan, Dot Wilson and other NAQCPA members directed the arrivals to the New Almaden Community Center to celebrate the day. Originally, the group was planning to celebrate Pioneer Day at the Santa Isabel Shaft area of the Quicksilver Park as well as dedicate a new interpretive plaque, but heavy showers the day before hindered the van rides up the hill. Still the 60 attendees enjoyed a raffle, box lunches with Spanish empanadas, listened to featured speaker Mike Cox, and watched re-enactments of characters from the area’s history.

“I’m Elizabeth Randal,” said NAQCPA member Shari Sullivan, dressed in late 1800s garb. “In 1877, my father Almaden mine manager [1870-1892] J. B. Randol sunk a new shaft. He chose to use the Spanish version of Elizabeth, which is Isabel. This shaft was a good producer and reached the depth of 2,300 feet. In 1894, carbon dioxide gas [dry ice] was discovered in the Santa Isabel. I am so proud that my father named this money-making shaft after me!”

Visitors of the new interpretive Santa Isabel Shaft plaque enjoy a million-dollar view. Photo by Ron Horii

One by one, 10 NAQCPA members brought history to life with introductions by Virginia Hammerness. Jeanne Carevic, dressed as an Ohlone Indian, shared the Native American life before the 1840s. Mike Boulland, as Mexican Army Officer Don Jose Reyes Berryessa, told stories of owning Rancho San Vicente in 1842. Dutch Mapes told tales of Capt. Andres Castillero’s discovery of the red rock hills of Almaden in 1845.

A dapper Bob Meyer explored the area’s history during the reign of mine manager Capt. Henry Halleck [1852-1859]. Methodist preacher Vance Pranger preached against sin. New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum park interpreter John Slenter shared adventures of a hard rock miner. Monahan continued the history of the area from 1976 until today with the acquisition of the mining area by Santa Clara County Parks.

“The first Pioneer Day we held was at the parking lot of the old museum on Almaden Road before we moved it to Casa Grande,” said Slenter. “There was a good turn out. Connie Perham was there and told about all the old artifacts she had saved and collected. Parks had bought them that same year [1976].”

NAQCPA member Jeanne Carevic enacts the life of the Ohlone Indians who called the area home long before the quicksilver mining days. Photo by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

The food was eaten, history shared and new memories made for the NAQCPA members on the 25th annual Pioneer Day, but they weren’t quite done yet. In the middle afternoon, a couple of vans drove the two-and-a-half miles to the new interpretive plaque at the Santa Isabel Shaft. The winding road was still damp from the rain the day before but these modern-day pioneers were undeterred.

“Mike Cox told us about all the old equipment that is still up there,” said Monahan. “A couple of people even hiked up to the dedication. And the views were beautiful. It was a great day.”

Santa Isabel Shaft was a rich producer
The Santa Isabel Shaft was constructed in 1877 from a point 1,300 feet west of the Randol Shaft. Mine Manager J.B. Randol had favored the name Centennial for the new shaft after the Philadelphia World’s Fair, but by popular acclaim from the Hill’s population it was named after his first daughter, Elizabeth, who at only 5 years old had won a warm spot in many hearts.

Randol was secretly elated and named the shaft Santa Isabel [Spanish for Elizabeth] out of respect for the Mexican miners and their families. It was timely to start the Santa Isabel because the Randol shaft was at capacity and could not handle another bonanza of solid cinnabar.

The new interpretive Santa Isabel Shaft plaque is one of many throughout the Almaden Quicksilver County Park educating hikers, bikers, and equestrians of the history of the area. Photo by Ron Horii

Capt. James Harry was promoted to shift boss in 1876. In 1877, he was in total charge of sinking the Santa Isabel Shaft to the 2,000-foot level. The Santa Isabel Shaft had three compartments--one for ore, the second for the miners and the third for the large water pumps and the staircase. Connected by tunnel to the Randol Shaft, it also drained water out of its workings.

In 1886, the Buena Vista shaft was sunk to the 2,300-foot level and connected to the Santa Isabel Shaft to assist in draining the constant river of water from the interconnected tunnels. In 1883, the company shipped 1,018 tons of ore from the Santa Isabel shaft to the mine works.

In 1894, Pfeffer and Meyer discovered a method to liquefy carbonic acid gas. They offered to pay the Quicksilver Mining Company 10 cents a cylinder to pursue this business. Pfeffer and Meyer took over the deserted Santa Isabel shaft and with this gas started the U.S. dry ice industry.