Title: Three Years in California
First published: 1857
Description: Edinburgh-born artist John David Borthwick (1825-c.1900) left New York for California in 1851, crossing the Isthmus at Chagres. In 1860, Borthwick returned to Britain, where his paintings were exhibited in several galleries including the Royal Academy. Three years in California (1857) focuses on his experiences mining gold and quartz at Hangtown, Foster's Bar, Downieville, Mississippi Bar, Jacksonville, and Carson's Hill. He devotes much attention to social life in the camps as well as mining techniques, describing crime, the Chinese and French and other ethnic groups, and holidays and public entertainments. Borthwick illustrated the book with eight of his own lithographs which are considered the most realistic of the period for California.
Subjects: exploring, gold mining, gold rush, mining, Zamorano 80, Gold discoveries, Social life and customs, Law, Frontier and pioneer life, Ethnic groups
Places: California, New York
Time periods: 1851-1854