GRASS VALLEY HISTORY
With a strong sense of history and a clear view toward the future, Grass Valley is the bustling economic center of western Nevada County, a place where the values and traditions of yesterday blend with the social and economic needs of today. Grass Valley’s claim to fame is embedded in the vast amounts of gold discovered and extracted from its rich underground mines. In more than 100 years of mining, the mines of Grass Valley made it the richest of all California gold mining towns.
The Empire, Northstar, Pennsylvania, Idaho-Maryland and Brunswick mines became known around the world, attracting hard-working miners and would-be millionaires. The lure of gold brought others, such as the sultry 19th Century entertainer Lola Montez, who lived here for a time and reportedly kept a pet bear in her yard. Visitors can see a rebuilt version of the Lola Montez house at 248 Mill St. in Grass Valley. The building is now home to the Grass Valley/Nevada County Chamber of Commerce and an official visitor center for Grass Valley.
Other points of interest in historic downtown Grass Valley include the Holbrooke Hotel, built in 1851. The Holbrooke has welcomed travelers ever since, including four U.S. presidents who have stayed here. Inside the hotel is the Golden Gate Saloon with a historic bar that sailed ‘round the horn. Grass Valley once had a Chinatown second in size only to San Francisco’s. In the 1870’s, there were more than 1,000 Chinese living in this quarter, located in the Bank Street-freeway area. Chinese labor placed a large role in the development of California’s mines, levees and railroads. On Church Street, a 10-minute walk from the downtown historic district is Mount Saint Mary’s, an early convent and orphanage that still operates as a private Catholic school and St. Joseph’s Hall, the historic venue for many musical and theatrical performances. Shopping for day-to-day needs, furnishings, clothing and gift items brings visitors to downtown Grass Valley and to surrounding Glenbrook Basin and Pine Creek shopping centers. Grass Valley merchants are known for their friendly attitudes and attention to good service. Popular community events in Grass Valley include the Good Ole’ Days Car Show in late April, the Sierra Festival of the Arts each Memorial Day weekend, the Nevada County Fair in August, Draft Horse Classic and Harvest Fair in September and the Cornish Christmas Street Fair on Friday evenings between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Many other musical, food and wine events are featured throughout the year. The Grass Valley lifestyle continues to attract new residents and business people who want to live and work in a beautiful community away from the stresses of big city life.
Kwa maana ya historia na mtazamo wa wazi kuelekea siku zijazo, Grass Valley ni kituo cha kiuchumi cha magharibi mwa Kaunti ya Nevada, mahali ambapo maadili na desturi za jana huchanganyika na mahitaji ya kijamii na kiuchumi ya leo. Jina la Grass Valley linatokana na kiasi kikubwa cha dhahabu kilichogunduliwa na kuchimbwa katika migodi yake tajiri ya chini ya ardhi. Katika miaka zaidi ya 100 ya uchimbaji madini, migodi ya Grass Valley ilifanya kuwa mji tajiri zaidi wa madini ya dhahabu ya California. Migodi ya Empire, Northstar, Pennsylvania, Idaho-Maryland na Brunswick ilijulikana ulimwenguni pote, ikivutia wachimbaji wa madini waliofanya kazi kwa bidii na wanaotaka kuwa mamilionea. "Mambo ya dhahabu yalimvutia mtu mwingine, kama vile Lola Montez, mcheshi wa karne ya 19, ambaye aliishi hapa kwa muda fulani na aliripotiwa kuwa na dubu wa kufugwa katika bustani yake.""" Nyumba ya Lola Montez, 248 Mill Street, Grass Valley Jengo sasa ni nyumbani kwa Grass Valley / Nevada County Chumba cha Biashara na kituo rasmi cha wageni kwa Grass Valley. Sehemu nyingine ya kihistoria ya mji wa Grass Valley ni hoteli ya Holbrook, iliyojengwa mwaka wa 1851. Nyumba ya Holbrook imekuwa ikikaribisha wasafiri tangu wakati huo, kutia ndani marais wanne wa Marekani ambao wamekaa hapa. Ndani ya hoteli ni Golden Gate Saloon na bar ya kihistoria ambayo meli'mzunguko pembe. Wakati mmoja Grass Valley ilikuwa na Chinatown ya pili kwa ukubwa baada ya San Francisco. Katika miaka ya 1870, kulikuwa na zaidi ya Wachina 1,000 wanaoishi katika kitongoji hiki, kilichoko katika eneo la barabara kuu ya Bank Street. Wafanyakazi Wachina walifanya kazi kubwa katika maendeleo ya migodi ya California, mabwawa na reli. Kwenye Church Street, dakika 10 kutembea kutoka wilaya ya kihistoria ya downtown ni Mount Saint Mary, convent mapema na orphanage ambayo bado inafanya kazi kama shule binafsi Katoliki na St. Joseph Hall, mahali kihistoria kwa ajili ya maonyesho mengi ya muziki na ukumbi wa michezo. Ununuzi wa mahitaji ya kila siku, fanicha, nguo na zawadi huleta wageni katikati ya mji wa Grass Valley na karibu na Glenbrook Basin na Pine Creek vituo vya ununuzi. Wafanyabiashara wa Grass Valley wanajulikana kwa mtazamo wao wa kirafiki na uangalifu kwa huduma nzuri. Matukio maarufu ya jamii katika Grass Valley ni pamoja na Good Ole Days Car Show mwishoni mwa Aprili, Sierra Festival of the Arts kila wiki ya Siku ya Ukumbusho, Nevada County Fair mnamo Agosti, Draft Horse Classic na Harvest Fair mnamo Septemba na Cornish Christmas Street Fair siku ya Ijumaa jioni kati ya Shukrani na Krismasi. Matukio mengine mengi ya muziki, chakula na divai hufanywa mwaka mzima. Mtaa wa Grass Valley unaendelea kuvutia wakazi wapya na wafanyabiashara ambao wanataka kuishi na kufanya kazi katika jamii nzuri mbali na mkazo wa maisha ya jiji kubwa.