WHEATLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY NEWS

Monument for Historic Graham Hotel

The Wheatland Historic Society plans to build a Monument at the site of the Graham
Hotel, a hotel used by early pioneers and travelers in this area. The site is located
.3 miles from the North entrance to Camp Far West Lake. There is currently a marker
for the Emigrant Trail near by. During January and February the old trail can
be seen to the East up the hill from the Trail Marker and proposed site for the
monument.

At the site are rocks placed at right angles (right angles are not found in nature)
that served as the foundation stones for the old hotel. The location is marked
on the 1861 Official map of Yuba County and is described in Thompson and West’s
1879 History of Yuba County where it states “Graham’s Hotel--This place was a
few miles back of Wire Bridge, on the stage route from Sacramento to Nevada City
by the way of Johnson’s Crossing and the Round Tent. A man named Graham built a
hotel here, in 1853, and a store was built soon after. The old deserted hotel can
still be seen here.” It is also included in W.T.. Ellis’ book MEMORIES, My seventy-two
years in the ROMANTIC COUNTY of YUBA in his list of Hotels of Yuba County.

The monument is proposed to be three feet tall and two feet square on a concrete
pad. There will be a plaque on the top saying “Foundation stones of Graham’s Hotel,
built in 1853 on the stage route from Sacramento to Nevada City by way of Johnson’s
Crossing and the Round Tent. Built, owned and operated by W. Graham”. There will
also be a short fence surrounding the site.

We have been given permission to construct the monument by the South Sutter Water
District Board. The next step is funding. Donations for this project will be very
much appreciated. We are a nonprofit organization and donations are deductible.
Checks can be made out to Wheatland Historical Society and sent to Sandra Gilbert,

We are planning to sell a Pictorial History Book of Wheatland, (we need your old
photographs) as a fundraising project. The contract has been signed and work has
begun on it. Several other fundraisers include reprinting the 1874-1974 History
of Wheatland, published by the original Wheatland Historical Society, selling DVD’s
of old movies that show the Pet Parades and Rodeos and Agricultural practices in
this area during the late 40’s and early 50’s, and possibly a calendar. We will
be giving tours and lectures and will be assisting the Guild at the Memorial Day
Luncheon. We are excited about our planned activities for the coming year. We meet
once a month at Donner Trails Manor. Memberships are welcomed.

Jane Paskowitz, Graham Hotel Project