Back to BBN HomepageAshley
Joanna
James
Whitney
Lara
Jordan
Melissa
Stephanie
3rd Grade Social Studies Group
1994
DEDICATION
We would like to dedicate this book
to Earl Watson who worked so hard
helping us on our whole project.
THANK YOU
INTRODUCTION
The stories in this book are true and are written with young readers in mind. The history covers a time span from before 1848 to 1904. We used the Grandmother, Irene and Jim to tell the story of how it was a long time ago in our special valley called Fieldbrook. We hope you enjoy our work.
Introduction Page
Chapter 3 - The Settlement-4 Chapter 4 - The Logging-5 Chapter 5 - The Prize-6 Bibliography-7 About the Authors-8
CHAPTER ONE Long Ago
Once upon a time there was a girl named Irene and a boy named Jim. They were going to see their grandma in Fieldbrook. Irene and Jim were doing a history project and went to ask their grandma for help because she knew a lot about Fieldbrook.
Irene said, "Grandma, we came to ask if you could help us learn about Fieldbrook. It's our history project."
"Come on in. I will help you," said Grandma. "Would you like some milk and fresh cookies while we talk about Fieldbrook?"
"Yes, please," said Irene and Jim.
It was such a nice day they all went outside and sat down at the picnic table.
Grandma began.
"Once a long time ago Fieldbrook was a valley filled with wildlife like birds, bears, elk and deer. There were also streams and brooks filled with fish. Fieldbrook had lots of fields and a big hill called a pinnacle. The valley was filled with huge redwood trees." "Grandma, it's getting dark. We should go home now. See you tomorrow," said Jim. "Goodbye," they said.
CHAPTER 2
The next day it was raining so Irene and Jim called their grandma and asked if she would pick them up from school.
Grandma said, "I'll be there as soon as I can."
Grandma arrived at school and took them to her house.
"Would you like to sit by the fire while we talk? Then I'll tell you about the Indians." "That's a great idea," they said.
So they sat down and the story began again.
"Over a hundred years ago the Indians were the first people to discover the valley. They came to hunt down animals and to fish.
The Indians used the pinnacle for a lookout and camped at the bottom and that's where they slept."
The Settlement
Grandma asked, "Children, would you like to hear about the settlers?"
Irene said, "Sure Grandma, that sounds good. Is that alright with you Jim?"
"Yes, that's great!" he said.
"This is how it all started," said Grandma. "At first there were only trees and animals and then the Indians came. Then the settlers came. The first one was a man named Mr. Buckman. He liked it here and built a little house and planted cherry trees around it. Then Fieldbrook was called Buckman's Prairie because Mr. Buckman was the first white man to live here. And later he was killed by the Indians."
"Grandma, we should go on to something new because we only have a little more time to work on our project," they said.
Logging
"We only have a few more things to talk about," said Grandma. "Lets talk about the logging." "When miners came to California because of the big gold rush, they needed wood to build their towns and to use in the mines. Fieldbrook had huge trees so loggers came to cut them down for lumber."
"Because there were no roads into the valley, loggers built train tracks and used trains to go from the camps to their work in the woods and to move the cut trees to the mills." "When the town got more people, a man named B.F. Durphy came and changed its name. He said the valley looked like a big field with a lot of brooks in it. So he called it Fieldbrook." "Fieldbrook was once the second largest town in Humboldt County. It had 2 churches, 5 saloons, 2 barber shops, a post office, 2 hotels, a blacksmith shop and a brick yard." Grandma asked, "Did you know the old church across from your school used to be my school?" "Oh, Grandma, we didn't know that," said Irene and Jim.
"Then some years later they built your school," said Grandma.
The Prize
After a long night Jim and Irene finished their history project and went home. The next day they went to school so excited, hoping to win at least third place. But when they got there they looked at the history projects and saw they had won 1st prize.
The End BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mary Bobillot. Personal interview. Fieldbrook, Ca., 1994.
Cathy Brauning. Personal interview. Fieldbrook, Ca., 1994.
Hazel Cargill. The Fieldbrook Story. Humboldt Historian, Eureka, Ca., XIX, No. 2, March/April, 1976.
Robert "Pete" Cargill. Personal Interview. Fieldbrook, Ca., 1994.
Laura Hughes. Fieldbrook History. Published by Fieldbrook School, Fieldbrook, Ca., 1986-1987.
Dennis Turner. Place Names of Humboldt County California. Eureka, Ca., Eureka Printing, 1993.
U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Geological Survey: Arcata North Quadrangle. Reston, Va., Dept. of Interior, 1988.
Dora Watson. Personal interview. Fieldbrook, Ca., 1994.
JOANNA gave us great ideas, fine words and illustrations which helped to make this book what it is. Her help with the dedication was invaluable.
LARA helped with many ideas and creative pictures. Her use of the computer was a nice addition. She also shared an artifact that was very interesting. She helped with the labels for the photos and worked on several of the maps.
JAMES helped with ideas as well as the wonderful drawing of the trestle which adds to the completeness of our history.
JORDAN gave us important words and great drawings especially the one of the old Fieldbrook School. He also put together our photos and helped to label them.
ASHLEY was kind to let us use her book on early trains and to share a picture of her great-great grandfather, Alex Cristie. Her ideas for our story were very helpful. She also added fine drawings to our collection and helped to label the old photos.
WHITNEY helped Òbrainstorm.Ó She was one of our ÒideaÓ people adding many good sentences to our text. Along with this, she was one of our map makers and helped to choose the old photos used in this book. She also contributed the design of this cover along with Stephanie Yerkins.
MELISSA contributed many ideas, drawings, maps and also helped to choose the old photos for our story. She provided the information for our Bibliography. She contributed clarity to our story.
STEPHANIE helped ÒbrainstormÓ ideas and illustrated many fine pictures of the old days in Fieldbrook. She along with Whitney Patrick designed the cover of the book. She aided in sentence structure and the final proof reading of the text.
Thanks to all these fine students for their wonderful ideas, interest and endurance. They deserve much appreciation for their dedication to this project.
Carol Millar, Aide
© Joyce Farruggia and the Blackberry Bramble Network
Permission to use for non-profit purposes only.
Last Updated 12-23-95