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UID:Indybay-18853016
SEQUENCE:19016156
CREATED:20221116T170800Z
DESCRIPTION:1848 Negro Hill, Mormon Island and Negro Bar Gold Mining 
 District\nCalifornia State Parks - Historic Folsom District - Lake Natoma 
 \nWilliam Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. Interpretive Center\n\nHistoric 
 Leidesdorff Plaza was dedicated in 1966 and once was the most historic 
 Plaza in the Western United States of America as a fitting lasting tribute 
 to Honorable William Alexander Leidesdorff. Jr.  Old Leidesdorff Plaza made 
 way for a Federal Transportation Project parking structure as part of 
 Historic Folsom District development.\n\nLeidesdorff Plaza was named in 
 memory of William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr., a prominent civic leader and 
 California Pioneer of African Descent in the successful quest for 
 California to become the 31st state in the United States. \n\nHe was 
 elected Treasurer of the City of San Francisco, owned the largest home in 
 the city, constructed the first San Francisco City Hotel, built the first 
 commercial shipping warehouse, and donated the land to build the first 
 public school in California while serving as President of the San Francisco 
 School Board.\n\nBorn in St. Croix, Virgin Islands in 1810 to Anna Marie 
 Sparks, an African Cuban woman, and William Leidesdorff, Sr., a citizen of 
 Denmark of Jewish ancestry.\n\nIn 1834, Leidesdorff Jr. was naturalized a 
 U.S. Citizen in New Orleans, Louisiana and forced to leave his lucrative 
 maritime ship captain contracts because of the Negro Seamen Acts in second 
 busiest port in the United States and fourth busiest in the world.\n\nIn 
 1840, Leidesdorff travels to New York, NY and makes final trips into the 
 Gulf of Mexico, Cuba, Honduras, Virgin Islands Brazil, Argentina, Chile and 
 relocates to the "Golden Gate" of the Pacific Rim.\n\nIn 1841, Leidesdorff 
 sailed the first United States shipping vessel, the Julia Ann, into the 
 sleepy Mexican fishing village of Yerba Buena, modern day San Francisco, to 
 establish a world maritime center.\n\nIn 1843, he was naturalized as a 
 Mexican citizen in order to facilitate acquiring a vast land grant from the 
 Mexican authorities in the Sacramento Valley, and was an early advocate of 
 creating dual United States citizenship.\n\nIn 1844, William Alexander 
 Leidesdorff, Jr. obtained title to Rancho Rio de Los Americanos, well over 
 35,000 acres of prime real estate along the south bank of the American 
 River. His global trade and commerce projects financed, developed, and 
 helped stabilize the Sacramento Valley.\n\nIn 1845, he accepted the 
 position of United States Vice-Consul to the Mexican Alta California 
 region; as such, he was the first African-American diplomat in history, and 
 was affectionately known as the "African Founding Father of 
 California."\n\nIn 1846, he was an active leader in the Bear Flag Revolt 
 during the Mexican-American War. He went on to captain the first and only 
 steam ship in California prior to the Gold Rush of 1848, the Sitka. His 
 maiden steam voyage up the Sacramento River is immortalized on the 
 California State Seal and recognizes his vision for increased maritime 
 transportation of California's agricultural products to world 
 markets.\n\nIn 1848, prior to his untimely death from brain fever, he 
 received official notification of vast quantities of gold on his immense 
 cattle and wheat ranch along today's Route 50 corridor. The 1848 Gold 
 Mining District of Negro Hill, Mormon Island and Negro Bar showcases the 
 vast wealth of the region.  Leidesdorff, Jr. is buried near the entrance of 
 the Roman Catholic Church, Old San Francisco Mission Delores, oldest 
 surviving structure in San Francisco, CA.\n\nToday, the golden legacy of 
 Honorable William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. is the namesake of the long 
 planned Interpretive Center adjacent to the Historic Mining Town of Negro 
 Bar, Sacramento County, California. \n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2022/11/16/18853016.php
SUMMARY:1848 Historic Gold Mining District of Negro Hill, Mormon Island and Negro Bar comes alive
LOCATION:Historic Negro Bar State Park ( Black Miners Bar) \nFolsom, California 
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2022/11/16/18853016.php
DTSTART:20221202T193000Z
DTEND:20221202T233000Z
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