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Historic Treasure - Old Town Auburn

By
Real Estate Agent

Old Town Auburn by Myrl Jeffcoat
(slide show contains 10 images)

Since last Wednesday, I have suffered a blinding headache, which has me existing between doses of Excederine, making life somewhat bearable. 

This morning I actually emailed my doctor asking if there was a virus going around causing severe headaches, and a stiff neck and shoulders - or is it just a brain tumor? 

I didn't mention a possible third cause - that I had purchased one of Marc Anthony's albums, with the song, "I Need to Know".  I had been repeatedly played the song, while jumping around wildly in my living room trying to burn off calories.  It is VERY possible I just may be suffering from whip-lash:-) 

I haven't heard back from my doctor.  I suspect she may be hunkered down at the Sacramento Jazz Festival in Old Sacramento!

Although I am a swimmer, and it's a glorious 81 degrees in Sacramento today, I chose to stay out of the water until my head feels better.  But, I didn't want to really do crowds this Memorial Day weekend either.

So, I popped a couple more Excederine, grabbed the camera, jumped in the car, and headed east on highway 80.
 
The slide show above is of California Gold Rush era Old Town Auburn - approximately 30 miles from Sacramento. 

Here's the thing about Auburn, the John Travolta movie, "Phenomenon" was filmed there in 1996.   But as one of California's special Gold Rush towns it is so much more than that. 

In one of the photos, you'll note a couple of elderly guys sitting on a bench in front of the old post office.  I sat and talked with them awhile.  The fellow with the longer beard, on the left, was especially interesting and talkative.  He had come to Auburn in 1942 as an eight or nine year old boy.  He told of doing a little prospecting for gold, and his dad having given him $20.00 - a lot of money for a lad in 1942 dollars.  He continued, that gold back then was going for a mere $19.00 an ounce - a far cry from the $1,200+ it runs today!  When I asked if it was OK to take their photo, he reminded me that I needed to remove my lens cover before I snapped the shot.

While taking a photo of the magnificent Court House, a friendly postman (still doing Saturday deliveries), told me where to stand to get the best shot.  It turns out he is a serious shutterbug.

After leaving Auburn, I continued east on highway 80 to take Memorial Day weekend snow pictures - a rare event that has some ski resorts opening for the holiday, just to show they can!  I'll post the snow pictures in a future blog - a few days from now!

Posted by

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Comments(22)

Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Andrea - I rarely get them that last this long; but when I do they wreck my perfect days:-)

Ann - I must say that I didn't want to leave those old gents!  I could have listened to their stories all day!  It struck me that we need to not only preserve our older historic buildings, but we need to record the stories of those who have lived in historic times!

May 29, 2010 02:00 PM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

A great looking California town there Myrl, and hope the headache goes away...

May 29, 2010 02:07 PM
Al & Peggy Cunningham, Brokers
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage - Brampton, ON
Our Family Wants To Help Your Family!

What a great post Myrl, but first we hope you are finally feeling better. Thank you so much for the smiles (at your expense unfortunately.........JUST a brain tumour?) Anyway we were thinking what a quaint town and how patriot with the banners, but your description was so much more......enjoy your weekend!

May 29, 2010 02:16 PM
Martha Brown
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., Annapolis MD 21403 - Annapolis, MD
Your Homes Around Annapolis Agent

Myrl- Love the photos as always and expecially the bearded guys. Something mgical about that photo like there must be a million stories wrapped inside of it.

Hope the headache leaves soon. They are not fun especially when they last that long

May 29, 2010 02:39 PM
Richard Iarossi
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Crofton, MD
Crofton MD Real Estate, Annapolis MD Real Estate

Myrl,

I do hope you're feeling better. BTW, it didn't affect your wonderful photo taking capabilities.

Rich

May 29, 2010 02:41 PM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro

Myrl, I hope you are feeling better also.  It was the picture of the old guys that really struck me.  They looked like they had been there a VERY long time!

May 29, 2010 02:56 PM
1~Judi Barrett
Integrity Real Estate Services 116 SE AVE N, Idabel, OK 74745 - Idabel, OK
BS Ed, Integrity Real Estate Services -IDABEL OK

Hi Myrl, Do you have migraines?  your headache sounds terrible.  Stubborn headaches are the pits!  Love the photos, makes me want ot visit the town.  Thanks for tkaing the time to share.

May 29, 2010 02:57 PM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Gary - Thank you!  It has been 6 hours since my last dose of Excederine, and I'm still in manageable pain mode. . .So that is a good thing!

Al and Peggy - A brain tumor is how it feels. . .LOL

Martha - I could have sat with those guys all day - no problem!

Richard - Thank you Kind Sir!

Marchel - The guy on the left had been in that town since 1942.  He was 8 or 9 years old when he moved there.  So that would make him about 77 or 78 years old!  He also told me that he walks all around that town.  I congratulated him, and told him I was sure it was what kept him so young:-)

Judi - I had migraines as a kid, but hadn't in recent years.  I'm glad you liked the photos!

May 29, 2010 03:06 PM
John Mayer
Oikos Realty, Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach Florida - Cocoa Beach, FL
Your Beach Area Expert

Hi Myrl - I love old historic towns like that and those photos are great! You can always find a friendly talkative local when you need one it seems. I hope you're feeling better soon.

May 29, 2010 03:34 PM
Jim Hale
ACTIONAGENTS.NET - Eugene, OR
Eugene Oregon's Best Home Search Website

What a great place!  It's old.  But not old enough to really look like the Gold Rush days.

May 29, 2010 07:48 PM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

John - You're absolutely right!  In my travels I have found that so true about friendly locals.

Jim - I suspect some of those buildings probably date a little later, like the early 1900s.  However, at least a few of those buildings had dates of the 1860s on them!  There is a plaque that states it was founded in 1848.  Given that it is only 20 miles from the gold rush site in Coloma, that seems accurate.

May 30, 2010 02:57 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

I'm sorry you're not feeling well, Myrl. I hope it's nothing serious.

So who are those 2 old geezers? Are they real people who just happened to sit down on the bench or are they part of a staged production?

May 30, 2010 03:59 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Elizabeth - They have been in that town forever!  The guy on the left has been there since 1942.  He's the one that told me about prospecting for gold when he was a boy, and his dad giving him $20.00 in 1942 dollars.  He knew that gold then was $19.00 an ounce, and today it is over $1,200.  He also knew that I needed to take the lens cover off my camera before snapping the shot!

May 30, 2010 04:45 AM
Glenda Cherry
Keller Williams Realty - Herndon, VA
Realtor / Photographer

LOL, Myrl!  You crack me up!  I hope you feel better soon ... gorgeous photos, by the way!

May 30, 2010 05:33 AM
Mary Douglas
United Country Ponderosa Realty, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado - Red Feather Lakes, CO
REALTOR, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado

Hi Myrl, I loved the photos of Auburn and also enjoyed the movie Phenomenon.  I was wondering if you were flirting with those 2 gentlemen when I first saw their photo?!  I do hope your headache has subsided and that you don't have a brain tumor, Myrl!

May 30, 2010 06:25 AM
William Johnson
Retired - La Jolla, CA
Retired

Hi Myrl, I was there with you ( through your words) and especially when he reminded you to take off the lens cap. You have seen these LOL letters before. But seriously ,I really did laugh out loud.  There is something wonderful in that outburst!  wonderful post and the photos are just terrific. " So I just jumped in the car .... " , your words always capture my imagination.

May 30, 2010 07:58 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Glenda - Today was a tad better!  I'm dropping the dosage by one pill:-)

Mary - "Phenomenon" is one of my favorite all time movies.  I loved those old guys on the bench, and could have sat with them all day.  You're right, I really was flirting with them. . .LOL

William - Thank you for your kind words!  I'm glad I can sometimes make you smile or laugh out loud.  It does seem with the going gets tough - the tough take a drive with a camera. . .LOL

May 30, 2010 08:11 AM
Debbie Walsh
SHAHAR Management - Middletown, NY
Hudson Valley NY Real Estate 845.283-3036

Myrl I think this is the hardest you have ever made me laugh!  The pictures are terrific but I can sympathize with the headache.  I have had a terrible headache for the past week (I have migraines) and this humidity is not helping.  I hope you are feeling better and continue to jump around the house (without whiplash) to Mark Anthony.  LOL

Jun 01, 2010 04:08 PM
Lori Cofer
Beasley Realty - Moscow, ID
REALTOR, Moscow Idaho Real Estate

Mryl,

 

Thanks for the slideshow of this wonderful historic town!!!  Pretty cool!!!

 

Lori Cofer

Jun 03, 2010 02:22 PM
Fred Carver Real Estate Consulant
Retired BC Realtor - Victoria, BC
Accredited Real Estate Consultant

Hi Myrl...I can't believe I missed this post. You are such a great writer and photographer, I'm certainly a fan.

I Hope you Head ache went away in 2010...ha. Dropped in from your June 2010 Post to say hi

Cheers, love your history around where you live.

Jun 12, 2012 12:41 AM