2012 Bridgeport Spring Festival and 
150th Anniversary of the Covered Bridge
Herb Lindberg
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, April 27- 30, 2012
Part 2 of 4

 

"It takes all of you to make the Spring Festival a huge success! I am very grateful for your participation and enthusiasm. Please let me know if you have any ideas or ways to improve for next year. Looking forward to your feedback and seeing you at the Fall Festival."
Janine Martin  --  Festival Coordinator

This was a very special weekend, so the Park Association, volunteers, and the California Park staff made it into a three-day event.  On the first day, 300 local elementary school children were given special tours of the river, spring flowers, the bridge, the barn, and panning for gold. This large group was broken into 150 lower-grade children followed later in the day by 150 children in the upper grades.  Each group sang a song of appreciation and love of the river before boarding buses back to their schools.  Activities on the second and third days are summarized briefly below.

     Page 1 Day 1, Friday, April 27, 2012.  Elementary school children tour the park and sing a song of praise to the river. 
     Page 2 Day 2, Saturday, April 28, 2012. This was a day of thanks to the many who worked so hard to take SYRSP off the State Parks Department closure list, and celebration of families who lived in what is now Bridgeport, from the Nisenan through the gold rush and on to farming and the Kneebone gas station. A one-act play dramatizing Bridgeport family history was staged this day and repeated twice more on Spring Festival Sunday. (this page)
     Page 3 Day 3, Sunday, April 29, 2012, the public is invited for all activities at Spring Festival and two showings of the play, Voices From Bridgeport Past.
Page 4 Day 3, continued. Play audience, John Hart, Mark Lyon, Janine Martin sound effects, table 1919 Ford pickup truck, dam flow-back, plant a flower, paper flowers, picnic in shade, eat a brownie 


Note: Still pictures on this day were taken by Steve Pauly because I was busy taking videos of Ranger Don Schmidt's 150th Anniversary speech and the Charles Atthill, Marion Jeffery, Mark Lyon play, both of which are embedded as YouTube videos on this page.

 

1919 Ford owned and driven by Grover Cleveland (the guy in the hat, not the President)


Supervising Ranger Don Schmidt gives thanks to all who worked to get the park off the closure list, 
and recognition to families who lived in what is now the Bridgeport section of South Yuba River State Park.


It was a large crowd, and would be larger on Sunday.


Sierra District Superintendent Marilyn Linkem, responsible for parks stretching from Mono Lake to Bridgeport.


Our very own President Dave Anderson waits in the wings (next to Don) to speak about the South Yuba River Park Association


SYRCL (South Yuba River Citizen's League) President Calib Dardick


Nevada County Supervisor Terry Lamphier, about to give an award to the park.


Terry reads the essence of the award to Don Schmidt.


The award


Don thanks Robert Bergman of the Nevada City Council for his part in mobilizing the 
presentations in the State Capitol which were crucial in taking SYRSP off the closure list.
The patch signifies he's now an honorary Junior Ranger at the park!

Click in the box below to see the 37-minute video of Don Schmidt's talk.


Marion Jeffery during the introductory part of Voices From Bridgeport Past


David I. Wood (Charles Atthill) explains why he bought the bridge at Point Defiance in 1850 -- to make money!


Victoria Cole Kneebone (Marion Jeffery) shortly after marrying teamster Andrew Kneebone


Victoria tells us Andrew Kneebone is the handsomest man alive.
Andrew tips his hat and says, "You're not so bad either, Victoria Cole Kneebone,"


Andrew explains his "black snake, much bleached by the sun."


Click below to view the entire 32-minute play as a YouTube video



Recently preserved Kneebone gas station with two cars of the era


Closer view


Lake Wildwood barbershop quartet entertains near the Visitor Center


Representatives of the Nisenan Tribe


After great tri-tip, chicken, and sausage with wine, we cut and ate two celebration cakes.


     Page 1 Day 1, Friday, April 27, 2012.  Elementary school children tour the park and sing a song of praise to the river. 
     Page 2 Day 2, Saturday, April 28, 2012. This was a day of thanks to the many who worked so hard to take SYRSP off the State Parks Department closure list, and celebration of families who lived in what is now Bridgeport, from the Nisenan through the gold rush and on to farming and the Kneebone gas station. A one-act play dramatizing Bridgeport family history was staged this day and repeated twice more on Spring Festival Sunday. (this page)
     Page 3 Day 3, Sunday, April 29, 2012, the public is invited for all activities at Spring Festival and two showings of the play, Voices From Bridgeport Past.
Page 4 Day 3, continued. Play audience, John Hart, Mark Lyon, Janine Martin sound effects, table 1919 Ford pickup truck, dam flow-back, plant a flower, paper flowers, picnic in shade, eat a brownie 

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