Ghosts of Bridgeport and Historic-Barn Opening
Herb Lindberg

Sunday, October 29, 2006
Part 1 of 2

This was a great day at the park.  The docents and park rangers put on the annual Ghosts of Bridgeport pageant and, with the Penn Valley Area Chamber of Commerce, also celebrated the opening of the Historic Barn as a museum of Gold Rush Era transportation.  The day was warm and beautiful and we had the largest attendance ever for a park event. We give heartfelt thanks to the many volunteers and associations who made the barn opening dream into a reality.  A complete schedule of events and wagon layout in the barn is at Barn_opening.pdf. The Barn Stormin' Committee Don Denton, Chairman Diane Marten, President, SYRPA Clint Gunderson, Vice-President, SYRPA George Tilley, Treasurer, SYRPA Jean Wilson, Secretary, SYRPA . Coordinators: Community Outreach: Judy Nichols and Howard Voshell Construction: Bill Haselhorst, Bert Hall and Tom Hall Grants and Institutional Donations: Betty McCown and Dennis Monax Historical Resource Advisor: Chuck Scimeca Publicity: Cheryl Madrid Interpretive Panels: Dick Alexander,  Barbara Brueckner,  Dave Macdonald,       Steve Pauly and Chuck Scimeca California State Park Liaisons Ron Munson, Superintendent, Sierra Gold Sector Donna Rea Jones, Regional Interpretive Specialist, Cultural Resource Division Bill Lindemann, Interpretive Specialist, Sierra District Judith Polanich, Museum Curator II, Sierra District Steve Moses, Chief of State Parks Maintenance South Yuba River State Park Staff Jeremy McReynolds, Supervising Ranger Jeremy Alling, Park Ranger Wayne Deese, Park Ranger Mike Smittle, Park Ranger Kahn, K9 Park Ranger Mike Martinez, Park Maintenance Assistant We also give thanks to the many volunteers who put on this wonderful two-for-one day of activities, and in particular their leaders: Celebration Coordinators: Event Chairmen: Donna Brown and Diane Marten Decorations and Set-up Chairmen:Tuffy Haselhorst and Vicky Macdonald Resource Chairmen: Doug Leach and Barry Connick

Volunteers prepare for the day in the Visitor Center as early arrivers enjoy the exhibits.

Jeanne Powell and Carolie Brenan as two Ghosts of Bridgeport near the gold panning trough.

Music by Ragged But Right started right on time at 11:00 a.m.

Our resident Nisenan Judy Nichols joins in as rhythm before getting into her Nisenan Native American role.

Costumed young visitors were in the "ghosts" spirit.

This guy was really scary as Count Dracula, ...

... while this girl was exceptionally pretty.

Roberta Canier (far left) had to stand on a platform to explain the day's activities to the huge crowd.

Same scene, pan to the right to show more crowd and activities.

Judy Nichols, too, had to shout her Nisenan activities to her enraptured audience.

Delicious hot dogs and polish sausage were a big hit, as usual.

Two artists deeply involved in pumpkin painting.

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