Funding State’s 150th Celebration

Re “Stop Bickering and Let’s Party,” editorial, May 13: You’re right. California deserves a lively, nonpartisan birthday commemoration during the coming year! And we at the California Council for the Humanities have been doing our part to bring some excitement and substance to that commemoration. For almost a year we’ve been telling the untold stories of the California Gold Rush and the events that led to the founding of the state of California.

We’ve brought our programs to state parks, museums, libraries, historical societies, schools and community meeting halls and theaters. We’ve created a traveling troupe of historical characters who portray fascinating Gold Rush-era personalities like Pio Pico, Biddy Mason, John Sutter and Antonio Garra. We’ve published a popular anthology of Gold Rush literature, created a traveling Gold Fever museum exhibit and helped others create sesquicentennial programs in their own communities.

Thanks to the National Endowment for the Humanities, we had the resources to develop these programs. We have also received modest but critical help from the California State Library, Wells Fargo Bank and Levi Strauss. But we have received not one cent of state funds. Imagine what we could do with state funds. I invite anyone interested in our “Rediscovering California at 150” programs to call (888) 543-4434.

JAMES QUAY, Exec. Director

Calif. Council for the Humanities

San Francisco

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As a Californian who has been around for about half of California’s post-Gold Rush life, I found “Gold Rush Spirit and Ambition Endure” (May 16) insightful, extremely well researched and written, and something to think about. Of possible interest, one of my prized possessions is a large wall map of the United States published by J.H. Colton, New York, in 1849. I believe it’s the first to show “Gold Fields, Upper or New California” on such a map--and in itself would make the nucleus of an interesting story.

JACK CARPENTER

San Juan Capistrano