Snowshoe Thompsonby Nancy Smiler LevinsonPictures by Joan Sandin

Understanding the book

From Wikipedia.org. This picture was originally published in Harper's Weekly, 1860, as part of the article "How We Got Gold in California." The copyright has expired.

Danny lives in Placerville, California in the 1850’s. His family came to California as part of the California Gold Rush.

From Wikipedia.org. This picture was originally published in Harper's Weekly, 1860, as part of the article "How We Got Gold in California." The copyright has expired.

In January 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill, California. As news of the discovery spread, some 300,000 people came to California from the rest of the United States and abroad.

From Wikipedia.org.

Placerville, California is in the Sierra Nevada Mountains

Placerville, California is in the Sierra Nevada Mountains

Placerville, California is in the Sierra Nevada Mountains

A Ski brigade. Created/Published [between 1910 and 1920] Detroit Publishing Co. no. 072266. Gift; State Historical Society of Colorado; 1949. Library of Congress. American Memory. http://memory.loc.gov January 7, 2008