A Golden Opportunity to Learn Local History

Nothing quite stirs the imagination like treasure or gold. There have been countless movies and stories about treasure – Indiana Jones, heist movies, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, to name a few. There are even board games and video games about treasure! So, we knew that Treasure! from NRG! Exhibits would be popular with our guests.

This exhibition explores the history of treasure and treasure hunting, as well as the people and personalities that hunt for treasure. These can include miners, geocachers, divers and underwater archaeologists who excavate shipwrecks, and of course, pirates! There’s also in-depth research and scholarship for those who like to dig deeper, as well as real and replica artifacts from shipwrecks and archaeological sites.

Treasure! also delves into the history of the California gold rush and even includes an interactive gold panning station. When gold was first discovered in California, folks were so smitten with the idea of striking it rich they swarmed here from all over the world. In fact, the California gold rush is considered one of the largest human migrations in American history. Many miners staked claims near Redding and mining is integral to our own local history. The California Gold Rush is often included in school curricula and has been romanticized with illustrations of happy miners, but the truth is that mining was backbreaking and dangerous work, and many never struck it rich. There were also major impacts on the environment and dire consequences for local native populations that aren’t as well known. Even today, we are still dealing with the effects of mining from over 150 years ago.

We wanted to explore these multifaceted, historical topics and provide well-rounded and accurate information by taking the many layers, voices, and perspectives into consideration.  Shines Like Gold: Illuminating the Effects of Mining in our Region, sheds light on environmental effects of mining, such as mercury leaching into waterways and toxic smelter smoke billowing into the atmosphere resulting in the nation’s first environmental lawsuit. The consequences faced by local populations are also explored, such as the passing of anti-Chinese legislation that forced out Chinese miners who came looking for the same opportunities afforded other immigrants. Particularly devastating was the effect on the local Native Americans. The Wintu and their neighbors lost their lands, livelihoods, and even their lives to this rush for riches, and the effects are still felt keenly today.

This exhibition was curated by California State University, Chico student, Jake Keithley, in coordination with Turtle Bay Exploration Park curators. Mr. Keithley also collaborated with local historian Mike Kuker and tribal representative Kenwa Kravitz (Wintu and Pit River) to develop content on the local Chinese and Wintu populations.

We also took this opportunity to collaborate with artist and filmmaker Mark Oliver to adapt content from his stage production, Voices of the Golden Ghosts, into a museum exhibition that delves into the untold history of African American miners and other African Americans living and working in our region. This exhibition also explores the impact that working on the project had on local African Americans who helped develop and perform in the production.

History can be messy, and sometimes even uncomfortable, but it’s important. Learning about the past helps us understand and situate ourselves in the present. Incorporating multiple voices and perspectives only furthers and enriches the story, making us more empathetic to the plight of others and giving us a well-rounded and accurate picture of the past.