Book Reviews
Feather
River
Bust
by
Mildred
Forester
and
Roy
E.
Pence
Histories
of
Hamilton,
Butte
County's
first
seat
and
Lovelock,
California,
from
first-filed
records
and
other
accounts
of
the
time.
An essential element in the recording of history is the detailed research necessary to reconstruct that which took place long ago. This involves diligent and faithful concentration so that fact, legend, folklore, fading memories and incomplete records may be sorted out, verified, documented or discarded.
Mildred Forester, the primary researcher and author of the story of Hamilton, Butte County's first county seat, has accomplished two things in this present work. One is her detailed account of Hamilton -- its birth, life and demise. Secondly, she has provided us with a splendid example of what one dedicated person can accomplish through detailed, original research; research that can be tedious, frustrating, and very time consuming, but also very rewarding. Her research work stands out as a splendid example of what can be done and what others can also do.
In a companion work here recorded, Roy Pence has with the assistance of Mildred Forester, contributed the story of an important figure in the history of Butte County. It is the story of George Lovelock, founder of the tiny mountain community of Lovelock and also the city of Lovelock, Nevada. It is the story of adventure, courage and personal desire to succeed.
Few men have had two communities named for them, but George Lovelock was so honored. The communities were named Lovelock because of what he did in their founding, not because of any important or singularly interesting event in history. Again, this story of George Lovelock demonstrates what can be done through painstaking, dedicated research.
It is to be hope that readers, particularly students of local history, may become aware that treasure may still be found in the "digs" of old documents and records, and that time spent "mining" these records is bound to produce hidden treasure. --from foreword by Ted Meriam
Order Feather River Bust by Mildred Forester and Roy E. Pence