old photo

[oldgringo]

Just thought someone might like to see this old photograph of a saddle shop that operated here in the gold rush era town of Marysville, Calif. I believe this picture was taken around 1900, not sure. Interesting to me is that many of the saddles do not have the hand hold below the swell. Also of note is that the shop did not just produce saddles but also suitcases and other bags.

Marysville, where I work, has a lot of fascinating history. Joaquin Murrieta killed one of our sheriffs in the early 1850s. And I read an account by a lady who came to Marysville during the gold rush with her husband and was running a boarding house. One day a Mexican vaquero chose to take his first ride on a colt outside her business. I think it would be D or E street now. Anyway she noted the horse went to bucking, bucked up on the boardwalk and into the saloon next door, exited through the side door and into another business and then through that front door back out onto the street and away they went. Pretty western in old Marysville. And on Memorial day after Cotton Rosser gets done putting on the rodeo, down at the Silver Dollar it still gets pretty Western!

[HorsehairBraider]

Wow, pretty wild place, it sounds like! That's really a neat photo.

Just look at those saddles - I used to have one like that, really liked it a lot. Too bad you can't just walk into that place now and buy one of those...

[steve mason]

cool photo, I like to look at the shops from days gone bye.

here is a photo of my great grandfathers shop from 1901

Edited January 22, 2008 by steve mason

[Kani]

I love old photos like that. Looks like they made every thing with leather back then.

[barra]

I love these old photo's

From Pic one.

Gladstone bags. I have not seen those in years. Also the pics of the saddles with no hand holes may have solved a little dilema for me.

From Pic two

It is very nostalgic to see a saddler and harness maker wearing an apron. A silly little thing but again you don't see it these days.

Barra

[Kevin]

I can smell the leather in both pictures. 4 of 6 people in the shop where I work wear aprons and 99% of the time I wear a short sleeved shirt. Sleeves seem to get caught on stuff and dye is easier to get off my arms than shirt sleeves. Those sleeve protectors look too bulky to me. Kevin

[oldgringo]

cool photo, I like to look at the shops from days gone bye.

here is a photo of my great grandfathers shop from 1901

Steve I just checked your profile and see what an accomplished saddler you are. What a great legacy what with your great grandfather also a professional in the saddle business. I think that is so wonderful. I've got three saddles under my belt and am very proud to be carrying on such a great ancient tradition as ours. This site is absolutely the best source of leather working knowlegde on this planet. Really a world heritage site. Thanks for your contributions.

[Luke Hatley]

Steve I just checked your profile and see what an accomplished saddler you are. What a great legacy what with your great grandfather also a professional in the saddle business. I think that is so wonderful. I've got three saddles under my belt and am very proud to be carrying on such a great ancient tradition as ours. This site is absolutely the best source of leather working knowlegde on this planet. Really a world heritage site. Thanks for your contributions.

Not my shop but i thought the theme very instering...

a cordwainer at work many , many years ago.

Edited March 2, 2008 by Luke Hatley

[rickybobby]

Just thought someone might like to see this old photograph of a saddle shop that operated here in the gold rush era town of Marysville, Calif. I believe this picture was taken around 1900, not sure. Interesting to me is that many of the saddles do not have the hand hold below the swell. Also of note is that the shop did not just produce saddles but also suitcases and other bags.

Marysville, where I work, has a lot of fascinating history. Joaquin Murrieta killed one of our sheriffs in the early 1850s. And I read an account by a lady who came to Marysville during the gold rush with her husband and was running a boarding house. One day a Mexican vaquero chose to take his first ride on a colt outside her business. I think it would be D or E street now. Anyway she noted the horse went to bucking, bucked up on the boardwalk and into the saloon next door, exited through the side door and into another business and then through that front door back out onto the street and away they went. Pretty western in old Marysville. And on Memorial day after Cotton Rosser gets done putting on the rodeo, down at the Silver Dollar it still gets pretty Western!

I grew up in So. California and as a teen my dad and I would go to Marysville area to a Paint horse and Quarter horse sale they have every year. We would pick up a couple of horses, take them home, ride them for 90 days and sell them. One year, one of the Paints we bought was a horse that Cotton Rossers wife Joanne raised. She was a nice lady, came out to the trailer after the sale to see the horse off. No. California is growing but the towns and people still make it feel "small town".