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The teacher’s ELP program manual is available to review and print.
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We are pleased to offer the Environmental Living Program (ELP) at Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park for students of gold rush history. The program began in 1989 and continues today with school participation from all over the state. The program continues to develop as new ideas are tried and perfected.
The Program
The Environmental Living Program camp site is located a short walking distance from the historic town of North Bloomfield, a 45 minute drive north-east of Nevada City, California. This site has been designed to promote the feeling of living in a gold rush camp back in the 1870’s. Students will prepare food and learn crafts from that era, and participate in a scavenger hunt through the ghost town of North Bloomfield. This learning experience is enhanced by how imaginatively teachers and parents team with park staff to recreate the time period.
The program accomodates up to 40 students and 10 – 15 adult supervisors. Five tent-cabins comfortably sleep 7 students and one adult. If needed, additional tents may be erected behind the student tents. Groups may choose between a one and two night experience. We encourage groups travelling three hours or more to consider a two night stay.
There is an on-site storage shed with camping and cooking supplies and cooking utensils available for use during your stay. Each school will be supplied with enough crafting material for each student as well as firewood to heat the candle pot and fire pit for cooking. Click here to see a detailed ELP Supply List (rev. 5/09) of what we provide.
Prior to the overnight visit, the student should be well versed in the gold rush story. This should include historical research as well as developing a fictional gold rush character for themselves. Student activity groups should be developed with each team coming up with a skit or a story about their way west. These skits may be shared around the campfire along with period songs and music.
Because this is an outdoor experience, we run programs in September and October, and then again from mid-April into June. Plan for the possibility of wet and cold conditions during any month!
Activities
The students dress in miner’s costumes, live in canvas tents and learn to do activities such as…
- Candle Dipping
- Gold Panning
- Tin-Smithing
- Wood-Working
- Rope Making
- Leather Crafting
- Cooking over an open fire
- Other period activities might include hauling water/firewood, cleaning the camp, and hiking to the old cemetery and hydraulic diggings site.
- Rick Toles, talented musician and storyteller, AKA – Alkali, Last of the 49ers, offers a gold rush era personality performing music and featuring instruments of the period. He will also lead the students in a simple square dance. His phone number is (530) 477-5560. Call early – his schedule fills quickly!
- Ric Moorhouse is a local blacksmith also available for private hire. He offers gentle, individual guidance to each student in the actual making of a period hook using the traditional methods. His phone number is (530) 478-7575.
Training
Spring 2010 season training will be held on Saturday March 13th, 2010 from noon to 4:00 p.m.
The rain / snow date will be Saturday March 20th, 2010.
We encourage teachers to have several parents or helpers attend this training so they are familiar with instructing the crafts should someone not be able to attend at the last minute.
Registration/Fees
Teachers who help instruct the training are given first priority for spring dates. All other interested teachers must attend the four hour training to be scheduled for the next year’s spring schedule. Fall dates are also available. To register for the free training, please call the park office at (530) 265-2740.
There is a park fee of $15.00 per student, per night for use of the ELP facilities. Most teachers plan to budget between $30.00 – $40.00 per student which includes food, transportation, and all additional craft supplies. There is also a $50.00 cleaning deposit required which will be returned upon check-out with park staff.
Alternative Living History Program
The ELP program is very popular, and it can be difficult to get on the schedule. A private, non-profit organization called the Field Guides offers guided overnight programs at Malakoff Diggins in the Chute Hill Campground. Experienced and personable naturalists and historians lead students on guided explorations, gold panning, and a scavenger hunt in the ghost town of North Bloomfield. Call James Camp at (650) 969-6325 or email at guides@jeffnet.net.