RV Lifestyle It has been 150 years since a young Mark Twain published “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” a hilarious yarn set in Angels Camp that launched his career and gave this gold country town a place in literary history. And Angels Camp became linked with frogs…apparently for all time. This spirited tale about a wagering scam is a good introduction to Angels Camp, where Twain first heard the story. Today, you can purchase a copy of Twain’s short story all over town. You will also stumble upon leaping amphibians everywhere – toy frogs, frog kitsch, frog jewellery and even bronze frogs in the sidewalks honouring champions from the Jumping Frog Jubilee. The Jubilee, held on the third weekend every May, attracts some 50,000 people who cheer the hopping bullfrogs. A walking tour of town leads past handsome, iron-shuttered brick and wooden buildings and over a footbridge spanning Angels Creek. Strung like Gold Rush laundry over Main Street are vintage miners’ trousers and shirts. North of downtown, a statue of Mark Twain contemplates tree-shaded Utica Park. Just a few blocks upMain Street, the Angels CampMuseum spreads over three acres and displays minerals and preserved artifacts from the Gold Rush era. Several outdoor exhibits include a collection of mining equipment, a blacksmith’s shop and a unique carriage house. There’s also a model of the Angels Camp branch of the Sierra Railroad, which once rattled down from Jamestown. And a case full of spittoons. And, of course, frogs. Angels Camp Murphys CSANews | WINTER 2016 | 39
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