gold rush Archives - Blackwing

Dropping Some Gold Rush Knowledge

Alexander Poirier — Wed, 28 Dec 2016 19:57:36 +0000

I missed out on the the grade school field trip to Sutter’s Mill, so when I paid the historical landmark a visit in preparation for the launch of the Blackwing 530, I learned quite a bit. I also fell down a rabbit hole of Gold Rush research that produced some interesting facts. Here are eight of my favorite interesting/quirky tidbits about the California Gold Rush:

I currently live across the street from Sutter’s Fort in Sacramento, CA (approximately 45 miles from the gold discovery site). Sutter’s Fort was owned by the same John Sutter who owned Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, but was abandoned after the gold discovery in 1848.
John Sutter contracted James Marshall to build his saw mill in Coloma. It was while building this mill that Marshall made his famous discovery. In the frenzy of the gold hunt, however, the mill fell into disrepair, and was never used for its intended purpose.
Marshall originally tried to keep his discovery a secret. As you can imagine, word spread quickly, despite his best efforts.
The California Gold Rush was the largest mass migration in US history. In all, over 300,000 people migrated to California in search of fortune.
When their situation started looking dire, the infamous Donner Party sent two men to Sutter’s Fort in search of help. By the time help arrived… well, you know.
The Gold Rush is synonymous with the number “49,” despite gold being discovered in 1848 (I guess “48ers” doesn’t have the same ring to it).
Neither John Sutter nor James Marshall profited from the gold discovery. In fact, salesmen and entrepreneurs, not miners and prospectors, proved to have the most lucrative Gold Rush careers.
Levi Strauss got his start as a dry goods seller in San Francisco during the Gold Rush. His durable trousers proved to be a big hit with miners.

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What’s Inside the Blackwing 530 Subscription Box

Blackwing — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 19:01:51 +0000

In addition to a twelve pack of pencils and thirteenth archive tube pencil, Blackwing Volumes subscribers always receive a little something extra. With the Blackwing 211, it was a cedar slat with the pencil’s story etched into its face. With the Blackwing 24, it was a never-before-seen portrait of John Steinbeck. With the Blackwing 344 it was a DIY pinhole camera.

This time around, we included a digital download of folk singer-songwriter Willy Tea Taylor’s song “California.” The John Steinbeck-inspired “California” is one of the stand-out tracks off of Taylor’s sophomore album Knuckleball Prime. Its haunting lyrics chronicle the period in California’s history in which thousands of Dust Bowl refugees headed west to California in search of a better life. You can read more about the album and Willy Tea Taylor at BlackwingMusic.com.

We also gave subscribers the first-look at a new product we’ll be launching before the end of the year. Crafted out of lightweight aluminum, the Blackwing Point Guard is our take on the pencil point protector. It’s designed to go over the point of your Blackwing pencil, keeping it safe in your bag, pocket, or pencil roll. Subscribers receive an info card that gives an overview of the product, along with a special link to get a free Point Guard when it’s released later this month.

If you want to snag a free song download and a free Blackwing Point Guard, subscriptions for the Blackwing 530 are still available.

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Blackwing Volumes – Volume 530

Blackwing — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 17:53:05 +0000

Blackwing 530 – The Eureka Moment

DEC. 2016 – SOLD OUT

In 1848, while working at a sawmill in Coloma, California, James W. Marshall discovered gold flakes in the American River. This discovery sparked what would come to be known as the California Gold Rush, causing hundreds of thousands of business owners, artists, lawyers and people of all trades to leave their lives behind and flock to Northern California in pursuit of fortune and opportunity.

The Gold Rush was California’s defining moment, a moment immortalized by the state’s motto “Eureka! I have found it!” What California found, however, went beyond gold. The state found its identity as a melting pot of people, cultures and ideas that persists to this day. This moment of self-discovery was California’s true “eureka moment.”

There’s a similar moment in the creative process when the rest of the world fades and the project’s singular objective becomes clear. Whether it’s a songwriter finding the perfect melody for a lyric or a painter being struck by inspiration after weeks of aimless brushing, these moments help define both the artist and their work. The Blackwing 530 celebrates these eureka moments of the creative process. Its gold barrel and striped gold ferrule symbolize the feeling of “striking gold” when that moment hits. The model number 530 is a tribute to Sutter’s Mill, California Historical Site No. 530, where gold was first discovered.

The Blackwing 530 is sold out. To ensure you receive future releases, subscribe to the Blackwing Volumes program.

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Every Blackwing purchase benefits music and arts education at the K-12 level.

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