Manchester
The lost town of the Los Burros Mining District, high in the Santa Lucias about four miles inland of Cape San Martin — reached by the road climbing from Willow Creek on the coast. The townsite sat at the head of Alder Creek, a few hundred yards downhill from Cruikshank’s Last Chance mine, with the district’s placer ground in the Willow Creek drainage below. Settled about 1887 after the Last Chance strike; post office September 14, 1889 (first called Mansfield, with Pete Gillis postmaster); population 125-350; hotel, two general stores, barber, restaurant, blacksmith, one-room school, cemetery and saloons. Mining ceased about 1895 and fires between 1889 and 1897 destroyed every trace. Coordinates: 35°52‘52”N 121°23‘33”W.
place history
The Schoolteacher Brides of Pacific Valley
The county kept sending young women to teach the coast's children — and the Plaskett boys kept marrying them. How two brothers married two sisters, and the schoolhouse became the town.
gold mines
The Los Burros Mining District and the Lost Town of Manchester
Organized 1876, transformed by Willey Cruikshank's Last Chance strike in 1887 — and gone by 1897, burned and grown over. The rise and fall of the coast's gold district, and the lost town of Manchester.
gold mines
Willey Cruikshank Discovered the Last Chance Mine
The boy who watched Chinese miners pan Salmon Creek grew up to strike the Last Chance mine.
gold mines
The Buclimo Mine - Named for Seven Partners
Burman, Ulrich, Clinton, Linderman, Isenman, Morey and Olsen — seven partners, one mine name: Buclimo.
mabel article
Mansfields Were Pacific Valley Pioneers
From Indian shell beds to a 4,000-acre cattle empire — the Mansfields, who came to Pacific Valley when the lilac grew as tall as trees.
mabel article
Willey Cruikshank - Mining Was His Life
The boy who watched Chinese miners pan Salmon Creek struck the Last Chance mine — and vanished into the Lucias in 1937. His life, told by a woman who knew him.
story
Mother Krenkel - Margaret Dug Well 50 Feet
City-bred Margaret Krenkel dug the family well through its first fifty feet — with her sister on the windlass.
story
Mother Krenkel Rode Mule "Gabe" to Her Wedding
Margaret Schmidt rode a mule named Gabe to her own wedding, June 23, 1902.
story
Willey Cruikshank Jilted Twice
Willey Cruikshank bought the ring twice. He never married.
story
Willey Cruikshank Recovered Body from Deep Mine Shaft
When a young miner fell to his death in the deep shaft, only Willey Cruikshank would go down after him.
story
Willey Cruikshank Skeleton Found After Six Years
Willey Cruikshank walked out of the New York Mine in 1937. His bones were found six years later.
story
Chinese Placer Miners Were First Prospectors
Before any settler thought of gold, Chinese placer miners were already working Salmon Creek.
story
Henry Melville Threw Robbers Out of His Cabin
Henry Melville came home to find two men robbing his cabin. It went very badly — for them.
story
Three Mills Shipped from San Francisco by Sled
Three sawmills came down the coast by ship in 1886 — then went up the mountain to Los Burros by sled.
Everyone the family archive records in the story of this place. Descendants: if one of these is yours, we’d love to hear from you.
- William D. "Willey" Cruikshank 1862–1937 · 8 stories
- James M. Krenkel 1862–1943 · 5 stories
- Margaret Voss Krenkel 1874–1964 · 4 stories
- Alice Dutton · 3 stories
- Byron Gianavil Plaskett 1846–1911 · 2 stories
- Dudley Plaskett 1869–1949 · 2 stories
- Ed Dutton · 2 stories
- Edward Abbott Plaskett 1881–1973 · 2 stories
- Henry Melville · 2 stories
- Lawson McKern Plaskett 1883–1966 · 2 stories
- William Cruikshank Sr. 1835– · 2 stories
- Alice Stewart Harlan
- Alvis Davis
- Amos Mansfield 1741–1795
- Augusta Stringle Cruikshank
- Bob Digges
- Clarence Plaskett 1888–1916
- Curnell H. Mansfield 1835–1906
- Dave Moro
- Edward Robert Sans 1875–1958
- Esther Smith
- Fanny Plaskett Mansfield 1916–1973
- Francis Marion Plaskett 1854–1906
- Henry Kilsdonk
- Jasper Mansfield 1860–
- Jim Prewitt
- Joe Moro
- John D. Cruikshank
- Leonidas Hamlin Plaskett 1848–1918
- Linwood Mitchell 1860–
- Mabel Eva Sans Plaskett 1896–1964
- Margaret Krenkel
- Marion Smith
- Martha Corrine Bennett Plaskett 1852–1931
- Martha Plaskett 1790–1844
- Olive Flavilla Plaskett McLean 1860–1936
- Olive Hyacinth Sans Plaskett 1898–1936
- Paul Harlan
- Reason Alpha Plaskett 1852–1933
- Robert Plaskett 1835–1908
- Roy Mitchell
- William Lucas Plaskett 1818–1909
- William Nicholas Alderson 1956–
- Phillip Gortner 1766–1813 · born here