City of the Lake, Rideout

Putah and Cache: Clear Lake or Lypoyomi

City of the Lake

Mrs. Jacob Rideout, 1889

Presently we reach Lakeport, which, like ancient Rome, is built on seven picturesque hills. In some time, in the not far distant future, this village will very probably be known as a great city on the shore of a beautiful lake and the center of a vast natural sanitarium. Lakeport has five churches, two weekly papers, large flouring mill, two banks and a fine school building.

Passing through this city of the Lake, we soon enter a little cottage which is empty, but not by any means "swept and garnished." And as we began to sing,

"Be it ever so humble,
There is no place like home,"

a six foot tramp appears at the door, and, after bowing very politely, he soars aloft on the wings of eloquence: "My name," he exclaims, "is John Wilson Doubleday. I am a cousin of Colonel J. W. Doubleday, you know; everybody knows him. I am a gentleman, first class, you know, was raised a gentleman, but am out of money; the best of men will be strapped once in a while, you know, and I would like to stay with you a few days until I can get a position as captain of one of the steamboats."

We concluded, not only from his wonderful eloquence, but the smell of his breath, that he was too familiar with evil spirits and had just come from one of their Lakeport dens; consequently, after giving him a lunch, we advised him to double day at some place where he could work for his board.

The material on this page is from, Mrs. J.B. Rideout, Camping out in California 1881.