Past Events
Red Bluff CA Rendezvous 2025: Jedidiah Smith 1828, Buenaventura to the Pacific
As mentioned in the Fall 2024 Castor Canadensis, the Jedediah Smith Society (JSS) is excited to announce details regarding the April 2025 Red Bluff CA Rendezvous. The Rendezvous is scheduled for the weekend of April 26th and the 27th. The host hotel is the Holiday Inn Express in Red Bluff, hotel details included below. JSS member Jim OCallaghan is leading the Rendezvous event with assistance from Richard Cimino and Joe Molter. The field trip locations include Ide Adobe CA State Park, Jed’s Overlook, and Jed’s route from the Sacramento River to the Trinity River.
The Rendezvous commences with Saturday’s field trip departing from the host hotel parking lot at 1pm. The first stop is a brief visit to nearby Ide Adobe Park. The park memorializes California pioneer William Ide, captain of the Bear Flag Revolt and the only president of the California Republic, June to July 1846. Next, the group proceeds to a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) trailhead about five miles east of Red Bluff. The trail leads to BLM kiosk “Jed’s Overlook” highlighting Smith’s departure from the Buenaventura/Sacramento River. The trail is approximately 3.0 miles round trip, rated as moderate with little elevation gain. However, the trail is rough and rocky in certain areas requiring hiking boots and hiking poles if desired. A leisurely hike with ample time at the kiosk will take about 3 hours. BLM Map & Guides will be available for attendees. While at the kiosk, Joe Molter will provide an overview of the site. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and/or have a brief discussion.
After returning to Red Bluff between 4 and 5pm and with a bit of down time, JSS invites all Rendezvous attendees to an early (exact time TBA) Saturday evening “social” at the host hotel or a local restaurant. Location of the social will be determined by the final attendee count. If held at the host hotel, JSS will provide light snack food and non-alcoholic beverages. The hotel does allow attendees to “BYOB” i.e. bring your own libation should you desire.
Sunday’s field trip will be a vehicular tour of Jed Smith’s route from Red Bluff to the south fork of the Trinity River at Hyampom CA. (JSS/Rich Cimino is planning to provide a passenger van for trip attendees/details TBA) The roadway generally follows Smith’s west/northwest route to the Trinity River. The road trip will include a few stops at notable locations to point out specific route details. After visiting the Trinity River location, upon return the group can stop in Hayfork for lunch. (Various lunch options included below)
The Rendezvous will conclude upon return to the host hotel with any closing comments/discussion.
Membership Meeting
June 13th, 10am
University of the Pacific
Special Collections Library
In 1999 member Raymund F. Wood celebrated the bicentennial of Jed’s birth by publishing Jedediah Smith and His Monuments. Wood shares photographs and interesting details of 66 monuments in eight states—monuments that have been created to honor Jed and to tell the story of his deeds in the West.
Any historian who takes on the task of revising Wood’s compilation for reissue will now have at least one more photo to add, at least one more monument to describe.
On January 17, 2023, the Kern County, California, Board of Supervisors and the Jedediah Smith Society unveiled a new Jed Smith monument in Panorama Park in Bakersfield. A generous donation from Society member Therese Melbar and the persistent efforts of members James Ahrens and William Horst helped to make the monument possible.
Jeff Flores, Kern County Board of Supervisors Chairman, celebrated Jed, “He’s a part of the pioneering spirit of Kern County. He might have stood on these very bluffs, looking out at the great expanse of the Central Valley.”