2021 News for the New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association

Contents: Home About NAQCPA, Membership, Donations News Newsletters Almaden Quicksilver Park Info Mining Museum, Museum Archives, Outdoor Museum Pioneer Days, New Almaden Days Media, Pictures Events Links _____________ Webmaster Contact	News: News Archive: 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Old pictures of Kitty Monahan. Pictures and videos of Kitty's Celebration of Life 2023 Latest news (2024) 2021 News: In January of 2021, John Slenter passed away at his home in Arizona. John was a longtime resident of New Almaden. He was an active volunteer for NAQCPA and helped with the Pioneer Day events. He later became an interpreter for the County Parks, working at Almaden Quicksilver. For many years, he gave van tours of the park. At the 2009 Pioneer Day, he drove guests to the event in a park van and served as the master of ceremonies (see picture above). After he retired from the County Parks, he moved to Arizona to be with his family. On May 4, 2021, longtime NAQCPA member and County Parks docent John Atwood passed away at his home in San Jose. Here is his obituary. He knew the Almaden Quicksilver Mines better than most people because he worked as a surveyor in the mines for 2 years, before spending 33 years as a surveyor for Santa Clara County. As a volunteer for NAQCPA, he worked in the Casa Grande as a docent, giving tours to visitors. During events at the Casa Grande, like Play Like a Miner, he would bring out his surveying equipment and show kids how to use them, as well as how to read maps. Update 2021: The past 2 years have been difficult for NAQCPA. The last board meeting was held on 2/12/20. The board has been unable to meet due to COVID-related closures and the death and disability of many of the board's members. We could not even meet on Zoom. The Casa Grande was closed for over a year, starting in March of 2020, so volunteers could not go in to work on the archives or the NAQCPA newsletter. Docent activities were suspended, and most of the County Parks' interpretive staff were re-deployed as Disaster Service Workers (DSW) to help with the pandemic. In 2021, the Casa Grande re-opened, and some activities and events are starting to come back. However, many staff members, including several park interpreters, are still on DSW assignment. It was unclear when and if the NAQCPA board would meet again. Key volunteers working on the newsletter have health issues and are no longer able to work on it, even if facilities were available. It's not clear whether the newsletter will be published again. Pioneer Day was cancelled in 2020 and 2021. It may be held again in 2022. NAQCPA is still partially active. A small group of members still does maintenance projects in the park. The Casa Grande was decorated and open for the 2021 holiday season. On 12/18/21, there was a Victorian Holiday Craft event there. Visitors could make cornucopias, which were traditional Christmas tree ornaments during the Victorian era. The Blacksmith shop was also open for touring. Top of page Copyright © New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association Visit our Facebook group. For more information about the organization and activities, send us an email at info@naqcpa.com. For questions about the website, contact our webmaster, Ron Horii. Updated 9/20/24.

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2021 News:

In January of 2021, John Slenter passed away at his home in Arizona. John was a longtime resident of New Almaden. He was an active volunteer for NAQCPA and helped with the Pioneer Day events. He later became an interpreter for the County Parks, working at Almaden Quicksilver. For many years, he gave van tours of the park. At the 2009 Pioneer Day, he drove guests to the event in a park van and served as the master of ceremonies (see picture above). After he retired from the County Parks, he moved to Arizona to be with his family.

On May 4, 2021, longtime NAQCPA member and County Parks docent John Atwood passed away at his home in San Jose. Here is his obituary. He knew the Almaden Quicksilver Mines better than most people because he worked as a surveyor in the mines for 2 years, before spending 33 years as a surveyor for Santa Clara County. As a volunteer for NAQCPA, he worked in the Casa Grande as a docent, giving tours to visitors. During events at the Casa Grande, like Play Like a Miner, he would bring out his surveying equipment and show kids how to use them, as well as how to read maps.

Update 2021: The past 2 years have been difficult for NAQCPA. The last board meeting was held on 2/12/20. The board has been unable to meet due to COVID-related closures and the death and disability of many of the board's members. We could not even meet on Zoom. The Casa Grande was closed for over a year, starting in March of 2020, so volunteers could not go in to work on the archives or the NAQCPA newsletter. Docent activities were suspended, and most of the County Parks' interpretive staff were re-deployed as Disaster Service Workers (DSW) to help with the pandemic. In 2021, the Casa Grande re-opened, and some activities and events are starting to come back. However, many staff members, including several park interpreters, are still on DSW assignment. It was unclear when and if the NAQCPA board would meet again. Key volunteers working on the newsletter have health issues and are no longer able to work on it, even if facilities were available. It's not clear whether the newsletter will be published again. Pioneer Day was cancelled in 2020 and 2021. It may be held again in 2022. NAQCPA is still partially active. A small group of members still does maintenance projects in the park.

The Casa Grande was decorated and open for the 2021 holiday season. On 12/18/21, there was a Victorian Holiday Craft event there. Visitors could make cornucopias, which were traditional Christmas tree ornaments during the Victorian era. The Blacksmith shop was also open for touring.

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