Placerville, California: El Dorado County Fair and the John M. Studebaker Wheelbarrow Race (ca. 1940s)

Creator: A/V Geeks 16mm Films

Description: Placerville, California: El Dorado County Fair and the John M. Studebaker Wheelbarrow Race (ca. 1940s) A lively newsreel short film from the Prelinger Archives documenting the annual Wheelbarrow Race at the El Dorado County Fair in Placerville, California — a Gold Rush–era tradition commemorating John M. Studebaker, who reportedly earned the seed money for his future carriage empire by pushing wheelbarrows full of gravel during the 1849 mining boom. Competitors must haul a 50-pound load of gravel across a 660-yard course, testing both physical endurance and showmanship; this particular year's race was ultimately won by a local high school teacher, continuing a tradition that ties modern Placerville to its rough-and-tumble Gold Rush origins.

Complete Record: Placerville, California: El Dorado County Fair and the John M. Studebaker Wheelbarrow Race (ca. 1940s) A lively newsreel short film from the Prelinger Archives documenting the annual Wheelbarrow Race at the El Dorado County Fair in Placerville, California — a Gold Rush–era tradition commemorating John M. Studebaker, who reportedly earned the seed money for his future carriage empire by pushing wheelbarrows full of gravel during the 1849 mining boom. Competitors must haul a 50-pound load of gravel across a 660-yard course, testing both physical endurance and showmanship; this particular year's race was ultimately won by a local high school teacher, continuing a tradition that ties modern Placerville to its rough-and-tumble Gold Rush origins.

Transcription

Liv again Grizzly humor and all in Placerville California which began a century ago during the Gold Rush as Hangtown lovely name eh it's time for the El Dorado County Fair and the annual John M stbaker wheelbarrow race an event of skill and Showmanship maneuvering a wheelbarrow over a gruelling 660 yd course with a 50 lb load of gravel first stop load up on p and away they go trundling over some very tricky terrain what torment for the sake of a trophy but there's always a strong man who goes the distance and this year it's a high school teacher who is the big wheel

Online Copy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzlmeEJ3mho

Metadata Source:YouTube

1 user has this film:
Prelinger Archives

No related films.

Original permalink · Record added: 2026-05-04 13:05:07