2019 Gold Rush Day / Fiebre del Oro

Last Minute Reminders

Please review this page for all you need to know about Gold Rush day, including directions to the site.
If you forgot which station you signed up for, please review the Konstellla Sign Up List.
All baked goods and food should be delivered to your child's 4th grade classroom at 8:00 am on Tuesday, May 21, 2019.
Light rain is expected for the day of the event so please dress warmly.

Note that there is almost no cell phone reception up at the Gold Rush site.

Each students should:

wear old-fashioned style clothing (long skirt or jeans and a plaid shirt)
wear old shoes or rain boots (for creek walking)
bring a 2nd pair of shoes for after the creek
bring a rain jacket
bring a towel for drying feet and hands
change of clothes in case they get clothes wet in the creek
(No need to pack a lunch; we will be providing lunch for all students and volunteers)

Each volunteer should:

wear comfortable shoes that can get muddy
wear old-fashioned clothing (long skirts or jeans and plaid shirt)
bring an umbrella

What is Gold Rush Day?

"Gold Rush" is a field trip for all 4th grade students in May. Students, parents, teachers and Bubb staff reenact life from the 1848 California Gold Rush. A mini-town is set up at Stevens Creek Reservoir picnic grounds.

Find out more about this field trip and how you can help. There is something for everyone: do-ahead baking or craft making, morning-only setup, cooking lunch on the BBQ, song leading, and working in one of the many stations in town that day.

Here are the details for the 2019 Bubb School Gold Rush:

WHEN: Tuesday, May 21st
TIME: 7:45 am-2:40 pm (students attend from 9:00 am-1:30 pm)
WHERE: Stevens Creek County Park

How to Get There

Gold Rush is held in two picnic areas of Stevens Creek County Park. The park is located along Stevens Canyon Road and Mt. Eden Road in the foothills between Saratoga and Cupertino (roughly a 25 minute drive from Bubb School). Parking is LIMITED so please try to carpool with other parents attending the event. Here are directions to the park from Bubb school on Google Maps.

To get to the park from Mountain View:

Take CA-85 south toward Highway 280
Take Highway 280 north toward San Francisco
Take the first exit, Foothill Expressway. Go left at the light.
Stay on Foothill Expressway for 5 miles (Foothill Blvd. changes into Stevens Canyon Road as it crosses McClellan Road). You'll pass the reservoir and Montabello Road.
At the stop sign, turn right. 100 yards ahead will be the two picnic areas.

What Takes Place

Gold Rush Day consists of an "Upper Town" and a "Lower Town." Students take turns participating in the different stations at each "town."

"Upper Town" is held at Canyon Picnic Area

"Lower Town" is held at Cooley Picnic Area. This is also where the students will mine for gold in the creek and have their picnic lunch.

UPPER TOWN — Stations may include:

Tin smith: create a punched-tin ornament
Pony Express: write a letter home with an old fashioned pen and ink
Horse shoe toss game
Additional various games
Shaving and hair braiding station
Cross stitch sewing
Chuck Wagon, which includes
- Make lemonade
- Make ice cream
- Make butter from cream
Upper town jail

click on the Upper Town map below:

UpperTown_Map_Gold_Rush_2019.pdf

LOWER TOWN — Stations may include:

Creek: where students pan for gold
Assayer: weighs gold and provides note for banker
Banker: pays out "money" based on assayer's note
General Store: students can spend their "money" on crafts and treats
Lower town jail
Lucky Star Saloon
BBQ lunch
Singing

click on the Lower Town map below:

LowerTown_Map_Gold_Rush_2019.pdf

Schedule for Gold Rush Day

7:45-9:00 Parents set up Upper Town and Lower Towns
8:40-9:00 Students take bus ride from Bubb to Stevens Creek
9:00-10:00 Students Arrive
- Lower Town: Room 14
- Upper Town: Room 15, 16
10:00-11:00
- Lower Town: Room 15
- Upper Town: Room 14, 16
11:00-12:00
- Lower Town: Room 16
- Upper Town: Room 14, 15
11:50-12:00
- Upper Town kids will start heading to Lower Town for lunch
- Upper Town parents will start cleaning up their stations and some will start moving pop up tents from Upper Town to Lower Town for lunch
12:00-1:00 Lunch time
- Students will sing Gold Rush songs (around 12:40)
1:00 Bus ride from Stevens Creek to Bubb
1:30-2:00 Parents pack up Upper and Lower towns

What to Wear

Students should dress as gold mining Californians did in the year 1848.

Students should wear a long skirt and blouse or a plaid / flannel shirt and jeans. Cowboy hats are optional.
There are a limited number of long skirts that can be borrowed on the day of the event. Please speak with the 4th grade teachers if you're interested in borrowing one.
All students should wear comfortable shoes (no sandals).
The 4th grade teachers will provide bonnets and bandanas to the students.

Parents should also dress in old-fashioned attire. If you are playing the role of sheriff, we will provide a badge. Wear comfortable shoes as the ground is dusty and the area around the creek is rocky.