From Karen (and Friends) at The California State Library:
Oh boy! This is quite a challenge! None of the cities in historic California seem to match up! Therefore, I am thinking that the state might be Colorado, instead? However, after massive searching, (History of Post Offices in California and Durham's Geographic Places in California) there might be some California possibilities, but the names would start with a different letter, such as a V or an M…. or possibly a C…. For example, in California, Veratina and Ventana are in the county of Monterey, and Mentone is in the county of San Bernardino. Several of us were involved in the searching, because of the challenge, but none of us could find any that started with an H that had the t in the middle. The Hamptonville and Hampton Butte and Hampton Gorge were topographical rather than a town. The Hamptonville, as I recall was a location of a ferry to cross the river in Fresno County, named for William R. Hampton, the Postmaster and operator of a ferry. If a person wanted to try a fancy C (in those days), there was a place called Cantara in Siskiyou County, a place called Cantua in Fresno County, and if one wanted to make that first letter an M, then there was a Manton in Shasta County and a Montara in San Mateo County. What fun!
I have attached an early letters and writing document that will show you some of the ways folks wrote in those days. Most likely you have already pursued a primer from that time period? Anyway, I am handing the challenge back to you, as I cannot confidently assume the name of the return location. Perhaps at that time the letter came from the Colorado territory in a broader dimension than now, especially if the lady was from Iowa…
Thank you for sharing this with the California History Room of the California State Library. Let us know if there are closer leads to solve the mystery.
Enjoy! And Best wishes!
Sincerely,
Karen Paige, Librarian
California History Room, California State Library
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Posted 09/26/2017 9:45 pm
