Sunday, July 07, 2024

First woman telegrapher over the Sierra Nevada, Frances Dorsey

From: "Joan Merriam" joan@joanmerriam.com

My family's handed-down history says that my maternal grandmother, Frances Dorsey, was the first woman telegrapher on "Tunnel x" over the Sierra Nevada. I've designated it as "Tunnel X" because I don't know which tunnel it was, and am hoping someone in this group can tell me which of the tunnels featured a telegraph office (I'm presuming, either above the tunnel or alongside the tracks). Something in my memory says Tunnel 13, but I could be dead wrong.

Any ideas? (I've tried to find the location of historical telegraph offices along the RR over the Sierra, but thus far my search has been fruitless.) ...

—Joan Merriam, Nevada City, CA