Lucy Stoddard Wakefield
You have found the medallion for Lucy Wakefield. Lucy Wakefield and her dentist husband were early arrivals to the Gold Rush in Placerville. Soon after arriving she left her husband. Lucy went into the dried apple pie business, selling her deep-dish apple pies for $2 each. Lucy worked long hours and sold over 200 pies a week. She owned a log cabin outside Placerville and one in town where she made and sold her pies.
In 1851, Lucy sued for divorce in El Dorado County claiming cruelty and jealousy as her reason. In answer to his wife’s suit, Mr. Wakefield complained that his wife gave whist parties at her residence and went to parties attended by gamblers. A jury granted her the divorce and ordered all money, supplies, and properties to go to her with her husband paying the costs of the divorce suit. This was the first divorce granted in El Dorado County.
After the divorce, Lucy married Christopher Batterman. They moved to San Francisco and then Virginia City at the start of the Comstock silver strike. Lucy was one of the first women in Virginia City. Batterman went on to supervise mines throughout the west. He was general in the Nevada State Militia and was often referred to as General Batterman. Lucy died in 1895.
This is the last medallion on the side of Main Street nearest the Highway.
If you haven’t found the medallions on the other side of the street here is your clue: With your back to Highway 50, you will find this miner on a building at the corner of Sacramento Street and Main Street. May your ability to navigate be as accurate as this miner who delivered his mail even in the most extreme weather.
If you have found all 10 medallions congratulations and thank you for participating in our Scavenger Hunt.
For more information on this scavenger hunt, please visit the Welcome Page.