NEVADA CITY, Calif. December 7, 2023 – The Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission and the Nevada County Historical Society are pleased to announce that the Carter Family Homesite at the intersection of Drummond Street and American Hills Road was designated as Nevada County Historical Landmark NEV 23-03 on December 5, 2023 by the Board of Supervisors. It commemorates two of the County’s African American pioneers.

            Jennie Correll Carter and Dennis Drummond Carter married in Nevada City in 1866.  From 1867 to 1873 they lived on Drummond Street. Dennis Carter had bought the property years earlier and Drummond Street is believed to have been named after his mother’s family.  The couple later moved to what is now Grove Street. Dennis Carter was an accomplished musician, music teacher and civil rights advocate. Jennie Carter was an accomplished writer and journalist who was the local correspondent for The Elevator, a San Francisco newspaper serving the Black community in northern California. Jennie Carter died in 1881 and is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery. Dennis Carter died in 1894 and is likely buried in the adjacent unmarked grave.

The Elevator. Courtesy of the California Digital Newspaper Collection, Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside, http://cdnc.ucr.edu
The Elevator. Courtesy of the California Digital Newspaper Collection, Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside, http://cdnc.ucr.edu

            A marker will be placed by the Landmarks Commission during Black History Month next February.

            The Carter Homesite plaque will be featured in the Commission’s interactive map and its book Exploring Nevada County, a guide to all the County’s historical landmarks. The book is available in electronic format for any smartphone or tablet from Apple or Amazon. Go to You Bet Press to find clickable links. A print version is available at local bookstores and museum gift shops.