Dublin Historian explores Donner Summit Tunnels

Donner Summit Tunnels and China Wall are just a short drive from Truckee, California.

"In the late 1800s the railroad hired thousands of Chinese to build these tunnels, linking a route across the Sierra. Several signs posted near the tunnels explain the prominent role of Chinese immigrants in building early California. Graffiti decorates the inside of many walls, almost like a lengthy art gallery" said Rita Szollos.

Chasing the American Dream - Built in the 1860s, the railroad pushed to quickly extend their network, and thousands of brave Chinese took a chance at a new life. The laborers endured harsh conditions in and out of camp, building this extensive system of tunnels and load bearing walls, connecting the railway from the Sierras to the Bay Area.

For an in-depth write-up about the tunnels and the wall visit CalEXPLORnia. "The signage at the trailhead said 8,000 Chinese helped build the wall, and this link says 12,000," said Rita "it was a challenge to find any official statistics but it is clear a significant amount of labor was needed to construct this behemoth. There is a museum in Truckee that has more information, and I’m hoping to visit there next time. Either way - all the posted information agrees that they endured awful conditions in and out of camp, and terrible prejudices."

It is said that they were constructed by the use of hand drilling, black powder, and nitroglycerin (which consequently caused an untold number of worker deaths).

Rita is an author, passionate historian, art lover and avid photographer which is why viewing these tunnels were such a moving and captivating experience.

"Growing up in a very depressed household, raised on sad family histories, books were a major ingredient for me to escape real life," said Rita. " It wasn't until my late 30s, with enough time and distance, that I could embrace my past, without feeling embarrassed by it. I was able to look back and find episodes of humor. Viewing the past through a new lens gave me the confidence to publish what I'd written down."

The author description for Rita on the goodreads website reads as follows" Rita Szollos is the sleep-deprived "mum" to a very curious 8 year old, a devoted dog, and two energetic kittens. She takes pleasure in writing about the smallest details of life - the quiet moments, the snapshots. Together with her Kiwi husband, the family enjoys hiking, biking, kayaking, and camping in the Bay Area around San Francisco. Rita is currently working on her second novel, tracing her parents' escape from Hungary more than 45 years ago."

It is therefore understandable that Rita could connect with the slice of Californian history depicted in these tunnels.

According to CPRR.org, the tunnels were abandoned in the 1990s, after 130 years of use. These days they are open to the public. There’s a small parking lot nearby, and signage along the short hike to the wall and tunnel entrances also points out petroglyphs on the rocky hillside. The tunnels go on for a long time with occasional short gaps to the outside world.

Rita said they met lots of others doing the walk - so if anyone is interested in exploring some striking Californian history, they should put this on their list.

She suggested packing a flashlight for darker sections along the tunnels (although there are large gaps in the walls that provide light along the way). "Be prepared for a lengthy gallery of graffiti art - great for photography!" said Rita.

Photo credits: Rita Szollos

You can see more of her beautiful photographs on Instagram @trivalley_today