- John A. “Snowshoe” Thompson
- (Jon A. Torsteinson–Rue)
- Mailman of the Sierra
- Born: April 30, 1827, Tinn, Telemark, Norway
- Emigrated to America from Norway; May 30 1837
- Carried the mail; January 1856 – May 1876
- Twice a month during the winter for 20 years
- Distance: 90 miles between Placerville, CA and Genoa, NV
- Buried: Genoa cemetery, the grave site headstone carving depicts a pair of crossed skis.
Transversing the mighty sierra mountain ridges on a piar of homemade “long” skis and using his single pole for balance: “Snowshoe” braved 20 – 50 foot snow depths, snowdrifts and blizzards. The mail must reach its destination. “Snowshoe” carried a mail bag weighing 50 to 100 pounds strapped to his back. He carried crackers and dried beef for food, drank melted snow from his hand and rested only when necessary during the three day trek from Placerville to Genoa. The mail was Genoa’s only contact with the outside world during the long winter months.
“Snowshoe” Thompson – a true hero of the west
- Sculptor: Don Budy
- Text by: B J Rightmire: town of Genoa, historian
- Monument dedicated in June 2001 in Mormon Station State Park in Genoa
Snowshoe Thompson Monument
We are reading about Snowshoe Thompson in our 2nd grade reading groups. We enjoyed the information on your website. We are happy that Snowshoe Thompson delivered the mail. Thank you for creating this website.
Sincerely, Mrs. Mion’s Reading Class
The site is a pleasure to be involved with! Thank you for commenting, please do so again if you have any information that will add to it!