A rare pair of outdoor tintypes showing J.B. Murphy’s grocery and general store in the mining town of Cherokee, Nevada County, CA.

J.B. Murphy came to Nevada County in the 1840s. He opened a general store in French Corral along with the one pictured here, in Cherokee. He would travel on horse and sulky between the two outfits until one day, in 1870, he was thrown from his horse and died. His widow, Mary Elizabeth, ran the Cherokee store for several years after his passing, including the time when these photos were taken.

One other interesting aspect of the photos is that in one of them a broadside is visible which reads “Garfield and the Chinese.” Presumably this is in regards to the famous “October Surprise” of the 1880 election, when the New York Times published a letter purportedly written by Garfield, expressing his support for Chinese Immigration. Although Garfield immediately condemned it as a forgery, the letter may have contributed to his defeat in several western states. Authorship of the letter remains unknown.

Located on the San Juan Ridge, the community of Cherokee has also been called Patterson, Melrose, and Tyler.