The Rescue Historical Society, Inc. is a nonprofit organization formed for the purpose of gathering, sharing, and archiving information about history and families of the Rescue area in El Dorado County.
The History of Our Society
The Rescue Historical Society came into being when the Rose Springs Literary Society was formed and the hall was constructed. We consider the picture of the early pioneers taken next to the hall as the first documentation of our history.
In 1894 the Rose Springs Literary Society was organized. Two years later they constructed this hall just across the road from the Rescue Post Office. In 1900 they had this group picture taken. It depicts an early who’s who of Rescue. If you look just to the right of the hall, you can see Green Valley Road as it leaves Kelley Creek and nears the Wallace McBeath place.On August 28, 1921, there was a gathering of the oldest White Oak Township and Rescue pioneers at the hall. This picture was taken on the north side of the Rose Springs Literary Society hall. L-R, back row: [1] Alexander D. Skinner, [2] Mrs. T. N. Smith, [3] Thomas N. Smith, [4] Mrs. Ella (Hodgkins) Hare, [5] James Russell, [6] Mrs. May Pelton, [7] Mrs. Phillipena (Etzel) Engesser, [8] Mrs. Elizabeth Went, [9] George Williamson. Front row: [10] William Skinner, [11] Thomas Orr, [12] Mrs. Louisa M. (Pelton) Wing, [13] Andrew J. Hare, [14] Mrs. William Gaylord, [15] Mrs. Sara Wallace, [16] William Went, [17] Edward H. Smith, [18] Jacob Egger.
At about the same time as the photo was taken, Pearle (Wise) Wing began writing about the Rescue area. She was prolific in her documentation of our history.
It wasn’t until 1965 that the Rescue Historical Society was officially formed. Above, Bob Combellack of the El Dorado County Historical Society presents the charter to Mrs. George Jurgens of the Rescue chapter.This is what the Rose Springs Literary Society hall looks like today. Since 1962, the hall has housed the Rescue Post Office.
