The CA-NV Chapter of OCTA holds an annual symposium every Winter or Spring. In most years the symposium kicks off with a chapter meeting on Friday evening. Then there usually are lectures on Saturday followed by a happy hour and dinner on Saturday evening. A local tour usually takes place on Sundays.

Definition of Symposium (from The American Heritage Dictionary): (1) A meeting or conference for discussion of some topic (2) A collection of writing on a particular topic, as in a magazine (3) A convivial meeting for drinking, music and intellectual discussion among the ancient Greeks.

Thanks to Mary Mueller for coming up with the definition of "symposium" and for providing the research for this page.

OCTA Planning Historic Trails Symposium in Yuma, Jan. ‘09   

A mid-Winter historic trails symposium in Yuma, Arizona, in January 2009, is being planned by the Oregon-California Trails Association (OCTA).

Billed as “All Roads to Lead to Yuma,” the symposium will feature speakers and tours covering several of the pioneer and early routes that converged on the historic crossing point of the Colorado River, from the Juan Bautista de Anza expedition in the 1770s to the Gold Rush era of the 1840s and 1850s to the stage routes of the late 19th Century. The planned dates are January 16 – 18.

For further information, please see the "2008-2009 Activities Calendar" page

Spring Symposium 2008 - March 7-9, Sacramento, CA  

Photos by Roger Blair

Captions by Leslie Fryman

(Click on the picture to download the FULL-SIZE version)

Members gather at the Hawthorne Suites in Sacramento to attend both National Board meetings and the CA-NV chapter spring symposium and Board meeting.		Symposium speaker Gary Kurutz, Executive Director and Curator of Special Collections at the California State Library.
Symposium speaker Gary Noy, Professor of History at Sierra College and Founder and Director of the Sierra College Center for Sierra Nevada Studies.		It wouldn’t be Spring Symposium without a great buffet lunch!
Several members of the Sutter’s Fort Wagon Committee received awards at this year’s symposium, including Frank and Mary Ann Tortorich of Pine Grove, California. Here with CA-NV Chapter President Steve Knight and 2008 Symposium Program Director Joyce Everett.		Frank Tortorich and members of the Wagon Committee proudly display the 1846 emigrant wagon replica during a symposium field trip to Sutter’s Fort.

All work and no play...this year’s symposium entertainment included music of the Gold Rush presented by Alan Fuller and Jennifer Rutherford, accompanied by CA-NV OCTA Past President Jim Allison.

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