
“Jennie” drinking water on Deer Creek
While reading Eric Gardner’s book—Jennie Carter: A Black Journalist of the Early West—in the spring of 2019, Deer Creek Project Coordinator, Lisa Redfern day-dreamed about highlighting Jennie Carter in a historical video. Upon reaching Carter’s temperance segment (page 25, 1868) describing drinking water out of Deer Creek, Redfern found the connection she needed to go-for-it.
Video production took the entire summer to execute;
- pieces of Carter’s writing were selected
- Katrina Thompson was asked to portray and voice act for Jennie Carter’s part
- filming location permission, costumes, and props were secured
- scene planning was mapped and detailed
- a delightful evening was spent at Randco Studios recording Jennie’s writing
- filming took place on one long day (July 5th) starting early in Colfax and following the light to the Pine Grove Cemetery in Nevada City
Locations:
- Colfax Area Heritage Museum
- Pine Grove Cemetery, Nevada City
- Doris Foley Historical Library, Nevada City
- Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum
- The lovely, cultivated garden of Ann Adams
- Deer Creek, Nevada County

Filming day started early in Colfax

Jennie Carter’s headstone in Pine Grove Cemetery, Nevada City

Costuming from Solstice Vintage Clothing, Nevada City

“Jennie” extolling the world of letters and reading
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Many thanks to…
Voice Acting & Jennie Carter Portrayal

Katrina Thompson | (916) 218-8198
Audio Recording & Sound Design

Randy Landenberger, Randco Studios, Grass Valley, CA | randylscott@randco.me
Research

Tracey Lilyquist, Librarian, Doris Foley Historical Library
The Jennie Carter production would not have been as wonderful without them!
_________
Video Editing
Initially, the Jennie Carter material was envisioned as five short videos. Each segment — four minutes in length — took a full week to compile and edit.
Every square or rectangle in the video above represents an image, a sound effect, video clip, or text file.
Once the segments were proofed, it was decided that they would show better as one piece.
Director & Video Production

Lisa Redfern and Katrina Thompson on Deer Creek at the end of filming day.
Lisa Redfern
Redfern Studio
Little Mountain Publishing
(530) 559-4367
“Lost, one golden hour with sixty diamond minutes. No reward, for they can never be found.” Horace Mann, 1856
If you liked this post, check out;
Jennie Carter’s Thoughts & Words from Nevada City 1867 – 1874 (video)
Jennie Carter’s Nevada County Setting 1860s, 2nd Marriage & Obituary
Jennie Carter’s Pre-Civil War, Civil War & Reconstruction-era 1846-1870
Jennie Carter Book Review
Nineteenth-Century Creole Snacks & Jennie Carter (Shared Tastes recipe blog)
For more behind-the-scenes imagery, visit Following Deer Creek on Instagram.

Jennie Carter: A Black Journalist of the Early West edited by Eric Gardner, Copyright © 2007 published by University Press of Mississippi