Butte County resident Pres Longley, the “Bard of Butte”' and the “Poet of Helltown,” captured the spirit of California as it transitioned away from the rambunctious days of the Gold Rush. In verse both humorous and heart-felt, he championed the little guy, paid tribute to his fellow Forty-Niners, advocated for women's rights, and gloried in California's sublime scenery. Over 100 of his poems are gathered in this collection, edited by John Rudderow and Nancy Leek. A biographical introduction and notes on the background of the poems are included.