About the Art: Mountain Leisure

For centuries, the Central Sierra Me-Wuk tribes have shared this bountiful land with wildlife, surrounded by some of the most beautiful sights on the planet. The Gold Rush brought miners from around the world, seeking their fortunes from the rivers and mountains. Their families joined them, along with thousands of others--bankers, merchants, restauranteurs, craftsmen, lumberjacks, entertainers--all settling in these verdant hills. Among them, Henry Michael De Ferrari, who opened and operated the Pioneer Saloon in Groveland just east of the Old Granite Store (now the Iron Door Saloon) from 1903 - 1915, had the house (pictured in one of the illustrations) built for his new bride, Rose Cassaretto in 1899. In 1909, DeFerrari also managed the early telephone office, which was located in the Groveland Hotel.

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The house was moved just thirty feet to its current location in the late 1980's to become the set piece for the Mountain Leisure Center. Today, it is occupied by Ranch Revived whose owner was born and raised in Groveland. The Mountain Leisure Center also houses The Grove Mercantile, home to the best handmade ice cream around and owned by the artist's family.

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Our area is rich in heritage and has become a place where people enjoy a multitude of outdoor activities and adventures, where businesses thrive, and our small community works together to provide experiences that bring folks coming back for more.

 

Summer, winter, spring, and fall, you can choose strolling, hiking, biking, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, sledding, whitewater rafting, flying, swimming, kayaking, tubing, fishing, paddleboarding, camping, dining, and sipping cocktails. You can drink local craft beer, create a mosaic, blow glass, savor a dish of handmade ice cream, listen to live music, hang out by the pool, river, or lake, or just kick back and enjoy the silence of nature speaking all around you. However you define "leisure," you can find it here.