An illustrated short story based on the life and times of
Joshua Norton who in 1859 declared himself Emperor of the United States… and
got away with it for 21 years! It's a great story for Christmas or anytime of
the year.
In 1849 gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill. Tens of
thousands of people from around the world set out to find their fortunes in
northern California. One man, an English businessman named Joshua Norton,
arrived by ship and became a successful trader. He became so successful in
fact, that he became one of the wealthiest men in the city… until he got
greedy. He attempted to corner the rice market and ended up losing everything,
including a bit of his sanity.
Norton became a vagrant wandering the streets. But nothing
could keep his spirits down for long, especially in a place like San Francisco.
He soon became one of the most beloved eccentrics in the city’s history.
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