Lotta Crabtree was born in New York in 1847 and in the early 1850s came to
Grass Valley where her parents operated a boardinghouse for gold miners. It was there that young Lotta met the famous Lola Montez who legend tells us taught her to sing and dance. Lotta entertained in mining camps and later graced the American stage for 50 years. She was the first American entertainer to become a millionaire, earning an estimated $3 million. The home of her youth has since been remodeled into apartments.
