She Was the First and Only Woman to be Hanged in California: The Tragic Tale of "Pretty Juanita"

Pretty Juanita might have been a footnote in history, but her claim to notoriety has echoed through time. In the summer of 1851, she became the first and only woman ever hung in California

Depiction of Josefa Sergovia, often called “Pretty Juanita”

Background

Today, Downieville, California, is a small, quiet town in Sierra County. In 1851, though, it was a rugged gold mining camp and one of the state’s most popular and populous towns.

First settled during the California Gold Rush of 1849 by Major William Downie, a Scotsman, and located where the Downie River and the north fork of the Yuba River meet.