Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, wrote “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” in his cabin in Angels Camp, CA in 1865

when it was published in 1867 with other stories, it was a big success and gained him his first fame as a humorist

in his honor, the town of Angels Camp organized the first jumping frog contest to celebrate the paving of Main Street in 1928

the contest has been a popular annual event ever since

the Calaveras County fairgrounds are now better known as Frogtown