[DoctorStrange]

Last summer, I posted about how I camped and white rafted the last two summers on the American River in California. The California Gold Rush started based on gold being found at John Sutter’s Mill on the American River.

My parents recently moved up to Sonora, CA, which is another historic CA Gold Rush mining town. It’s surrounded by 2-3 other gold rush sites, including the town of Columbia which has a preserved old west town. On my parents’ property is a gold rush era water sluiceway for mining that still has water going through it.

For reference, these towns are in eastern CA in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and about an hour from Yosemite National Park.

Two days ago we visited Columbia and apparently, $29 billion in gold was removed from there. Also, one of the first major Wells Fargo stations was there besides San Francisco. Several of the old saloons are still open.

Explore the Gold Rush at Columbia State Historic Park | Visit California | Visit California

Step into Gold Rush history at Columbia State Historic Park, a preserved town with strolling docents and events galore in California’s Tuolumne County.

www.visitcalifornia.com

Columbia California

westernmininghistory.com

My photo uploads aren’t working at the moment so I’ll try later.

In March of 1850, Dr. Thaddeus Hildreth led a prospecting party that discovered gold at this location. When word of the discovery spread, hundreds of miners started arriving at the scene. "Hildreth's Diggings" was the name of the original camp, and by mid-year thousands of miners were working the gold placers here.

The easily accessible gold was largely worked out in the first year, and a source of water was needed to drive the mines deeper into the ancient river gravels. During this time the original settlement was almost completely abandoned. The first ditches and flumes were built in 1851, the mines were once again active, and miners flocked back to the area. Late that year, the Columbia post office was established.

Columbia, California placer miners ca. 1860s

By 1852 Columbia had 8 hotels, 4 banks, 17 general stores, 2 firehouses, 2 bookstores, 1 newspaper, 3 churches, and over 40 saloons and gambling halls. In 1854 a major fire destroyed 6 city blocks. The town was rebuilt, this time with "fireproof" buildings constructed of brick and iron. In 1857, another fire burned down much of the town, but most of the newer brick buildings survived.

In 1854 the Columbia and Stanislaus River Water Company was formed to build a new 60 mile aqueduct to supply water for the mines. The project was not completed until 1858. While the aquaduct was not a financial success for the company that built it, it did allow for more extensive mining that kept Columbia active into the 1860s. Numerous photos of the extensive and elaborate placer operations were taken during this time.

Columbia, California placer mines ca. 1860s


In 1859 Columbia was California's third largest city.
The mining operations of the 1860s began eating up some of the town itself. Miners dug under buildings and tore down houses to get at the gold beneath the city. The bricks from the destroyed buildings of Columbia were sold to the nearby town of Copperopolis for construction of buildings there.

 

[pgg00]

Make sure you stop by the red church. My grandparents would drag us to there. Alot of times my grandmother would take one of her old packards.

 

[DoctorStrange]

Make sure you stop by the red church. My grandparents would drag us to there. Alot of times my grandmother would take one of her old packards.

Is it in Columbia or Sonora? By the way, Dodge Ridge isn’t open yet for skiing so we went to Bear Valley, which was open.

 

[pgg00]

Sonora. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._James_Episcopal_Church_(Sonora)

 

[DoctorStrange]

Sonora. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._James_Episcopal_Church_(Sonora)

Oh interesting. My parents would like that. Made out of redwood too. As you likely know, it’s no longer legal to harvest redwood trees for lumber. However, due to its anti fire and insect properties, it makes for high quality building materials.

 

[Chip S.]

You can still find gold there right ? Small amounts ?

 

[Hoss]

Pretty cool!

Along the American River in California

The South Fork American River in California Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images
Gold panning along the 119-mile American River east of Sacramento is nothing new—it’s where the California Gold Rush started. For decades, 49ers panned and mined along the river, collectively finding over 750,000 pounds of gold.
Even though the gold rush has slowed since its peak in the 19th century, prospectors still find gold nuggets in the American River. One place along the river where the public can pan for free is at Auburn State Recreation Area on the border of Placer and El Dorado Counties. At this location, all gold-hunting equipment is banned, except for the good ol’ fashioned gold pan. With recent California snowpacks, the melting snow is causing excitement among California prospectors. When water starts flowing from the mountains, gold flakes can erode off the rocks, washing down into the waterways.
The Auburn State Recreation Area features over 100 miles of hiking and horse trails that wind around the American River. This gives prospectors the opportunity to pan at different locations in the river and view incredible scenery along the way.

Five Places Where You Can Still Find Gold in the United States

Lucky for you, these gold rush hot spots have not yet run their mining course

www.smithsonianmag.com

 

[tenifglockfin]

Beautiful town. I had lunch there a few times.

 

[DoctorStrange]

You can still find gold there right ? Small amounts ?

Yes, there is still gold panning. Most of the easily mined gold (surface or right below) was taken out in the gold rush era. Our rafting guide on the American River last summer said a majority of the gold is still there. It just was beyond the technology of the 1800s to pull most of the rest out. Apparently there are still a few active mines.

 

[DoctorStrange]

Pretty cool!
View attachment 1258179

Along the American River in California

The South Fork American River in California Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images
Gold panning along the 119-mile American River east of Sacramento is nothing new—it’s where the California Gold Rush started. For decades, 49ers panned and mined along the river, collectively finding over 750,000 pounds of gold.
Even though the gold rush has slowed since its peak in the 19th century, prospectors still find gold nuggets in the American River. One place along the river where the public can pan for free is at Auburn State Recreation Area on the border of Placer and El Dorado Counties. At this location, all gold-hunting equipment is banned, except for the good ol’ fashioned gold pan. With recent California snowpacks, the melting snow is causing excitement among California prospectors. When water starts flowing from the mountains, gold flakes can erode off the rocks, washing down into the waterways.
The Auburn State Recreation Area features over 100 miles of hiking and horse trails that wind around the American River. This gives prospectors the opportunity to pan at different locations in the river and view incredible scenery along the way.

Five Places Where You Can Still Find Gold in the United States

Lucky for you, these gold rush hot spots have not yet run their mining course

www.smithsonianmag.com

It’s a beautiful area with a lot of history. I camped on the American River within a mile of Sutter’s Mill the last two years

 

[Chip S.]

Thanks to all.
Friend went to Co, and Ca. like 25 yrs. ago, and was hooked. He took a year off his reg. job.
He said there is enough to get by as a single guy living in a van, tent, ect.
Always on the hunt for that big-one. lol