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.
westernmininghistory.com
My photo uploads aren’t working at the moment so I’ll try later.
![Image]()
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]( "Columbia California")
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]( "Columbia California")
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.
