The Mokelumne River winds its way 95 miles through Northern California, from the central area of Sierra Nevada and all the way to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The river watershed drains roughly 2,143 square miles across multiple counties, namely Alpine, Amado, Calaveras, San Joaquin and Sacramento in California. Divided into the Upper and Lower […]
The Smith River watershed drains the mountains in the most northwesterly corner of the state of California. Situated in Del Norte County, this region sees much less activity than most other parts of the state. Even most Californians have never been here. Gold mining in the region dates back almost as early as the original […]
Catalina Island, a rocky land mass off the coast of Southern California, was home to a short-lived gold rush in the 1860s, long after the famous California Gold Rush. However, its mining history precedes this rush by thousands of years. Early history Inhabited by the Pimugnans (a native California tribe) as early as […]
1775-1780 Gold is discovered in the Potholes mining district, Imperial County, CA. Additional gold deposits are discovered in the Cargo Muchacho and Picacho mining districts. 1828-1842 Additional gold sources are found in Southern California in San Diego and Los Angeles County. 1848 First gold nugget is found at Sutter’s […]
Bodie commanded little attention from gold miners during the mid-1850s. While other mountainous areas that promised gold were flocked by thousands of prospectors, Bodie had almost no takers or believers. The harsh weather and isolated mountains didn’t attract many settlers. The fortune of the small mining district changed when Bill Bodey decided to try his […]
California has steadily evolved and kept up with changing times, which has helped the state to become one of the richest in the United States. The gold rush of 1849 started the mass movement of people to California. Many mining towns in California that are now abandoned were once flooded with thousands of gold seekers. […]
The town of Mariposa is located on a plot of land with a long, rich history. Known for its Mother Lode, the legendary gold vein that sparked a mining boom, Mariposa would outlast other mining settlements and make its mark on American history. Prior to the mining town’s birth, the Southern Miwok Indians had lived […]
Yosemite National Park gets over 4-million visitors each season. It’s natural beauty is unparalleled, but it can get kind of crowded in the summertime. After you’ve visited the sights at the park, consider taking a short excursion outside of the park to do some gold panning. There is no gold panning allowed within Yosemite, but […]
The Stanislaus River flows right through the heart of some of California’s richest gold country. The headwaters start high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and much of the river is accessible from public lands of the Stanislaus National Forest. The river continues westward, where it eventually finds its way down to Modesto and then on […]
The earliest gold discoveries in Kern County were made at nearby Greenhorn Gulch. This area was far south of the major gold rush in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. These early gold strikes were made in 1851 and caused a renewed interest in this part of California. Those first placer deposits were found at Greenhorn Creek, […]