View source for Gold Country

{{short description|Historic gold-mining region in Northern California}}
[[File:Sierra Gold Rush map.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2|Map of Sierra Nevada gold country]]
The '''Gold Country''' (also known as '''[[Mother lode|Mother Lode]] Country''') is a historic region in the [[Northern California|northern portion]] of the [[U.S. state]] of [[California]], that is primarily on the western slope of the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]]. It is famed for the [[mineral]] deposits and [[gold mine]]s that attracted waves of immigrants, known as the [[California Gold Rush#Forty-niners|49ers]], during the 1849 [[California gold rush]].

==History==
When gold was first discovered in 1848, many people came from all over the world to find gold. The migration into California also brought diseases and violence.<ref name="García 2013">{{Citation|last=García|first=Justin|chapter=California Gold Rush|publisher=SAGE Publications, Inc.|isbn=9781452216836|doi=10.4135/9781452276274.n150|title=Multicultural America: A Multimedia Encyclopedia|year=2013}}</ref> There were 500 mining camps of which 300 are still undocumented. There was $400 million in gold mined between 1849 and 1855.<ref>{{Cite book|title=American history through literature 1820 - 1870|last=Robert|first=Gabler-Hover, Janet Sattelmeyer|date=2006|publisher=Thomson Gale|isbn=978-0684314624|oclc=255149412}}</ref> In 1942 most of the mines shut down due to [[World War II]].<ref name=":0"/> The transportation in Gold Country grew rapidly due to the Gold Rush. The first railroad in California ran through Gold Country.<ref name=":2"/> There were 250 different stage coach companies formed by 1860.<ref name=":2"/>

===Major events by county===
[[File:Looking down into mine at Empire Mine.jpg|thumb|331x331px|Looking down into the [[Empire Mine State Historic Park|Empire Mine]] shaft in [[Grass Valley, California]]]]

* [[Amador County, California|'''<u>Amador County</u>''']] – At the time of the [[California Gold Rush|Gold Rush]] the [[Kennedy Mine]] was the deepest in the world at 5,919 feet. [[Argonaut Mine]] was active from 1850 to 1942. In 1922, there was a fire in the area and 47 men were trapped in the mine and died. This mine was shut down due to World War II.<ref name=":0"/>
* '''<u>[[Butte County, California|Butte County]]</u>''' – [[Cherokee, California|Cherokee]] was [[Hydraulic mining|hydraulic-mined]] from 1860 to 1870. Cherokee was the first place to find [[diamond]]s in the United States in 1864. In [[Oroville, California|Oroville]] a Chinese temple was established in 1863. The Chinese worked on the railroads and mining the area.<ref name=":0"/>
* [[Calaveras County, California|'''<u>Calaveras County</u>''']] – This county was known for the biggest gold nugget found in the [[United States]]. Weighing 195&nbsp;pounds, the nugget was found in [[Carson Hill, California|Carson Hill]].<ref>[https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/ListedResources/Detail/274 Carson Hill landmark] California State Parks</ref> In [[Copperopolis, California|Copperopolis]], $72 million worth of copper was found. Many of the copper mines in this area supplied the Union armies needs in the [[American Civil War|Civil War.]] In 1856 [[Mitchler Hotel]] was built. [[Black Bart (outlaw)|Black Bart]] stayed in this hotel numerous times.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=A guide to the gold rush country of California|last=Frank|first=Lorey|isbn=978-1634990257|location=[Charleston, SC]|oclc=995304792|date = 2017-11-23}}</ref>
* '''<u>[[El Dorado County, California|El Dorado County]]</u>''' – This county is the key to the Gold Country. This is where gold was discovered in 1848 by [[James W. Marshall|James Marshall]] at [[Sutter's Mill]].<ref name="García 2013"/> The 13.8 lb [[Fricot Nugget]] was found at [[Spanish Dry Diggings]].<ref>[https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=588 California State Mining and Mineral Museum]  California State Parks</ref> Sutter's Fort was destroyed by all the people that came here during the Gold Rush.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Gold the California Story|last=Hill|first=Mary|publisher=University of California Press|year=1999}}</ref>
* '''<u>[[Mariposa County, California|Mariposa County]]</u>''' – Located in the southern portion of Hwy 49. This county is known for the Ghirardelli Factory dated to 1855–1858. One of the mines in [[Mariposa County, California|Mariposa County]] was the Princetown Mine, which pulled out $5 million in gold.<ref name=":0"/>
* [[Nevada County, California|<u>'''Nevada County'''</u>]] – This county had the most gold out of all of Gold County pulled out of it totaling $440 million worth. [[Holbrooke Hotel]] is one of the oldest hotels still operating in Gold Country. It was built in 1851. [[Empire Mine State Historic Park|Empire Mine]] was a well known mine in the area, which is now a state park. This mine extends 200 miles underground. This mine was still in operation after the war. $100 million worth of gold was extracted from this mine. [[Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad]] was constructed in 1876. This railroad allowed faster travel between Grass Valley and Nevada City. It was shut down in 1942. In 1851 in [[North Bloomfield, California|North Bloomfield]] many mines were producing high volumes of gold, but died out by 1853. Malakoff Diggings was known for its booming hydraulic mining.<ref name=":0"/>
* <u>'''[[Placer County, California|Placer County]]'''</u> – Colfax was known for a main station for supplies from the Central Pacific Railroad. Many of the area was known for [[quartz]]. About $2 million in quartz was found. Placer County was known for the robber "Rattlesnake Dick" in 1850.<ref name=":1"/>
* [[Plumas County, California|<u>'''Plumas County'''</u>]] – Gold was first found in this county at Rabbit Creek. $60 million in gold was found in the [[La Porte, California|La Porte]] area. John Bidwell first discovered gold in the Feather River. Spanish Ranch had over $100 million worth of gold come out of it. In Crescent Mill they found a gold vein 20 feet thick.<ref name=":0"/>

[[File:Hole in moutain in La Porte,California.jpg|thumb|343x343px|A hole in the mountain in La Porte, California, once used to divert water from Slate Creek]]

* [[Sierra County, California|<u>'''Sierra County'''</u>]] – [[Allegheny Mountains|Allegheny]] was known for a 163-pound gold nugget. The mine was shut down during the war but then was opened back up in 1965. This mine is still mined occasionally today. In 1992 $70,000 was mined out of it. In 1849 gold was first found in the Yuba river in [[Downieville, California|Downieville]]. The tale of a 427-pound nugget found near there is unverified.<ref>Florin, Lambert (1971) [https://books.google.com/books?id=XKYRAQAAIAAJ&q=Finney ''Ghost Towns of The West''] NY: Promontory Press {{ISBN|9780883940136}} p199</ref><ref>Clampitt, John Wesley (1888) [https://books.google.com/books?id=xAgmAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA626 ''Echoes from the Rocky Mountains''] Chicago: National Book Concern {{OCLC|33959185}} p626</ref> Hydraulic mining was used at [[Howland Flat]] and Poker Flat in the 1850s. $700,000 worth of gold came out of Poker Flat alone.<ref name=":0"/>
* <u>'''[[Tuolumne County, California|Tuolumne County]]'''</u> – [[Knights Ferry, California|Knights Ferry]] had the largest covered bridge on the west coast dating back to 1862. In [[Jamestown, California|Jamestown]] they found a 75-pound golden nugget. Sierra Railroad House was built in 1897. It was a popular site for filming movies. Eagle Shawmut Mine had $7.4 million mined out of it.<ref name=":0"/>
* [[Yuba County, California|<u>'''Yuba County'''</u>]] – This county was known for dredging the rivers, mills, hydraulic mining and its many little towns. Most of the towns were built around trails. They provided hotels, stores, and bars for the newcomers. They had one of the largest dredgers ever, in the [[Yuba River]] at one point. It dredged 4.8 million ounces of gold.<ref name=":0"/> [[Black Bart (outlaw)|Black Bart]] was known in this area for robbing the Wells Fargo stagecoaches coming from [[La Porte, California|La Porte]]. Colgate Powerhouse went into use for the first time in 1899. It supplied power to [[Sacramento]] and [[Oroville, California|Oroville]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=Yuba Feather Hills|last=Rosemarie.|first=Mossinger|date=2006|publisher=Arcadia Pub|others=Yuba Feather Museum (Forbestown, Calif.)|isbn=978-0738531021|location=Charleston, SC|oclc=70220469}}</ref> One of the most famous towns in [[Yuba County, California|Yuba County]] was [[Camptonville, California|Camptonville]]. Gold was first discovered in this town in 1850. The area under the town was so rich in gold that they moved the town to get to the gold.<ref name=":0"/> [[Marysville, California|Marysville]] was a transportation hub for gold to be shipped out to [[San Francisco]]. Millions of dollars in gold came through [[Marysville, California|Marysville]], one of the biggest cities in [[California]] at the time.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Marysville|last=L.|first=Hopkins, Tammy|date=2007|publisher=Arcadia Pub|others=Delamere, Henry.|isbn=9780738547374|location=Charleston, SC|oclc=144226492}}</ref>

==Geology==
The Gold Country lies on the western slope of the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]], reaching down to the [[Sacramento Valley]]. The oldest geology can be found along the easternmost portions of this region, closer to the Sierra Nevada summits, which formed 100 million years ago.<ref name=":2"/> It consists of ancient sea floor and portions of islands which were added onto the western edge of North America during the late [[Paleozoic]], about 275 million years ago. The western sections of the [[Mother Lode]] are significantly younger, from the mid-[[Mesozoic]] about 150 million years ago, and also consist of material that was solidified on the ocean floor to the continental edge. Massive intrusions of [[granite]] forced their way into these formations. After ten miles of overlying material was eroded over the last 70 million years, these intrusions became visible throughout the Sierra Nevada. Over the last 50 million years, rivers and [[volcano]]es deposited materials; these built up in thick layers found atop many of the high ridges of the Sierra Nevada foothills.

==Climate==
This part of California has a [[Mediterranean climate]] like much of [[Italy]] and [[Spain]], making wine grapes and [[vineyard]]s one of the region's primary crops and industry.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}} Over 100 wineries are found throughout the Gold Country. Winters are cool and wet with occasional snowfall, especially in the higher elevations of the eastern reaches up the slopes of the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]] mountains. Winter temperatures range from the upper twenties to mid-fifties. Summers are dry and hot, with long stretches that reach triple digits. The average annual precipitation is around {{Convert|30|in}}. Many dams were built in the Sierra Nevada to hold water. People in California depend on the water that comes from the Sierra Nevada mountains.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title=Worldmark encyclopedia of the nations|last=L.|first=Gall, Timothy|date=2012|publisher=Gale Cengage Learning|isbn=9781414433905|oclc=808772826}}</ref>

==Transportation==
[[California State Route 49]] is the primary north–south highway through the region, passing through many historic mining communities. Major east–west highways include [[Interstate 80 in California|Interstate 80]] and [[U.S. Route 50 in California|U.S. Route 50]].

Two [[Amtrak]] routes run through the area. The eastern terminus of the ''[[Capitol Corridor]]'' is in [[Auburn station (California)|Auburn]]. The ''[[California Zephyr]]'' stops in [[Colfax station|Colfax]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tripsavvy.com/amtrak-to-reno-nevada-4134035|title=Don't Miss Out: Why You Should Take Amtrak to Reno|work=TripSavvy|access-date=2018-10-19}}</ref>

==Counties and towns==
Counties and the towns that are part of Gold Country:
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
*[[Amador County, California|Amador County]]
**[[Amador City, California|Amador City]]
**[[Butte City, Amador County, California|Butte City]]
**[[Drytown, California|Drytown]]
**[[Fiddletown, California|Fiddletown]]
**[[Ione, California|Ione]]
**[[Jackson, California|Jackson]]
**[[Sutter Creek, California|Sutter Creek]]
**[[Plymouth, California|Plymouth]]
**[[Volcano, California|Volcano]]
*[[Butte County, California|Butte County]]
**[[Bangor, California|Bangor]] 
**[[Cherokee, California|Cherokee]]
**[[Forbestown, California|Forbestown]] 
**[[Honcut, California|Honcut]]
**[[Magalia, California|Magalia]] 
**[[Paradise, California|Paradise]]
*[[Calaveras County, California|Calaveras Country]]
**[[Arnold, California|Arnold]]
**[[Angels Camp, California|Angels Camp]]
**[[Camanche, California|Camanche]]
**[[Carson Hill, California|Carson Hill]] 
**[[Copperopolis, California|Copperopolis]]
**[[Murphys, California|Murphys]]
**[[San Andreas, California|San Andreas]]
**[[Valley Springs,California|Valley Springs]]
*[[El Dorado County, California|El Dorado County]]
**[[Cameron Park, California|Cameron Park]]
**[[Camino, California|Camino]]
**[[Coloma, California|Coloma]]
**[[Diamond Springs, California|Diamond Springs]]
**[[El Dorado County, California|El Dorado]]
**[[El Dorado Hills, California|El Dorado Hills]] 
**[[Georgetown, California|Georgetown]]
**[[Lotus, California|Lotus]] 
**[[Aukum, California|Mount Aukum]]
**[[Placerville, California|Placerville]] 
**[[Pleasant Valley, California|Pleasant Valley]]
**[[Pollock Pines, California|Pollock Pines]]
**[[Rescue, California|Rescue]]
**[[Shingle Springs, California|Shingle Springs]]
**[[Somerset, California|Somerset]]
*[[Mariposa County, California|Mariposa County]] 
**[[Mariposa, California|Mariposa]]
*[[Nevada County, California|Nevada County]] 
**[[French Corral, California|French Corral]] 
**[[Grass Valley, California|Grass Valley]] 
**[[Nevada City, California|Nevada City]]
**[[North Bloomfield, California|North Bloomfield]]
**[[Smartsville, California|Smartsville]] 
**[[Timbuctoo, California|Timbuctoo]]
**[[Relief, California|Relief Hill]] 
**[[Rough and Ready, California|Rough and Ready]] 
**[[Washington, California|Washington]] 
*[[Placer County, California|Placer County]]
**[[Auburn, California|Auburn]] 
**[[Colfax, California|Colfax]]
**[[Foresthill, California|Foresthill]]
**[[Meadow Vista, California|Meadow Vista]]
**[[Newcastle, California|Newcastle]]
*[[Plumas County, California|Plumas County]]
**[[Spanish Ranch, California|Spanish Ranch]] 
*[[Sacramento County, California|Sacramento County]] 
**[[Folsom, California|Folsom]] 
*[[Sierra County, California|Sierra County]] 
**[[Alleghany, California|Alleghany]] 
**[[Downieville, California|Downieville]] 
*[[Tuolumne County, California|Tuolumne County]]
**[[Columbia, California|Columbia]]
**[[Groveland-Big Oak Flat, California|Groveland-Big Oak Flat]]
**[[Knights Ferry, California|Knights Ferry]] 
**[[Jamestown, California|Jamestown]]
**[[Sonora, California|Sonora]]
*[[Yuba County, California|Yuba County]]
**[[Camptonville, California|Camptonville]] 
**[[Clipper Mills, California|Clipper Mills]]
**[[Dobbins, California|Dobbins]]
**[[Marysville, California|Marysville]] 
**[[Strawberry Valley, California|Strawberry Valley]]
**[[Oregon House, California|Oregon House]]
**[[Woodleaf, Yuba County, California|Woodleaf]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://visitgoldcountry.com/  Gold Country Visitors Association]
*[http://www.malakoff.com/goldcountry/maintcgc.htm The Virtual California Gold Country: Highway 49 Revisited Online]
*[http://quarriesandbeyond.org/articles_and_books/gold_country/gold_country_bldg_materials.html Building Materials of the California Gold Country: A Selective Photographic Tour from Mariposa in Mariposa County to Auburn in Placer County, on Stone Quarries and Beyond.]

{{Greater Sacramento}}
{{Sacramento Valley}}
{{California}}

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[[Category:California Gold Rush]]
[[Category:Sierra Nevada (United States)]]
[[Category:Regions of California]]
[[Category:Gold mining in the United States]]
[[Category:Sacramento metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Northern California]]