I recently spent some time in Columbia, California, one of the beautiful old mining towns that dot Northern California in what are called the Sierra Nevada Gold Fields. These gold fields are located far inland from San Francisco, and in the 19th century, were only accessed through an extremely difficult journey. But they drew those who dreamed of golden riches. They called these dreamers the "49rs".
In 1945, the town of Columbia became The Columbia State Historic Park to preserve and promote the amazing history of the gold rush in California. Today it is a living-history museum populated with costumed residents performing daily activities such as black-smithing.
It features the largest single collection of existing gold rush-era structures in California. Since we were visiting on a chilly early spring day, we had the town all to ourselves. It really was a "ghost town"!
In 1945, the town of Columbia became The Columbia State Historic Park to preserve and promote the amazing history of the gold rush in California. Today it is a living-history museum populated with costumed residents performing daily activities such as black-smithing.
It features the largest single collection of existing gold rush-era structures in California. Since we were visiting on a chilly early spring day, we had the town all to ourselves. It really was a "ghost town"!
The gold fields became a magnet during what was famously termed the “Gold Rush”, beginning in 1848. When word of the gold strike at Sutter’s Mill near the town of Coloma spread throughout the United States and even to other countries, people flocked to areas like Columbia to stake claims, pitch their tents and begin prospecting for gold.
The “49rs”, those seekers of a bonanza of gold, the dreamers and speculators, flooded in and eventually, the business people followed. They would make a fortune servicing those who were in pursuit of that bright shiny coveted ore.
The “49rs”, those seekers of a bonanza of gold, the dreamers and speculators, flooded in and eventually, the business people followed. They would make a fortune servicing those who were in pursuit of that bright shiny coveted ore.
On March 27, 1850, Dr. Thaddeus Hildreth, with his brother George and a few other prospectors, made camp in the area. They found gold, and miners streamed in to make claims nearby. Before the month was out, the stake was known as Hildreth’s Diggings, and a tent and wood structure shanty town housing several thousand miners was created and the town began to flourish, adding banks and of course, a Wells Fargo “Pony Express” stop!
Located in the heart of “Mother Lode” country, Columbia yielded $87 million in gold at 1860′s prices. There is a museum filled with photos, personal items, tools and other interesting things collected from the mining era.
Water was continually a challenge for the town, since the only natural source available to them was whatever accumulated in the gulleys that captured run-off from the Sierra Mountains. Eventually, water companies formed to pump water into the town via aqueduct from area lakes and rivers and cisterns were built to capture rain water.
Even with these improvements in water availability, fires were a constant threat. In 1854, a great fire destroyed all of the structures in town with the exception of the one brick building, so the town had to rebuild. This time, they built mostly out of brick, but in 1857, fire broke out again.
Finally in 1859, they developed a volunteer fire department and acquired the Papeete, a small, fancifully decorated fire engine. Its arrival in Columbia was the occasion for much fanfare and celebration. A year later the Monumental, a larger hand pumper, was added. This small fire house did much to insure the survival of the picturesque main street buildings of historic Columbia we see today.
Even with these improvements in water availability, fires were a constant threat. In 1854, a great fire destroyed all of the structures in town with the exception of the one brick building, so the town had to rebuild. This time, they built mostly out of brick, but in 1857, fire broke out again.
Finally in 1859, they developed a volunteer fire department and acquired the Papeete, a small, fancifully decorated fire engine. Its arrival in Columbia was the occasion for much fanfare and celebration. A year later the Monumental, a larger hand pumper, was added. This small fire house did much to insure the survival of the picturesque main street buildings of historic Columbia we see today.
Candy, ice cream and novelty shops dot the main street and you can stop in at the town brewery or the saloon for a beer or an authentic old time, locally made sarsaparilla.
A tea house provides a lovely place to stop and have tea-sandwiches and scones along with an impressive array of teas to choose from. Small boutiques filled with unique and hand-made clothing and accessories can be found nestled on the side streets.
Several of shops are museum quality displays of store goods and professional services from the gold-rush era. I was particularly fascinated by the Chinese herbal medicines and horrified by the antique dental instruments!
The town even has its own repertory theater and old-timey photographic studio. At the time of my visit, some of the town’s hotels were closed and under renovation, so be sure to check out available accommodations in the area if you plan to stay overnight.
The Hidden Treasure Gold Mine provides an opportunity to see what panning for gold would have been like, and to see the early prospecting tools. The early prospectors may have also used other techniques also, such as using dams and other methods for forced erosion. The rock formations next to the mine certainly look as if some sort of water pressure was used to dig out the looser gold bearing gravel.
If you’re up for it, you can even pan for gold at a working gold mine! We didn’t do it, but I can imagine that it would be really fun for kids!
If you’re up for it, you can even pan for gold at a working gold mine! We didn’t do it, but I can imagine that it would be really fun for kids!
Be sure to visit the old jail where you can peer into the cells where unruly miners would have been locked up. As you can imagine, life in a mining town would have been rough and dangerous.
Last but not least, you must check out the hen-coup where you can open the tops of a few of the nesting boxes to see the broody hen sitting on her eggs. Who knew chickens could be so interesting!
If you are in Northern California for a visit, be sure to stop by to see The Columbia State Historic Park. Visiting Columbia is like traveling back in time to the sights, smells, and sounds of a nineteenth century mining settlement.
RSS Feed