Gold Rush Crusin' in the Sierra foothills; Highway 49 offers look into the

Gold’s discovery in Coloma and nearby Gold Rush history...
With the extended Thanksgiving holiday fast-approaching and family/guests in town, take a day's tour of California's Gold Rush history. Your exploration should include Sutter’s Mill in Coloma's James Marshall Gold Discovery Park, just 80 miles from Stockton, and a scenic tour down Highway 49 through a handful of historic cities on your return home.

Sutter's Mill, site of gold discovery, in Marshall Gold Discovery State Park.

John Sutter (also plan a visit to Sutter's Fort in central Sacramento), a Swedish immigrant, received a Mexican land grant in 1839 giving him rights to develop a good portion of the Sacramento and American River Valleys. As his empire expanded, he needed lumber to fuel his construction projects and he partnered with James Marshall to find and build a nearby lumber mill in the Sierra foothills.

Marshall, along with John Sutter's Indian guide, Nerio, found accessibility in the valley of the Cul-Luh-Mah Native Americans, plenty of pine trees and a river (the South Fork of the American) strong enough to power a sizable sawmill. Since the area around Sutter's Mill was beyond his grant, he signed an agreement with the Nisenan Indians.

The first boards destined for Sutter’s empire in Sacramento were milled in March, 1848 and millwork would continue until only 1850. Marshall would discover gold in the tailrace of the mill on January 24, 1848. Due to gold's discovery, the land soon became too valuable, the Gold Rush was on, California’s population would quadruple and land around the mill was sold for gold claims. The mill's dam was removed, the mill fell into disuse and floods in 1862 destroyed what remained.

Interior of Mormon Cabin, millworker's abode, in Marshall Gold Discovery State Park in Coloma.

The Marshal Gold Discovery Park tells the story not only of Sutter's Mill, but of gold mining in the Sierra from 1849 until the latter part of that century. In the park are re-creations of the Arrastre, powered by horses or mules and used by early Spanish settlers to crush rock for gold and small and large crude stamp mills to pulverize rock to release the gold.

Nearby is the huge nozzle of an hydraulic water monitor (cannon), used to wash down the hillsides so the gold could be placer-mined. After streams, rivers and even the San Francisco Bay began to silt-up, hydraulic mining was outlawed by the state in 1884.

The Marshall Gold Discovery State Park is located on Highway 49, 8 miles north of Placerville. From San Joaquin County, go north on Interstate 5, east on US Highway 50 to Placerville, then north on Highway 49 to the park.

Hydraulic water monitor (canon) in Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, Coloma.

From the gold discovery Park, return southbound on Highway 49 come across Highway 50 and tour downtown Placerville, offering 10 blocks of quaint, historic shops and restaurants.

Continue south on Highway 49 to Plymouth, with several blocks of Gold Rush history and eateries, including the regionally-acclaimed Taste restaurant – wonderful food but reservations required. The nearby Shenandoah Valley offers 40+ wineries for sampling of Zinfandel and other regionally noteworthy wines.

Heading further south on Highway 49, take the old Hwy. 49 turn-off to Amador City and Sutter Creek.

Old photo showing hydraulic mining; after washing down silt into the American, Sacramento Rivers and into San Francisco Bay, the practice was outlawed in 1884.

Amador City was founded when Jose Maria Amador, pioneer settler and farmer, mined along an unnamed creek in 1848 and 1849 and found gold. After the easily accessible gold was removed, deep rock mines began to multiply. The Keystone Mine, organized in 1853, became the city's most famous and eventually produced $24 million in gold before closing in 1942. Portions of the old mine, including the rusty headframe, can still be seen towering on the hillside above the town's visitor parking lot.

Amador City offers a quaint five-block walking tour of livable history, including the Amador Hotel, the Imperial Hotel, the Amador School House, a host of old homes and the Keystone Mine. A fine place for lunch or dinner in the city is the Imperial Hotel and Restaurant at the end of the historic district. The hotel offers nine refurbished rooms while the restaurant offers regionally-acclaimed food in a classy, historic setting.

Just two miles away is our favorite gold rush town, Sutter Creek. The old city offers a 10 block stretch of old Main Street complete with bed-and-breakfast, tasting rooms, shops and restaurants. The Hotel Sutter on Main Street is a fine place for lunch or dinner; great pizzas can be found at Gold Dust Pizza, just off Main on Eureka Street.

Sutter Creek's Main Street and historic Hotel Sutter.

Your tour will cover almost 200 miles and offers plenty of diversions.  Plan an early start, pack your walking shoes and binoculars and enjoy a tour of the scenic foothills and the history that put California on the world map in 1849!

Nearby attractions: Indian Grinding Rocks State Park offers additional insight into Native Americans, Murphys and Ironstone Winery offer more history, Black Chasm Caverns affords an opportunity for would-be spelunkers to ply their craft and Columbia State Historic Park further south along Hwy. 49 is a wonderfully preserved Gold Rush town.

For more information: Coloma, parks.ca.gov/?page_id=484, the Marshall Gold Discovery Museum and Visitor Center, 310 Back Street, Coloma, CA 95613, (530) 622-3470; Plymouth, historichwy49.com/amador/plymouth.html; Amador City, amador-city.com/, (209)267-0682; Sutter Creek, suttercreek.org; (209) 267-1344.

Read more from Tim Viall's travel blog, follow him on Facebook or Twitter; or, email him at tviall@msn.com. Happy travels in the west!

Valentine's Day destinations for you and your sweetheart in Northern California

The Delta King, built in Sacramento in 1927, is now a floating hotel and restaurant,
 moored on the Sacramento River at Old Sacramento.

Docents and members of the Sacramento Historical Society stroll the Old Sacramento boardwalks during Easter weekend in 2014.

Sutter Creek has one of the Gold Rush country's best preserved main streets.

The historic Murphys Hotel anchors a main drag with quaint shops, wine-tasting establishments and fine restaurants.

The Point Arena Lighthouse is one of the more photographed portions of the
California coast above Jenner and the Russian River

Another wind-swept view of the rugged California coast just north of Jenner and the Russian River.

Valentine's Day is fast approaching – if you're looking for special destinations in Northern California, several pop quickly into my wife's and my mind!  In 45 years of marriage, my wife has taught me that a special Valentine’s destination has these attributes: scenic, somewhat secluded, fine and somewhat-dressy restaurant(s) nearby, nice lodging if we are spending the night and a sense of history (the latter, my inclusion).  Include flowers and candle-lit dinner, and she is happy!

These destinations are, respectively, to our northeast, just north and east of Stockton and the Valley; each are 2.5 hours or less to reach and a scenic drive gets you there!

The Russian River and Northern California coast are less than three hours to our northwest.  The Russian River and its valley offers an epic romantic getaway, lined with vineyards, deep forests and spritely old towns, and the California coast north and south of the river provides a stunning bonus. The river offers several lovely towns like Guerneville and Jenner, complete with nice restaurants, motels and bed and breakfast accommodations.

The north coast above Jenner offers more of the same with ongoing quaint towns like Gualala, Albion, Mendocino and Fort Bragg, in addition to a stunning, rocky and windswept coast. Just above Jenner, you'll find the old Fort Ross Salt Point State Park and the Point Arena Lighthouse all worthy of exploration.  Or, head south of Jenner to find the towns of Bodega Bay and Bodega (those swooping gulls and blackbirds will remind you of Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds’, filmed in both towns!).

Favorite restaurants for that special Valentines meal include Rivers End in Jenner, looking down on the mouth of the Russian River and a resident sea lion colony, and further north, Sea Ranch, with first rate accommodations and a fine restaurant looking out over the ocean.  Bodega Bay offers The Tides Wharf Restaurant, right on the bay where sea lions often frolic outside your window! The Jenner Inn and Sea Ranch are upscale places to stay, and, for winter campers, beautiful state park campgrounds can be found both north and south of the Russian River.

Gold Rush country and its quaint, historic towns lie just an hour east of Stockton.  With an ongoing non-winter, it's virtually like late spring in the Highway 49/Gold Rush corridor. Of several score of historic towns, two wonderfully preserved and walkable cities, Murphy's and Sutter Creek, top our list.

Both are centers of wine-growing regions and offer a number of winetasting locations right on main streets, lots of interesting shops, fine restaurants and both are rich in history and evidence of the Gold Rush in the 1850s and 60s. Each are eminently walkable with boardwalks and lightly traveled main drags, and offer nearby lodging, from bed-and-breakfasts to cozy motels.  Each town celebrates and preserves its history, when many 49ers made fortunes by placer and hard-rock mining over 150 years ago.

Favorite restaurants include both The Murphy's Hotel and Alchemy in Murphy's and the Hotel Sutter and Susan’s Place in Sutter Creek (all very Valentine’s Day worthy!).  Pizza Plus in Sutter Creek is not only the cleanest pizza place in the Sierra foothills, but also offers great pizza and wonderful service!

Old Sacramento, an historic and gourmet destination, is closest to Stockton and due north just 45 miles. Old Sac is a long-time favorite, with 20 some square blocks of Sacramento's founding history preserved, plenty of great restaurants and cafés, the California Railroad Museum on the north end, the western terminus of the Pony Express in the middle, California Auto Museum to the south, and the Crocker Art Museum just a few blocks walk to the southeast.  Several miles of old boardwalk and plenty of cute shops make it a stroller’s delight!

For a spectacular and romantic place to stay, the old Delta King riverboat moored on the waterfront is a favorite, including a scenic and quality restaurant. A number of other fine restaurants are located in Old Sac, including several we treasure, as will other sweethearts; The Firehouse, Fat City and River City Cafe.  Include Steamers along the waterfront for a cozy café that includes great baked goods to start your morning!

Old Sacramento shops offer bike rentals, hospitality guides share maps and insights on want to see and what to do and the mighty Sacramento River rolls steadily by on the west.   Hornblower Cruises offers river tours, or hop a horse-drawn carriage for a romantic ride through the old city!

Lastly, if you are staying close to Stockton, I can recommend the Stockton Kiwanis Crab Feed, Saturday, Valentine’s Day at St. Basil’s Church, March Lane in Stockton, 6 PM (email me for info)!  My wife isn’t so keen on that idea, so I will take her out to a sweetheart dinner on the 13th, perhaps CoCoRo on Stockton's resurgent Miracle Mile!

Hence, if you're seeking a weekend, romantic getaway, consider these destinations and book soon, lest all the good lodging and restaurant options are sold-out!

How to get there: From Stockton: for the Russian River, take Hwy. 12 west out of Lodi all the way to Sebastapol, then Hwy. 101 north to Santa Rose, then Hwy. 116 to Guerneville and Jenner.  For Murphys, take Hwy. 4 east to Murphys, for Sutter Creek, take Hwy. 88 northeast, go north a mile on Hwy. 49; for Old Sacramento, go north on I-5.

What to take: Binoculars, camera, good walking shoes and snacks for the trip. Bikes if you are a cyclist; for all these old towns are bike-friendly!

For more information:  Russian River, russianriver.com, 877.644.9001; Murphys, visitmurphys.com, or email info@visitmurphys.com; Sutter Creek, suttercreek.org, 209.267.1344; Old Sacramento, oldsacramento.com, 916.442.8575.

For additional travel destination inspiration, see my blog: http://LittlePlacesIKnow.blogspot.com; to contact me, tviall@msn.com.

Happy travels in the West!

Hetch Hetchy Valley and Reservoir; undiscovered but stunning part of Yosemite!

Hetch Hetchy Valley and Reservoir, looking east from trail on the north shore trail of the reservoir.

The trail along the north shore of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, looking back towards the dam.

The Hetch Hetchy Dam, started in 1919, completed in 1923 and further heightened in 1938, it now floods the valley and creates a reservoir that is 8 miles long, and up to 300 feet deep.

Hetch Hetchy Watershed at top, the much-more visited Yosemite Valley (to the south) at bottom of map.

The Hetch Hetchy Valley and free-flowing Tuolumne River, in the early 1900s, before the dam was approved.

A portion of the ferocious Rim Fire of a year ago, that burned vast swathes of forest in and around Yosemite Park; this view looking to the northeast, into the Tuolumne River drainage, with Hetch Hetchy in distance.

The old post office in Chinese Camp, part of a three block Gold Rush ghost town, right on Hwy. 120, on the way to Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite Valleys.

Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and the Tuolumne Valley are close cousins to the mighty Yosemite Valley, virtually undiscovered and almost equally stunning.  Hetch Hetchy is just 115 miles and a scenic day-tour from Stockton!

The Hetch Hetchy Valley was the scene of one of the most epic environmental battles 100 years ago, as John Muir, the Sierra Club and other environmental groups fought to keep this valley pristine and free of development.

Muir's exploration of both Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite, and writings in the influential Century Magazine, helped to get Yosemite National Park established in 1890. However, the much less-visited Hetch Hetchy Valley portion of the park remained in peril.

San Francisco had eyed the valley for extending its water supply since the 1890s and applied several times to the federal government for water rights but was denied. The huge San Francisco earthquake in 1906, when much of the city burned, underlined the city's need for more water and turned the political winds in the city’s favor.

In 1908, US Secretary of interior Garfield granted the city the rights to development of the Tuolumne River, provoking a multi-year environmental battle led by the Sierra Club and John Muir. Muir observed, "Dam Hetch Hetchy! As well damn for water tanks the peoples’ cathedrals and churches for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man".

In 1913, writing to Robert Johnson of Century Magazine, he pressed his argument, noting "The Hetch Hetchy Valley is a wonderfully exact counterpart of the great Yosemite, not only in its sublime cliffs and waterfalls and it's peaceful river, but in the gardens, groves, meadows and campgrounds on its flowery park-like floor". He would continue to fight the city of San Francisco to his death in 1914.

Muir's writings are archived at the University of Pacific and can be read online at go.pacific.edu/specialcollections.

In 1913, the US Congress passed and President Wilson signed the Raker Act, which permitted the flooding of the valley. Muir died the following year, bitter to have lost the fight. Construction on the O’Shaughnessy Dam would begin in 1919 and end in 1923; it was further heightened in 1938 and now supplies water to almost 2.5 million San Franciscans.

What remains is a still stunning valley and pristine 8-mile long reservoir, nearly the equal of Yosemite Valley, and visitors have this part of the park almost unto themselves and can still appreciate the treasure that so stoked John Muir’s soul.

One can drive to the parking lot right beside the O'Shaughnessy Dam. Views from the dam are memorable, but hike a half-mile or several miles along the north side of the reservoir for the most indelible views.  Hetch Hetchy’s relatively low elevation makes for one of the central Sierra’s longest hiking seasons, but, check weather forecasts for winter trips.

Looking up the valley, on the right one sees the massive Kolana Rock, on the left, the Hetch Hetchy Dome. The view extends east, up the reservoir and through the Tuolumne Valley; serious hikers can continue even further east into the Tuolumne Meadows area. Hikers will find varied views both remarkable, and reminiscent of nearby Yosemite Valley.

Crossing the dam, our trail took us past the base of Tueeulala Falls, dry for lack of snowmelt, and to the base of Wapama Falls, surging mightily with early snow melt. It's about a 2 mile hike from the dam to Wapama Falls on an easy, well-maintained trail (note to self: return in April or May to admire these falls when more water is flowing!).

The discussion over water supplied to San Francisco, and ongoing battle over restoration of the valley by removing the dam, continues – but entering our fourth year of California drought, probably won't gain traction in the near-term. Until then, pack your binoculars and camera and set forth on a serious day tour, or longer!  If you are planning a longer trip to Yosemite in general, include a day to tour Hetch Hetchy!

One of the side benefits of such a trip is you pass through a couple of historic towns worth a stop. Chinese Camp is a true Gold Rush ghost town, right on Highway 120. Take the walk down the three block stretch of Main Street, with an old abandoned hotel, post office, merchant’s buildings, rooming house and homes slowly moldering away. Just up the hill on Main is the St. Francis Xavier Mission Church/cemetery, established in 1854.  You will find family plots and pioneer tombstones dating to the 1860s.

Groveland is closer to Hetch Hetchy, also on Hwy. 120, a quaint Gold Rush town catering to tourists with the historic Groveland Hotel, jail dating to 1854 and Groveland Pizza, on north edge of town, a fine family food stop.

Camp Mather and Mather Family Camp, just nine miles from Hetch Hetchy, offers a store, restaurant and variety of accommodations, from cabins to lodge, in a bucolic wooded setting. Vast stands of scorched forest along Evergreen Road, both before and after Camp Mather, offer mute testimony to the ferocious Rim Fire of a year ago.

How to get there: From Stockton, 115 miles, 2.75 hours. Take Highway 4 east to Copperopolis, turn right on O'Byrnes Ferry Road, take a left on highway 120/108 and follow Highway 120 past Chinese camp and Groveland. Then, left on Evergreen Road to the reservoir.  Leave early, particularly if you want time to see Chinese Camp and Groveland; and this portion of Yosemite closes at 5 PM.

What to take: Pack cold weather gear, binoculars, camera and snacks for the trip. Fishing rods and your CA fishing license!
For more information: Yosemite National Park, go to www.nps.gov/yose; call 209/372-0200 (then dial 3, then 5) or by mail: Public Information Office, PO Box 577, Yosemite, CA 95389 (the park does charge a day-use fee).
For additional travel destination inspiration, see my blog: http://blogs.eSanJoaquin.com/Valley travel; to contact me, tviall@msn.com.
Happy travels in the West!

California's epic destinations; update your "Bucket List" for 2015!

Point Arena Lighthouse on California's north coast, above the Russian River and Jenner.

The "ghost resort" of Bombay Beach, on east shore of the Salton Sea; a manmade ecological disaster.  The lake was formed in the early 1900s when the Colorado River flooded and roared down old irrigation canals, flooding the Salton Sink; a deep desert valley much like Death Valley.  In the 1970s, two El Nino winters further poured water into the lake, flooding and ruining five resorts around the land-locked lake.  These are the skeletons of former mobile homes on the lake shore.

The Bay Bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland, as seen from a Hornblower Yacht cruise.  Photo courtesy of Les Fong.

Recreation of Sutter's Mill in Coloma, CA, site of the original California gold strike in 1848 and lead to the Gold Rush in 1849.

Machete Ridge, part of the newest of our 59 national parks, Pinnacles National Park, 30 miles south of Hollister, CA.

Lake Helen, still frozen in July, on road through Lassen National Park. That's Lassen's stark volcanic peak behind the lake.

We live in, arguably, the most spectacular state in America. With all the wonderful destinations at your beck and call and the start of a New Year approaching, I suggest you update your bucket list of California destinations for 2015.  To whet your appetite, here are some of our favorites – most of them in N. California.

Of California’s nine wonderful national parks, several stand out: Pinnacles, due to its close proximity to the valley and stunning topography.  When you journey to places like Pinnacles National Park, explore the surrounding countryside, which will yield other extraordinary places like Mission San Antonio just 30 miles south, and, across the scenic coastal range, the Big Sur coast. 

Have you made it to Lassen National Park, perhaps the most impressive park of volcanic and thermal features in the country? With mud pots, fumaroles and a volcano that exploded huge boulders for miles less than 100 years ago, it has to be on your list!  Further south, Death Valley is stunning for its austerity, particularly impressive in the spring when rains bring wildflowers in abundance. 

California's State Parks can't be overlooked, from Mt. Diablo State Park – you’ve seen it for how many years on our western horizon, but have  you been to the top, camped in it, and admired the 100 mile views?  How about Calaveras Big Trees and it's towering Redwood groves, or Big Basin State Park, northwest of Santa Cruz in the coastal mountains, oldest of the state’s parks and home to towering Coast Redwoods.  Spring is a fine time to visit these parks, with seasonal streams flowing full and wildflowers coming into bloom.

Have you fully explored San Francisco's unique waterfront? The City offers special places for walking, bicycling, public transit or auto.  Start at the Golden Gate Bridge and explore Fort Point, the only Civil War fort on the West Coast. Travel east past Crissy Field, through the Marina District and stop and explore the San Francisco Maritime Museum and the Hyde Street Pier where a dozen historic ships await your arrival, with Fisherman’s Wharf right next door. 

Skip SF’s tourist-stop Pier 39, continue on the Embarcadero to reach the renovated historic Ferry Building and explore a wealth of cute shops and eateries. Here you can take the ferry to Oakland and return, or take a Hornblower scenic cruise on the bay. Continue south, past AT&T ballpark, across the Lefty O’Doul Bridge into Mission Bay; soon you're in the heart of several commercial shipyards where you can see big ships lying in drydock for repairs. Unique ocean and bay vistas present themselves at every mile of such a trip!

Don't ignore the treasures of our San Joaquin/Sacramento Delta.  From backwater river towns such as Rio Vista, Walnut Grove and Locke, fishing for striped bass, salmon and crayfish, to scores of bucolic orchards and vineyards – you’ll find surprises around every turn.

California's Gold Rush history brings tourists from around the world. The site of California's Gold discovery in 1848 is in nearby Coloma; Mother Lode Gold Rush sites march south down the Sierra. Here you'll find wonderful, historic towns just waiting to be explored. Start at Coloma, include Placerville, Fiddletown, Sutter Creek, Columbia, Sonora, and finish your day tour in Jamestown’s Railtown 1897 (the “movie railroad, with locomotives appearing in scores of movies and TV shows).

Dig into your hometown's history, such as Stockton's. Line up a downtown historic walking tour (call the Downtown Stockton Alliance, 464-5246) and explore the Haggin Museum and San Joaquin Historical Society and Museum.  Discover historic nuggets such as Mokelumne City, which rivaled Stockton for both population and shipping supremacy before a huge flood wiped it off the map in 1861. You will find our city and county’s roots are deeply intertwined in the storied history of our state and region.

The magical Sierra offers so much to see and do. From Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks to big-time ski areas, with fishing, hiking, biking and camping opportunities close at hand.  Camp or hike at such meccas as Pinecrest Lake, Lake Alpine and the Arnold Rim Trail, all within 1.5 hours of town.

When traveling, watch for unique “by accident finds” like the Salton Sea, just south of Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks. A former barren valley well below sea level similar to Death Valley, it became an environmental disaster in the early 1900s when the flood-stricken Colorado River overflowed its banks and flooded the dry Salton Sink, forming a landlocked sea now 35 miles long and 25 miles wide.  The Salton Sea is surrounded by five ghost resorts, created in the 1970s after two very wet El Nino winters raised the lake level by 10+ Feet, flooding homes and ruining casinos.

Pick a favorite movie shot in California, even in Stockton, and explore the film locations. Sideways, which won an Academy Award in 2004, affords a fine day tour of the Santa Barbara County area, yielding film locations including the Hitching Post Restaurant, Los Olivos restaurant and a motel in Buellton, where much of the film was shot.  In Stockton, one can claim film locations such as the Lido Hotel, the old downtown bus station, the Hotel Stockton, University of Pacific and more, sites used in movies like Fat City, All the Kings Men and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Visit California's north coast in the winter or early spring when you can have stunning ocean vistas all to yourself. The coast north of Bodega Bay is amazing, from quaint towns like Jenner and Mendocino, to beautiful oceanfront campgrounds to old Fort Ross dating back to Russian explorers.  Further north, you find Redwoods National Park and continuing California majesty.

So, take the New Year's start to update your own California bucket list – and, get exploring! No list can ever be complete, so polish up your own and share notable destinations that I have missed.  I’ll publish other reader favorites in my upcoming Record Valley Travel blogs!

For additional travel destination inspiration, see my blog: http://blogs.eSanJoaquin.com/Valley travel; to contact me, tviall@msn.com. 
Happy travels in the West!

San Joaquin Historical Society and Museum in Micke Grove Park, Lodi, CA

History comes alive in Micke Grove Park!  Nestled in the 258 acre county park just south of Lodi, California is the San Joaquin Historical Society and Museum. With eight large exhibit buildings packed with Native American, pioneer, Gold Rush and agricultural history, and four historic buildings including the Charles Weber Cottage dating to 1847 and the Calaveras School, 1866, it's one of the state's best historical museums.

A class of third graders, taking part in the summertime ‘Valley Days’, receive a day’s education just as it was offered in the 1880s (here they enjoy lunch on the grass)

This 1859 prairie schooner stands more than 8 1/2 feet tall, is made of New England hardwood and was loaded with 1600 pounds of household goods and food for the five-month trip across the United States to California

 

Blue farm wagon, built by Truscott and Sons of Stockton in 1910, it cost $250 and was used by the Brassesco family to haul fruits and veggies to markets in Stockton and Lodi

The museum has literally scores of vintage tractors, crawlers and Caterpillar tractors

Pacific Fruit Express refrigerated rail car: this car was built in 1957, an ice-cooled steel car which could haul 80,000 pounds of produce to markets in the East. Mechanically-cooled cars would not come into production until the 1960s

 

Huge dredge bucket towers over two kids: this huge dredge bucket was used on the San Joaquin Delta to dredge waterways and build the levies that held back the San Joaquin River And Delta

Here a docent works with a young visitor in helping her make a corn husk doll during the Festival of Trees

Within the large park you'll also find the stunning Japanese Gardens, the Fun Town Amusement Park and the Micke Grove Zoo, surrounded by lots of picnic areas placed amongst stately Valley Oaks. The park offers so many options in addition to the museum, you'll spend a long day, or return, time-and-again.

Inside the museum's ongoing exhibits are many examples of early pioneer and Gold Rush transportation. Included in the collection is an original prairie schooner, one of only several left in existence, dating to 1859, many farm wagons, buggies and all manner of early farm equipment. The museum is rich in old farm implements: plows, harvesters, tractors, Holt and Best crawlers, Caterpillar tractors, John Deere tractors and many more.

Wander through the museum's exhibit buildings and get a sense of life in the 1860s through the early 1900s, or picture life on the prairie crossing the US to California. Life on the farm is clearly depicted from more than one hundred years ago; the exhibits clearly paint a picture of life that was then a bit harsher than what we enjoy today!

A large contingent of historically-correct docents are available to give you tour tips and interpretive information. Of special interest for kids, coming on Fridays and Saturdays, March 7-24, is the Critter Corral, offering a petting corral with a variety of farm animals! On any given day, docents will help bring history to life for kids from 5 to 95!

Directions: the museum is located inside Micke Grove Park, at 11793 N. Micke Grove Rd., Lodi. From Interstate 5, go east on Eight Mile Road, then left on Micke Grove Road. Admission: Just $5 for adults, seniors (65+) and teens are $4 and kids (6-12), only $2. The park also has a vehicle admission fee. Winter museum hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11 AM to 4 PM.

For more information, go to www.sanjoaquinhistory.org, or call (209) 953.3460. For additional Weekend Getaway ideas, go to http://LittlePlacesIKnow.blogspot.com. Take the family and make a fun day at Micke Grove Park and the museum!

Tuolumne City, CA and Westside Lumber Company; Gold Rush and lumber capital

Tuolumne City preserves remnants of the old Gold Rush town of Summersville, as well as lots of pieces of its longer-lasting hay-day as a logging and lumber center of the Mother Lode. Just six miles from Highway 49 and regional center Sonora, it offers history, and fun at nearby Black Oak Casino, for all ages, from one to 100!

Huge old Steam Donkey awaits bygone lumbering operations next to Tuolumne Fire Station

Eves of the Westside Lumber main mill reflect its closure some 50 years ago

The old Westside Lumber Mill building is in a stage of accelerated disrepair, having closed in the early 60s

Tuolumne City's Memorial Auditorium is in use as a town gathering hall

Massive old lumber equipment dots the fields around the Toulumne City boundaries

Westside Lumber's Engine #2 is preserved in the city's park

Westside Lumber at height of its operations (photo courtesy of Tuolumne Museum)

Early history: Tuolumne began in 1854 when Franklin Summers and family settled nearby and built a cabin and began to grow crops. In 1856 James Blakely arrived and discovered the first quartz outcropping, which would become his “Eureka” quartz and gold mine. Soon the initial town of Summersville had taken shape, with shops, restaurants and service providers.

Other nearby mining towns would spring up (and then disappear), Lone Gulch, two miles south, and Cherokee, two miles north. Later named Cartersville, then Tuolumne City, the placer gold would quickly be mined out, and the area became both an agricultural center and the heart of logging and lumber production for cities in the valley like Modesto and Stockton.

Of several logging operations, the Westside Lumber Company became the main player, building a narrow gauge railroad into varied portions of the Sierra forest, buying and uniteg several other narrow-gauge Sierra railways and developing a major lumber mill with regional innovations. It would continue to expand its railroad, the size and complexity of its mill, and develop Tuolumne City into a lumber town of major proportions in the first sixty years of the 20th century. The mill closed in the early 1960s, after a major fire during a labor dispute - the town has struggled to maintain its viability since.

More recent history: Today, portions of the lumber empire of the Westside Lumber Company take center stage. Several of the company’s buildings remain, though in states of disrepair. Remnants of logging equipment dot the town, from a huge Steam Donkey next to the fire station, to pieces of lumbering equipment in varied fields on the edge of town, the lumber company’s Steam Engine #2 in the city park, to the city’s Municipal Auditorium and the local museum. There is much to explore in a short walk of a few to a dozen blocks. A mile to the north east is the huge, new Black Oak Casino, which is bringing new vitality and visitors to the area, and pumping investment into the town as well.

What to do while there: Walk the historic streets, see the old lumber company remnants, tour the city’s museum (open Saturdays and Sundays, 1-4 PM excluding holidays, at 18663 Carter Street, (209) 928-3516; http://tuolumnemuseum.wordpress.com/), and visit the Tuolumne-band of the Miwuk Indian’s Black Oak Casino (www.BlackOakCasino.com; just a mile from the city center).

How to get there: Tuolumne City is located just off historic Highway 49, six miles southeast of the regional city of Sonora by following Tuolumne Road. It is just two hours from Sacramento and one hour from Stockton and Modesto.

Nearby attractions: Nearby Gold Rush towns like Sonora, Twain Hart, Columbia and Jamestown make for a nifty collection of historic towns in the Mother Lode; many will make their trip several days to take in the rich history and scenic beauty of the Sierra foothills. And the Black Oak Casino is worth a visit, with fun for all.

Lodging, camping, dining options: While Toulumne City offers no hotels or motels, nearby Black Oak Casino offers hotel accommodations, several cafes and a fine restaurant, the Seven Sisters. Sonora, just six miles away, offers a wealth of motels, hotels, bed and breakfasts and a number of good to fine restaurants. Campgrounds can also be found along Highway 49, and up Highway 108 in the Sierras.

For additional weekend getaway ideas in California and the west, go to http//LittlePlacesIKnow.blogspot.com.

Columbia, CA, gem of the Mother Lode and living history park!

Today, Columbia State Park preserves the old Gold Rush town of Columbia as a museum of living history! Open seven days a week, all year, the park offers activities and history for all ages, from one to 100!



The Wells Farge stage still serves up fun rides to Columbia visitors




Columbia's main street is lined with historic buildings and staffed by friendly guides and docents to recreate life in Gold Rush mining town of the 1850s



Columbia's Fire House was built to prevent future fires that all but destroyed
the town in 1854 and 1857, before most structures were rebuilt in brick with fire-safety in mind

Two young prospectors learn to pan for gold, or, at least, agates!

The Wilson-McConnell House dates to the 1870s, and was used in the film 'High Noon'

On sunny afternoons, lots of families with kids line up to try their hand panning for gold!

History: Columbia took root in March, 1850, when Dr. Thaddeous Hildreth, his brother and others settled here and began prospecting for precious gold. Soon, Hildreth Diggin’s was prospering and in weeks more than a 1,000 miners had turned out into the area. The gold camp was initially named American Camp, and, eventually, Columbia.

The immediate challenge was a steady water supply, used to both wash down gold out of hillsides and to sluice gold out of gravel deposits. Because no steady streams were nearby, by 1851 the locals had formed the Tuolumne County Water Company, to bring water to the town. Since its rates were deemed too high, in 1854 another company was formed, the Columbia and Stanislaus River Water Company, to bring water from 60 miles distant.

By the late 1850s, the two had merged, and use of the water began to change the landscape. It is estimated that the current park parking lot, and area where kids pan for gold was once 25-30 feet higher, before water was used to wash the gold out of the soil and gravel!  All told, approximately $87 million (at 1860's prices) came out of the mines around Columbia!

Within years of its founding, the prosperous town had streets well laid-out, and well over 100 shops, saloons, bakeries, blacksmith shops and restaurants were catering to thousands of miners and townsfolk. Columbia would add churches, the Sons of Temperance, a Masonic Lodge, hotels and a concert hall; the town's population would swell to almost 6,000 towns people. 

Originally, almost all the buildings were made of wood, and a huge fire swept the city in 1854, destroying most of the wooden buildings in the business district. Most of these were rebuilt in 1855, but a second fire in 1857 destroyed more framed buildings and some of the brick ones; the town again rebuilt and further emphasized state-of-the-art fire suppression and fire-fighting.

By the early 1860s, most of the easiest placer gold had been tapped out, and the town began a slow decline. In the following 20-some years, many of the vacated buildings were torn down, and their sites were mined for gold. By the late 19th century and into the 20th, the town was in visible and steady decay - residents had dropped to just 500.

Recent history: An idea born in the Roaring 20s took hold, to establish and renovate Columbia as a State Park, an idea that was finally made reality in 1945! Today, Columbia’s business district is closed to all but foot traffic, and a host of businesses, shops and volunteers bring the town to life, much as it appeared in 1855!

What to do while there: Take a stage coach ride, pan for gold, tour blacksmith and livery shops, get a free tour led by period-dressed docents, grab lunch or an ice cream, and take in life as it was more than 150 years ago! Best of all, admission, parking and guided tours are free, so a day spent here is easy on the wallet!

How to get there: Columbia is located just off historic Highway 49, and is just two hours from Sacramento and 1.5 hours from Stockton.

Nearby: Gold Rush towns like Angels Camp, Amador City, Sutter Creek, Sonora, Tuolumne City and Jamestown make for a nifty collection of historic towns in the Mother Lode; many will make their trip several days to take in the rich history and scenic beauty of the Sierra foothills.

To plan your visit, go to www.visitcolumbiacalifornia.com or call the State Park at (209)-588-9128. For additional weekend getaway ideas in California and the west, go to http//LittlePlacesIKnow.blogspot.com.

Fiddletown and Plymouth, CA are interesting Gold Rush stops on historic Highway 49

Travelers on historic California Highway 49 will be familiar with Plymouth, CA, but less so with Fiddletown, just eight miles east off 49 following the Fiddletown Road.

The Fiddletown Community Center, with giant fiddle over the entrance, is a backdrop to thousands of photos; last time we were there, the center was hopping with a pancake breakfast for area residents!

The Chew Kee Chinese Apothecary is an example of a rammed-earth building dating to the 1850s

Old Chinese General Store and other Chinese-established businesses line a portion of the old Fiddletown Road that passes through the historic downtown area (easily walkable; only three blocks long)

The C. Schallhorn Blacksmith and Wagon Store has stood along Fiddletown Road for well over 150 years

Stately, and broken, Valley Oaks line a host of scenic backroads throughout the Fiddletown and Shenandoah Valley area, and offer homes for wild turkey, deer, racoons, skunks and more!

Both towns, approximately 45 miles east of Sacramento and 60 miles northeast of Stockton, are rich in Gold Rush history and offer explorers a wealth of interesting historic sites, shops, restaurants and wineries ripe for the touring! And, at 1,000 to 1,500 feet elevation, both are generally well below the Sierra foothills snowline, making sunny winter days the perfect time to tour!
Fiddletown traces its Gold Rush history back further than Plymouth (though Plymouth, located on Highway 49, is larger and better known). Fiddletown was established by prospectors from Missouri in 1849, and quickly grew in the 1850s and 1860s as a center of trade for many mines located nearby.

Miners were known, during the dry season when water for their hydraulic mining ran low, to just “fiddle around”, hence the town’s name. A wealthy resident, Columbus Purinton, embarrassed to say he was from the city of Fiddletown, petitioned the state legislature to rename the town Oleta (after a woman he knew) in 1878, but on his demise 50 years later, it reverted to the Fiddletown name.

During the city’s boom years, it numbered almost two dozen businesses, a handful of taverns, blacksmith shops, bakeries and restaurants. With a post office, church and school, it was a full-fledged city. The town soon grew to over 2,000 residents, with over half Chinese, who worked the mines and established many of the early businesses (some of these still stand, though in a state of disrepair, the local Fiddletown Preservation Society is working to refurbish several structures).

While touring the several remaining blocks of old Fiddletown, be sure to check out the Chew Kee Apothecary (a rare “rammed earth” building dating to the 1850s), the other old Chinese merchant buildings, C. Schallhorn’s Blacksmith and Wagon Store and the Fiddletown Community Center with the giant fiddle over the door! While exploring the historic main drag, don’t miss Brown’s English Toffee, a candy-store extraordinaire (they also sell cute “I’m on Fiddletown Time” t-shirts)!

Nearby Plymouth traces its history to the 1870s, when prospectors stopped there in search of quartz and gold. For gourmet travelers, the new Taste Restaurant in Plymouth is a must-stop, drawing rave reviews from around the region. The city has a cute public park with bandstand, the old Plymouth Hotel and other eateries, all grouped along several old-town blocks. Nice motels also call Plymouth home, and several bed and breakfasts cater to travelers and wine aficionados. For info on restaurants and lodging, go to: http://www.historichwy49.com/amador/plymouth.html.

Both Fiddletown and Plymouth are known as “Gateways to the Shenandoah Valley”, home to over 30 wineries and fast-becoming known as the scenic home to very skillful wine-makers.  While touring a variety of scenic backroads through the Shenandoah, watch for wild turkeys and deer, both found in abundance in this bucolic setting!

Take a weekend to explore both towns and enrich your Gold Rush history! For additional weekend getaway destinations, see http://LittlePlacesIKnow.blogspot.com.

Mission San Antonio/Jolon/Fort Hunter Liggett, CA

Should you be the visiting the incredibly scenic Pinnacles National Park (just south of Hollister, CA), and decide you want to get over to the rugged Big Sur California coastline, an interesting and wildly scenic 90 mile drive will get you there.

Pictured, from top down: remains of the old Dutton House on edge of Jolon; Jolon's old general store; St. Luke's Church, founded in 1863; Mission San Antonio main chapel; interior of Mission San Antonio; and, remains of the mission's water system, that supplied water to the grist mill (remains seen in distance).

This drive takes you past the historic remnants of Jolon on the old El Camino Real, through Fort Hunter Liggett and the nearby historic Mission San Antonio. From there, it’s 25 more miles up over the rugged coastal mountains, dropping you in the middle of Big Sur on the California coast.

It's not a drive for big motorhomes, though cars and trucks do fine. We journeyed from Pinnacle's east entrance, south on Highway 25, to the intersection of Bitterwater, followed G 13 to King City, then G 14, passing Jolon, then west on G 18, stopping at Mission San Antonio, one of the original 21 California missions established almost 250 years ago. Then, 24 scenic miles to the Big Sur coast, dropping us near John Little State Beach and just south of Julia Pfeiffer State Park.

Along the way, the remnants of the old town of Jolon can be found, established in the 1860s to meet the needs of miners traveling to the Los Burros Mining District.  Of particular interest are the remains of the old Dutton House, which thrived from 1849 through 1886 as a tavern and hotel for miners and travelers on the El Camino Real. Jolon would become the social and agribusiness center in South Monterrey County. When the railroad came to King City, that town prospered and Jolon slowly faded away.  Today, you can find the ruins of the Dutton House, Jolon's old general store, St. Luke's Church and faded dreams! 

Jolon was acquired by William Randolph Hearst in the 1920s, and sold to its current owner, the US Army, in 1940. Ft. Hunger Liggett (http://www.liggett.army.mil) would then become an active Army training base for World War II, and continues today as headquarters for the U.S. Army Combat Support Training Center, serving multi-service active and reserve components. The military outpost encompasses approximately 165,000 acres, home to deer, mountain lions, wild hogs and occasional bears!

Mission San Antonio (http://missionsanantonio.net) is the historic prize of this trip; founded by Padre Junipero Serra in 1771, when he hung a bell in an ancient oak tree. Due to need for a better water supply, the mission was later moved ¼ mile away to its current site. The Native Americans of the mission were the Salinan Tribe, part of the Hokan family.

Before the founding of the mission, the native population thrived on a diet of acorns, seeds, berries and wild game. They would move into the mission’s buildings and build a very productive mission town, home to hundreds of Salinan members who set to work to further expand the mission and its infrastructure. Today, remnants of the first mission buildings, its water-powered mill, ovens and more have been uncovered, the old water system remains evident, and the current mission sanctuary is home to a thriving Catholic flock.

West of the Mission and Ft. Hunter Liggett, its a scenic, switch-backed road up and over the Santa Lucia Mountains to Big Sur. Plan a weekend or longer and bring your binoculars to see this historic and stunningly scenic part of “wild California”! For additional inspiring California destinations, see http://LittlePlacesIKnow.blogspot.com.