2019 Trip to Gold Country-To pass time while stuck at home 2020

[dorocks]

Took a gold country trip in 2019. Boondocked most of the trip. Started south in Oakhurst and traveled north through small towns that were part of the gold rush. Ended up north of Lake Tahoe. Our last stop was the Kentucky Mine Museum which had a quite preserved stamp mill. Loved the guided tour. There is history in most small towns, regarding trains, mining, and society. We were there over a week.
Called the Historic Highway 49 tour
http://www.historichwy49.com/mainmap.html
Bought a book at the Sutter’s Mill Park called The World Rushed In. A good diary style read recounting how an easterner came to the Gold Rush. Holliday's narrative drew heavily from the diaries and correspondence of William Swain, a farmer in Youngstown, New York who made a seven-month trek to California in 1849. Swain penned detailed accounts of his transcontinental journey. PBS based a lot of their American Experience (Gold Rush) on it http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/goldrush/. Historian J.S. Holliday really dug into the real story of our “golden history.” He appeared on the show. Died 2006.
https://www.amazon.com/World-Rushed-California-Gold-Experience/dp/080613464X
Besides all the history the towns are located in beautiful country. I did have to look around a bit at times to find a boondocking spot. I asked the locals and they were glad to offer suggestions. Tourism is their thing.

https://keithbarnes.smugmug.com/Vacation/2019-Gold-Country-of-California/

 

[ski3pin]

Wonderful stuff Keith! Nice to see such familiar terrain through your eyes. I remember the PBS film well. Several folks I know worked on the music. You've reminded me we should own a copy!

Thanks for the nice post.

 

[Lighthawk]

I was invited to bid on improvements to the Kentucky Mine Museum up in Sierra City.
It was great because I had full access to the stamp mill structure from top to bottom, all seven levels if I recall.
It was a prevailing wage job, and I got beat by some locals that worked without workers comp and no employees.