California's heart of gold

Explore the small towns that grew from gold. Savor the Old West, antiques, quirky lodgings, whitewater rafting. And grab a pan while you're at it.

By Janet Keeler, Times Food and Travel Editor
Published September 23, 2007

MURPHYS, Calif. - Fiddletown. Angels Camp. Copperopolis. Jackass Hill. Railroad Flat.

The names of California's historic Gold Rush towns paint pictures of daring and true grit. Imagine the bawdy goings-on at the saloon in Angels Camp. What sort of dirty deals were struck at Fiddletown? And how it must have looked, all those pack mules tied up at Jackass Hill and their masters zonked out for the night, dreaming of tomorrow's discovery.

The Gold Rush that started the state on its way to prosperity in 1848 didn't even last 10 years, but the imprint of those heady times remains strong. Thank the dusty prospectors every time you button your Levi 501 jeans. Or when a piece of Ghirardelli chocolate melts in your mouth.

Levi Strauss & Co. and Ghirardelli Chocolate Co., plus Wells Fargo and Bank of America, are all San Francisco-born, financed with gold pulled from the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Indeed, San Francisco itself was built by miners' hard work and good fortunes. Gutsy types from all over the world landed there first and bought mining supplies before heading to parts unknown. In typical San Francisco style, much of the riches found in the hills came back to the city and were spent on a good time.

Today, visitors can experience the miner's life by panning for gold in ice-cold streams. Guides are well-versed in the history, some of it not so pretty, which they dispense readily along with instructions. Shake, shake, shake and let the shiny bits settle at the bottom of the pan. You're more likely to turn up gold flakes than nuggets but, like the 49ers of yesteryear, you can always hope.

Tourists are drawn to the foothills by more than history. There are quaint hotels and B&Bs, plus unique shops, golf courses, Indian gambling halls and wineries. Copperopolis, which for most of the past 100 years hasn't deserved more than a passing glance, is now a hot spot for artisan olive oil. Since the 1980s, subdivisions have sprouted throughout the foothills, housing retirees and commuters who travel to Sacramento and other valley towns for work.

Outdoor activities, including whitewater rafting and kayaking, lure Northern Californians by the SUV-load in the summer and on weekends. Plus, the foothills are a jumping off point to many Sierra ski resorts.

Both visitors and transplants are wowed by the flat-out gorgeous scenery. From the vast valleys below, the terrain gracefully rises in waves, dipping and climbing to about 3,000 feet, where the redwoods grow. In spring and summer, the roads are buffeted by meadows of wildflowers. In autumn, poplars, maples and aspens show their colors. And always, the rivers and streams run fast, cold and clear.

Some say the miners were a godless sort. How funny that they landed in God's country.

Bring your shovel

The Mother Lode is a nickname for the entire region but it is actually a 100-mile-long vein of gold and quartz deep in the Sierra Nevada. The vein and its potential riches still exists and that draws dreamers.

People buy property with water running through it, hoping to dig out big nuggets or make money off others who want to try. There are many gold-panning tours and you can even strike out on your own. Ask lots of questions before you book a tour to ensure the activity level of the trip suits everyone in your group.

Donald and Shirley Wildes of Okeechobee were on a guided hunt for gold in Jamestown's Woods Creek in June. They are rockhounds of sorts, spending a lot of their vacations looking for precious gems around the country. They know something that newbies don't. Panning for gold isn't for sissies. At least not here.

The guide passed out the picks and shovels; Band-Aids were at the ready. The biggest haul recently from the creek was a nugget worth $6,000. On this day, eight would-be miners collectively netted about $300 worth of flakes and tiny nuggets during the five-hour adventure.

"One day we're going to hit it rich," says Donald Wildes, who owns a septic company in Florida. "I want to find that grapefruit-size nugget."

That's the sort of big thinking that prompted men to leave everything they'd known to go West. That, and dogged determination.

Historic California 49

Though gold was first unearthed in 1848, the rush began the following year. The prospectors that flocked to the hills were called 49ers. It's a name used by a lot of businesses here and most famously by one professional football team. It's also the name of the state highway that runs 325 miles north and south through the region. Nearly all the historic towns sit along California 49, or are a few well-marked miles off of it.

We recently traveled the southern mines section of the road, starting in Jamestown and moving north to Auburn, just a few miles from Coloma, where gold was first discovered. Auburn has a well-preserved downtown with a hip vibe. The recently opened Auburn Ale House honors history by brewing Fool's Gold Ale, Gold Digger IPA and Old Prospector Barleywine. Across the street, the classic neon of the California bar promises a somewhat darker, more aged experience.

California 49 is a mostly two-lane, winding road that you'll have to share with truckers, tour buses and locals. You can see a lot of places in one day but we recommend taking two or three days, spending the nights in historic hotels. The Murphys Hotel, built in 1856, was good enough for writer Mark Twain. Even President Ulysses S. Grant slept here.

The town of Murphys is a must-stop for shoppers. Stores with lovely home furnishings, funky baby clothes and trendy food lure the Williams-Sonoma crowd. If only the miners had olive tapenade and Ironstone old vine Zinfandel to get them through the day. Murphys calls itself the "Queen of the Sierra" and it is one of the region's prettiest places. Progressive, too. Not many small towns in America have a restaurant like Mineral, which specializes in upscale vegetarian cuisine with sake pairings.

Not far from Murphys, Columbia State Historic Park provides a peek back in time. The park is a preserved Gold Rush town and a rarity in the foothills because the elements have reclaimed most original buildings. Miners were more concerned with immediate shelter than longevity and they quickly abandoned towns when gold was found elsewhere.

At Columbia, visitors can take a stagecoach ride, pan for gold, watch the blacksmith work and buy giant jawbreakers and sassafras candy at the old tyme candy shop. The City Hotel offers contemporary food and an antique-laden place to lay your head. Beware of kids attached to iPods. This is a major stop on the field trip/summer camp schedule. Let them play through and take your time, especially at the small museum.

From Columbia, we drove north to the towns of Jackson and Sutter Creek. Both are loaded with Old West flavor and antique shops. Our favorite is Water Street in Sutter Creek, which has a warehouse in nearby Jackson. They claim 400,000 square feet of old stuff and it seems it. Tattered tin signs and framed paintings look down on rows and rows of pie safes, tables, trunks and armoires. Dozens of wooden baking paddles lean on the wall outside.

In Sutter Creek, meander on the elevated wooden walkways that buffer the street from the stores. Is that Black Bart coming your way? Maybe. The Wild West villain staged his last robbery in Sutter Creek and this year a new festival celebrated his dastardly deeds.

California 49 is the sort of road that leads you. Follow it and stop where you see a historic marker. That's how you'll find the spot that James Marshall first struck gold on the south fork of the American River. Marshall, a Jersey boy, is credited with starting the pandemonium, which resulted in the discovery of $465-million worth of gold in 1850s dollars. Walk along the river at the state park that bears his name. It's mostly serene now, save for the occasional bus of excited and loud schoolchildren.

The possibility of gold still has the power to work up a crowd.

Times photographer Scott Keeler contributed to this story. Janet K. Keeler can be reached at (727) 893-8586 or e-mail jkeeler@sptimes.com.

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Gold Rush Country

When to go: The foothills of the Sierra Nevada are a year-round destination. Summers are dry and hot and fall is cool and colorful. Higher elevations may have snow in the winter. Wildflowers bloom in riotous color in the spring and the terrain is a lovely green.

Activities

Gold Prospecting Adventures, 18170 Main St., Jamestown, Calif.; toll-free 1-800-596-0009 or www.goldprospecting.com. A variety of excursions are available from one hour to five days. A three-hour panning adventure is $155 for a family of five. Owner Brent Shock is also willing to help tourists plan their itineraries.

The Calaveras County Fair and Jumpin' Frog Jubilee is held the third week in May in Angels Camp. The fair honors Mark Twain's The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. Highlight of the event is the frog jumping contest. For information, go to www.frogtown.org.

Places to see

Columbia State Historic Park in Calaveras County, a preserved Gold Rush town with demonstrations, restaurants and two hotels. For information, go to www.columbiacalifornia.com.

Mercer Caverns, 1665 Sheep Ranch Road, Murphys, Calif.; (209) 728-2101 or www.mercercaverns.com. Underground wonderland of rock formations. Temperature is 55 degrees year-round. Guided 45-minute tours. Open year-round. Cost is $14 for adults and $7 for children ages 5 to 12. Lots of stairs; may not be suitable for very young children.

Places to stay

Murphys Hotel, 457 Main St., Murphys, Calif.; toll-free 1-800-532-7684 or www.murhpyshotel.com. $89 to $109 a night. Also has a restaurant.

The Foxes Inn of Sutter Creek, 77 Main St., Sutter Creek, Calif.; toll-free 1-800-987-3344 or www.foxesinn.com. $160 to $269 a night, breakfast included.

Jackson Rancheria Hotel & Casino, 12222 New York Ranch Road, Jackson, Calif.; toll-free 1-800-822-9466 or www.jacksoncasino.com. $99 to $149. The Miwuk Indians own and operate the hotel and casino.

[Last modified September 19, 2007, 17:44:48]