The California
49ers of 1849 had one thing on their mind; find gold. This country
from the southern Sierra to the northern Sierra was picked over and
well searched for that precious golden metal. Today, there is still
gold in the hills but there is also much more. Old mining towns have
seen a recent boom because of the increase in tourism. The mines have
long since been shut down and now quaint shops, stores, restaurants
and historic hotels have opened in their place.
Highway 108 driving east towards Sonora
This article focuses
mostly on the southern central mining towns from Mariposa in the south to Murphys in the north. Parts of Tuolumne, Mariposa, Calaveras, and
Stanislaus County are covered here. Look for information regarding
specific towns along the highway 49 corridor including Jamestown,
Sonora and Mariposa.
