For most of us, when we think of Gold Country, the imagery of cowboy towns, wild west saloons, and stage coaches probably emerge. Many of these gold-rush towns, formed after the 1848 discovery of gold in California, still exist along historic Highway 49. These days, Gold Country has evolved from rustic mining towns to a charming tourist destination of award-winning wineries, classy boutiques, arts and crafts stores, culinary excellent restaurants, and memorable antique shops. A few caverns found "inside them hills" in the heart of Gold Country are also a popular attraction for the family and adventure enthusiasts.
Over the course of 2 days, I explored 4 historic towns of the gold-rush era, namely Jamestown, Columbia, Murphys, and Angels Camp in Tuolumne and Calaveras counties. All 4 are located within the California Mother Lode zone ~ a zone filled with gold-bearing quartz veins and regarded as one of the nation's most productive gold-producing districts. Jamestown is located on historic Highway 49, Columbia on Parrots Ferry Road, Murphys on Highway 4, and Angels Camp is at the junction of Highways 49 and 4.
Close to Murphys and Angels Camp along Parrots Ferry Road is the amazing Moaning Cavern, a limestone cave located in Vallecito, California (pop. 442 per census 2010). Known to be California's largest single cave chamber with a height of over 180 feet, the massive room is tall enough to fit the Statue of Liberty. It was astounding. I enjoyed the 45 minute informative tour (cost $14.95 per adult). Some highlights:
1. Skewed depth perception inside the cave due to a lack of natural sunlight. Visually, everything looked close even though in reality, they were over a 100 feet away.
2. 65 feet down several flights of narrow wooden stairs was the middle landing platform where I saw and touched some limestone columns and draperies. When struck, these 'dead' columns made fascinating sounds. Looking up at the ceiling of the 180 feet chamber from the platform, I saw stalactites.
3. A seemingly flimsy 100-foot-tall metal spiral staircase that was built in 1922. I feared for my life when I walked down the 10-storey-high column, no thanks to acrophobia.
4. Spectacular sight from the bottom of the shaft. With time and a good dose of wild imagination, various 'images' - from Winnie the Pooh to a gargoyle - started to appear from the rock formations. They totally rock.
1. Skewed depth perception inside the cave due to a lack of natural sunlight. Visually, everything looked close even though in reality, they were over a 100 feet away.
2. 65 feet down several flights of narrow wooden stairs was the middle landing platform where I saw and touched some limestone columns and draperies. When struck, these 'dead' columns made fascinating sounds. Looking up at the ceiling of the 180 feet chamber from the platform, I saw stalactites.
3. A seemingly flimsy 100-foot-tall metal spiral staircase that was built in 1922. I feared for my life when I walked down the 10-storey-high column, no thanks to acrophobia.
4. Spectacular sight from the bottom of the shaft. With time and a good dose of wild imagination, various 'images' - from Winnie the Pooh to a gargoyle - started to appear from the rock formations. They totally rock.
5. Absolute darkness when the guide turned off all the lights in the cave. Pitch black. Silence. Heightened auditory function. My eyes were opened but I couldn't see my hand in front of me. After some time, I 'saw' a white dot from the top of the cave ~ a strange optical illusion generated by the mind.
I hope you'll enjoy the photos below. May the love, peace, and joy of grace be with you and your loved ones this holiday season and always.
Jamestown, Tuolumne County, California ~ pop. 950; founded in 1848
Columbia (State Historic Park), Tuolumne County, California ~ pop. 2,297; established in 1850
Above left: Seen at a masonic museum. It reminded me of this quote by St. Josemaria Escriva:
"It is inevitable that you should feel the rub of other people's characters against your own. After all, you are not a gold coin that everyone likes.
Besides, without that friction produced by contact with others, how would you ever lose those corners, those edges and projections - the imperfections and defects - of your character, and acquire the smooth and regular finish, the firm flexibility of charity, of perfection?
If your character and the characters of those who live with you were soft and sweet like sponge-cake you would never become a saint."
Above: Parrotts Blacksmith ~ fantastic and inspiring to step inside a store so unique. Last I checked, it is still 2014.... place was smoky and black soot was everywhere but I didn't mind. It seemed weird and out-of-place though that they had a credit card machine to process my purchases. @.@
Above left: Columbia's original soda pop ~ Sarsaparilla (tastes like root beer); $1.60 per bottle (with tax)
Above right: Inside the Bixel Brewery (Saloon) in the Alberding building
Above left: Refreshing Indigeny organic hard apple cider (~5% alcohol); $4.50 per glass
Above: More inspired shopping at Columbia
Murphys, Calaveras County, California ~ Pop. 4,368; established in 1851
Above right: Savory garden burger and fries at Firewood, Murphys
Above left: Delicious breakfast at Grounds, Murphys
Above: Ironstone Vineyard's "Crown Jewel", the Kautz 44-pound crystalline gold specimen (valued at $3.5 million in 1992), is the largest specimen of crystalline (the finest quality and rarest form) gold in the world. The specimen consists of many layers of leaf gold separated by rock consisting mostly of clay, quartz, mariposite, decomposed shale, and pyrite.
Moaning Cavern, Vallecito, Calaveras County, California
Angels Camp, Calaveras County, California ~ Pop. 3,835; settled in 1848, incorporated in 1912
Mark Twain put Calaveras County on the map in 1860 with his first successful short story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. Every year on the third weekend in May, the county honors their connection to this story with a Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee.
Mark Twain put Calaveras County on the map in 1860 with his first successful short story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. Every year on the third weekend in May, the county honors their connection to this story with a Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee.
Above right: Late lunch at Market 49, Angels Camp
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