California gold rush towns you should visit

Residing in a state identified for sprawling cities and crowded freeways, we neglect California was a frontier backwater till Jan. 24, 1848. That was the day James Marshall, who was constructing a sawmill for John Sutter on the South Fork American River, seen flakes of one thing glowing within the sand. It was Marshall’s “Eureka” second — and California’s. The invention of gold in “them thar’ hills” introduced greater than 300,000 individuals to the area over the following decade. A number of the “forty-niners” obtained wealthy — from gold, however extra so from offering meals, provides and providers to the prospectors within the tons of of mining camps and cities that sprang up.

Right now, you may discover California Gold Nation by meandering alongside State Freeway 49, which runs north-south about an hour east of Sacramento, and factors close by. You’ll uncover parks, resorts, saloons, eating places, vintage outlets and extra with an Previous West ambiance. It’s a highway journey — and a step again in time.

(The map addresses are of town halls or cities’ Most important Streets, until in any other case famous.)