EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

LOCATION

COUNTY:El Dorado County

STATE:California

James Marshall discovered gold at Coloma in 1848 on the South Fork of the American River 8 mile northwest of Placerville to initiate the great gold rush of 1849-50. From 1880 through 1959 the county produced 1,267,700 ounces of gold, earlier production not being recorded, but probably very large.

AMERICAN RIVER

Along the American River and its tributaries, very many placer operations were conducted. In the Georgia Slade district, located at township 12N and range 10E, in northwest part of county there were many area quartz mines, that produced rich lode gold. In the area weathered gravel deposits, extensive hydraulic operations produce rich placer gold. Throughout the Mother Lode, East Belt, and West Belt districts in an area about 10-20 mi. wide extending north to south in the western part of the county. The total production is around 1,000,000 ounces. The Union and the Church mines were major lode gold producers. The Big Canyon, Mt. Pleasant, Pyramid, Sliger, Taylor, and Zantgraf mines, were all major producers of lode gold. Around the town of Fairplay had many area lode mines and placer operations. At the Indian diggings, placer grounds, and lode mines. Around the town of Georgetown in the North part of the county there were also many rich area placers. Around the town of Nashville there were also many area lode mines, opened in 1851 for rich lode gold. Also around Nashville there were rich area placer mines that were reactivated in the 1930s, when large, floating dragline dredges were introduced.

Near the town of Placerville there are many old placer mines that exist in all regional stream. If you go northeast 5.6 miles, along the American River there are some very rich placers. The gravel deposits in Cedar Ravine, Forest Hill, Smith's Flat, Webber Hill, and White Rock Canyon all had very rich placer gold history. If you go south 18 mile in township 9N and range 13E, you will find the Grizzly Flat Placers which were very rich. In the west central part of township 10N range 11E there were also some very rich mines that produced lode gold.

CONSUMNES RIVER

This is a very rich river. It contains good gold on most bars and benches.