Saturday, May 16, 2015

Colorful California Town Names



One of the things I love about living in Northern California is the colorful names of so many old Gold Rush towns. Yesterday I drove by Missouri Flats and Hangtown, also known as Dry Diggings and now officially named Placerville. Last week, I happened to pass by French Camp and Calaveras, the latter made famous by Mark Twain for its jumping frog contest, which just happens to be taking place this weekend.

Near Folsom lies what is left of Mormon Island (now buried under Folsom Lake), site of the first and richest diggings of the Gold Rush, and Negro Bar—a name that makes passers-by flinch, but by which it was historically known. Calistoga and its mud baths bring back memories of  Sam Brannan, the brash, flamboyantly ambitious first millionaire of the Gold Rush, drunkenly sputtering to his companions that the town would be "the Calistoga of Sarifornia!" (The Saratoga of California.) Wherever you drive in this part of the state, memories of the Gold Rush surround you.


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