History

Nevada City History

Nevada City developed along the banks of Deer Creek in 1849. Civic leaders named the town Nevada, Spanish for “snow-covered,” in 1850 and the next year the newly-incorporated city became the Nevada County seat. The town’s name was later changed to Nevada City after its title was borrowed by the state to the east.

California Gold Rush

Discovery of gold in 1848 carried California’s name around the globe. Men came from the East, from England, Germany, Chile, China, and all around the world. By the mid-1850s, an estimated 120,000 miners were at work in California.

Gold Panning

If you know where to look, it's not hard to find gold in Nevada County rivers. Some of the most accessible gold panning locations are on the South Yuba River at Bridgeport, Edwards Crossing and Washington, and on the Middle Yuba River at Oregon Creek.

Gold Mining Lore

California gold is generally found in two kinds of deposits, lode and placer. The lode deposit is usually deeply buried quartz gold that is mined with hardrock techniques. Placer deposits originated in lodes but have been moved over the centuries by erosion and weathering. They are mined by panning, sluicing or dredging.

Nevada City’s Horticultural Heritage

Nevada City was home to Felix Gillet, one of the renowned horticulturists of the early years of California agriculture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Here he established a nursery and became known in the trade for his development of nursery stock of fruit and nut trees.