Tesla-ing

As Austin said, it doesn’t have the same ring as Jeeping. But I still had a great day exploring Gold Rush towns and mines.

Sunday was the first full day I had to get out since the kids’ surgery. Unfortunately, the Jeep is getting the bumper repaired from the Pevine incident. After the heavy rain and wind that Northern Nevada received, I was also concerned with roads.
I had seen pictures of Empire Mine and the beautiful grounds. Friends Austin (Nevada Expeditions), Josh, and I decided to head to Nevada City. Since we would be driving a distance and on paved roads, Josh offered his Tesla. It was a fun drive and more comfortable than Honey Badger. But, the lack of engine noise scared me. As Austin moved the Tesla before we headed for a hike, I heard gravel crunching; my first thought was that Mr. Bear had followed me.
As always, Austin had a few fun tops along the way.

Alpha and Omega hydraulic mines

First, we stopped at an overlook of Alpha and Omega hydraulic mines. The damage to the terrain, even seen from miles away, was astonishing. In 1883 the Sawyer Act outlawed hydraulic mining.

Washington 49er town

Next, we stopped at the cute town of Washington. Miners from Indiana settled the town in 1849, originally naming it Indian Camp. The town has a small year-round population. Washington has several original buildings dating to the 1850s.

Pioneer Grave

We briefly stopped at a Pioneer grave of Julius Albert Apperson, who tragically died on the emigrant trail at two years of age. When I got home, my little one noticed the date of birth on one marker did not match the date of death and age at the time of death. Hmmm, something to check.

Visitors leave toys at the grave.

Nevada County Hospital

In Nevada City, we visited the abandoned Nevada County Hospital, which has been on my list to visit. The hospital dated to 1860 and expanded several times. The buildings continued as a county hospitals until 1975. In the 1980s the county used it to house minimum-security inmates. After that, it was again re-purposed to house county behavioral health.

Following three tragic murders committed by a former patient, the hospital was closed. A private construction company purchased the buildings, but they sat vacant, deteriorating with time.

Empire Mine State Historic Park

We spent the majority of our day at Empire Mine State Historical Park. If you haven’t visited, the park is fantastic! Empire was one of the largest gold mines in the area and operated into the 1950s. There is so much to explore, old mining buildings, mining equipment, stamp mills, and a museum.

Empire Mine built a beautiful mansion from stone removed from the mine. Next visit, I would like to tour the inside.

Dutch Flat

Our final stop on the way home was Dutch Flat. I had no idea how many historical buildings the town has. The local historical society has done a fantastic job, and each structure has an information sigh, often with historic photographs.

4-25-2022

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