Grass Valley offers many activities, including fishing, hiking, golf, horse shows, music festivals, and cultural events.
Though early miners sought their riches in the streams, it was only by accident that the true wealth of Grass Valley was discovered. Legend has it a miner in search of his missing cow stubbed his toe and dislodged a large quartz rock which contained gold. The rest is history.
Today Grass Valley’s downtown area is bustling with beautifully restored buildings reminiscent of the gold rush period housing many shops, restaurants, and galleries. The Holbrooke Hotel was founded in 1851. It is one of the oldest continuously operating hotels in California, where several famous people stayed, such as President Grant.
Nearby are the North Star Power House and Pelton Wheel Mining Exhibit where there are displays of mining equipment and artifacts, including the largest Pelton Wheel ever constructed and used to generate power for mining operations.
The Empire Mine was the richest, hard rock gold mine in California. Within the State Park is the Bourn Mansion, which resembles an English country home. It is a legacy of the tremendous wealth of the time. The house was built from rock that came from the mining operation. There are 13 acres of gardens and manicured lawns, with reflecting pools and fountains, all making for an enjoyable walk.
From the time in 1850 when gold was discovered in a quartz outcropping, until the mine's closure in 1956 over 5 million ounces of gold were extracted. There are over 360 miles of underground passages and it reached a depth of over 11,000 ft, a model of the mine tunnels can be seen in the museum.
Much of the labor force were Cornish miners, immigrants from the Cornish Peninsula in England. They brought with them the knowledge of mining, including the Cornish plunging pump which was used to pump thousands of gallons of water per hour.
The Empire collar transported hundreds of miners into and out of the mine; it traveled at 600 ft per minute. We hope you have enjoyed this virtual tour of Grass Valley and the Empire Mine State Park. |
