Belleville, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Belleville, California
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 Belleville, California
Location in California
Belleville, California
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | San Bernardino |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 269793 |
Belleville, California was once a busy gold mining town. It was located in the San Bernardino Mountains in San Bernardino County, California. The town grew very quickly after gold was found in Holcomb Valley in early 1860.
The town was named after Belle, who was the first child born there. Belleville was a lively mining town for about ten years. However, it was mostly empty by the end of the 1800s. Today, it is known as a ghost town.
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Belleville's Gold Rush Story
The first gold miners looked for "placer gold." This type of gold is found in small pieces along stream beds. As more people arrived, they brought better tools. This led to more advanced mining methods.
Early Mining Methods
When the Bear Valley Mining District was created, miners started "quartz mining." This meant digging for gold inside rocks. To get the gold out, they needed large machines called Stamp mills. These mills crushed the rocks into tiny pieces.
Getting to Belleville
At first, miners had a tough journey to Holcomb Valley. They traveled from San Bernardino by wagon. Then, they used pack mules to go up the mountains. This path led through Bear Valley and into Holcomb Valley.
In June 1861, Jed Van Dusen built a new wagon road. This road went down the north side of the mountains. It passed through Hesperia and the Cajon Pass. This new road cost $1,500 to build. Thanks to this road, people could reach Belleville from San Bernardino in just two days. A regular stagecoach service made travel easier.
Belleville's Big Moment
By September 1860, Belleville had almost 1,500 people. This made it the biggest town in Holcomb Valley. People even suggested that Belleville should become the county seat. The county seat is the main town for government business.
However, in the election, the smaller city of San Bernardino won. It won by only two votes. Some people said that ballots from Belleville were "accidentally" burned.
Life in a Boomtown
With easier travel, Belleville grew fast. It soon had many businesses. These included a store, butcher shops, laundries, and a bakery. There were also carpenter shops, blacksmiths, and a sawmill. The town even had a stamp mill for crushing gold ore.
Belleville also had several saloons and a place called the Octagon House. This house featured dancers who entertained the miners. Life in Belleville could be very rough. Many single men lived there, and it was a dangerous place. Laws were strict to try and keep order.
The Gold Runs Out
After a while, the easy-to-find placer gold started to disappear. Miners then had to switch to "quartz reef mining." This was much harder work. As the gold became harder to find, people began to leave Belleville.
The main gold rush in Holcomb Valley lasted about ten years, from 1860 to 1870. However, "hard rock mining" continued in the mountains for many more decades. For example, Lucky Baldwin's Gold Mountain Mine kept producing gold until 1919.
Belleville During the Civil War
From 1860 to 1861, as the Civil War began, Belleville was a place with many people who supported the Southern states. These people were called "secessionists." United States officials worried that they might try to take control of weapons. They also feared these groups might try to join the Confederacy.
To prevent this, the U.S. government sent federal troops. On August 25, 1861, soldiers arrived in San Bernardino. They traveled secretly at night to avoid any surprises. Despite rumors of secessionists gathering in Belleville, no revolt happened. The sight of a group of soldiers, called a squadron of First U.S. Dragoons, helped keep the peace. They arrived on election day and stopped a possible riot in San Bernardino. A few days later, a robbery on a pack trail was blamed on the secessionists.
