Coleman City, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Coleman City
Emily City
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 Coleman City
Location in San Diego County, California
Coleman City
Location in southern California
Coleman City
Location in California
Coleman City
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | San Diego County |
| Elevation | 1,098 m (3,601 ft) |
Coleman City, also known as Emily City, is a fascinating ghost town located in San Diego County, California. A ghost town is a place where people once lived and worked, but now it's mostly empty. Coleman City sits high up, about 3,601 feet above sea level. You can find it on State Highway 78, near where the road crosses Coleman Creek, about four miles west of a town called Julian.
Contents
History of Coleman City
The Gold Rush Begins
Coleman City started in early 1870. It was founded by gold miners who hurried to Coleman Creek. This happened after A. E. Coleman found gold there in January 1870. Mr. Coleman had experience from other gold camps in Northern California.
He helped create the Coleman Mining District. He also set up the mining town site called Emily City. This mining camp was later renamed Coleman City to honor him. It was a busy place for miners looking for placer gold along Coleman Creek. Placer gold is gold found in riverbeds or loose soil.
A Growing Mining Camp
Newspapers reported on the growth of Coleman City. On February 17, 1870, The San Diego Union said that 75 miners lived there. Just one month later, on March 17, the newspaper reported even more growth. After the discovery of the Washington Mine, Coleman City had about a dozen tents. Its population had grown to 150 men. Many of these miners slept outside on the ground.
Why Coleman City Became a Ghost Town
Coleman City was a busy place for a while. However, new gold discoveries changed things. Miners found lode gold deposits near the town of Julian. Lode gold is gold found in veins within rock. This led to the creation of the Julian Mining District.
As the placer gold in Coleman Creek became harder to find, miners moved on. They went to the new lode gold areas. Because of this, Coleman City was eventually abandoned. It became the ghost town we know today.
