French Flat facts for kids

French Flat or French Camp is a ghost town located in Tuolumne County, California. A ghost town is a place that was once a busy community but is now mostly empty. This town was named after a nearby flat area. It was found about one and a half miles southwest of a place called Tuttletown.

A Look Back: French Flat's History

French Flat was a busy place during the 1860s. It was a company mining town, meaning it was built and run by a mining company. At its peak, about 1,000 people lived and worked there. People came hoping to find riches, likely during the California Gold Rush era. Towns like French Flat often grew quickly when gold or other valuable minerals were found. But when the mining slowed down or stopped, people moved away, leaving the town empty.

What You Can See Today

Today, French Flat is a quiet area. You can reach the site by taking French Flat Road, which is off Rawhide Road. The area is on private property. If you visit, you can still see some interesting remains from the old town. There are parts of a water cistern, which was like a big tank for storing water. You might also find old water tanks and the foundations of a hotel. Foundations are the stone or brick bases of buildings. You can also spot the remains of other buildings and old fences. These bits and pieces are all that's left of the once-busy mining town.