Gold Hill, Placer County, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gold Hill
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 Gold Hill
Location in California
Gold Hill
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Placer County |
| Elevation | 108 m (354 ft) |
Gold Hill (once called Orr City) is a small community in Placer County, California. It's not an official city, but a place where people live together. Gold Hill is about 6 miles (10 km) west of Auburn. It sits at an elevation of 354 feet (108 meters) above sea level.
Contents
Discovering Gold Hill
Gold Hill is famous for its history during the California Gold Rush. It was a busy mining spot where people hoped to find their fortune.
Where is Gold Hill?
Gold Hill is located in the Sierra Nevada foothills. These are the lower hills that lead up to the big Sierra Nevada mountains. This area is part of a special geological region called the West Belt. It's named this way because it lies west of another famous gold area, the Mother Lode Belt.
The West Belt had gold scattered in quartz veins. These are like cracks in the granitic bedrock (the solid rock underground) that filled with quartz and sometimes gold.
The Search for Gold
In 1851, gold was found in nearby towns like Ophir and Auburn. This made many people excited! Prospectors from Georgia, who were people looking for gold, followed the Auburn Ravine. A ravine is a small, narrow valley. They were searching for "placer gold," which is gold found in loose gravel or sand, often in riverbeds.
They found gold in the ravine close to a higher area. They decided to name this elevated spot "Gold Hill" because of their discovery.
Early Gold Mining Methods
Besides finding gold in the gravel of the ravine, miners also worked on Gold Hill itself. Two companies, called the Georgia and the Ohio, dug into the hill. They used a method called "ground sluicing." This meant they used water from the ravine to wash away dirt and gravel, hoping to leave the heavier gold behind.
Building a Community
As more gold was found, more people came to Gold Hill. In the spring of 1852, the community started its own local government. They elected a Justice of the Peace, who was like a judge, and a Constable, who helped keep order. The number of people living and working in this mining town was highest in 1856.
