Gold Hill (Nevada County, California) facts for kids

Gold Hill in Grass Valley, California, is a very important place. It was one of the first spots in California where people found a special kind of gold called quartz gold. This discovery started a huge rush to find more gold in rocks. It also helped create the big gold-mining industry in the area known as Gold Country. Today, Gold Hill is recognized as a California Historical Landmark.

The Story of Gold Hill

How Gold Was Found Here

In October 1850, a miner named George Knight was looking for gold on a hillside in Grass Valley. He found a white rock that had shiny yellow streaks in it. This was quartz rock with gold inside!

George used a cast iron skillet and a hammer to break the rock. Then, he washed the pieces to get the gold out. He kept digging and found a gold vein about 4 inches (10 cm) thick. Another miner, George Crandall, quickly shared the exciting news in a nearby settlement called Boston Ravine.

The Gold Hill Mine Begins

George Knight named his discovery Gold Hill. His claim became the Gold Hill Mine. He and his friends built a simple machine called a stamp mill. This machine was made from pine logs and had metal "boots" to crush the gold-filled rocks. The rushing water from Wolf Creek powered this mill.

Gold in quartz, found in an old Grass Valley mine.

Grass Valley Grows and Changes

By March 1851, the area around Gold Hill was booming! There were 150 buildings, including hotels, shops, and even the first school. Thousands of people moved to Grass Valley and nearby Nevada City, California that year.

On September 13, 1855, a big fire destroyed over 300 wooden buildings in Grass Valley. But the town was quickly rebuilt using safer materials.

The Mine's Success and End

The Gold Hill Mine was very successful for a while. Between 1850 and 1857, it produced about $4,000,000 worth of gold! However, by 1864, the gold became harder to find, and the mine eventually closed.

Why Gold Hill Is a Landmark

Recognizing a Historic Site

Gold Hill is now a California Historical Landmark, number 297. This means it's a very important place in California's history. A special plaque is located at Jenkins Street and Hocking Avenue in Grass Valley.

What the Plaque Says

The plaque tells us about the discovery:

This tablet commemorates the discovery of gold-bearing quartz and the beginning of quartz mining in California. The discovery was made on Gold Hill by George Knight in October 1850. The occurrence of gold-bearing quartz was undoubtedly noted here and elsewhere about the same time or even earlier, but this discovery created the great excitement that started the development of quartz mining into a great industry. The Gold Hill Mine is credited with a total production of $4,000,000 between 1850 and 1857.

This plaque reminds everyone that Gold Hill was key to starting the huge quartz mining industry in California.