Hammonton, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hammonton
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 Hammonton
Location in California
Hammonton
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Yuba County |
| Elevation | 131 ft (40 m) |
Hammonton was once a small community in Yuba County, California. It was known by other names too, like Dredgertown and Dredgerville. Today, it is considered a ghost town, meaning it no longer exists as a populated place.
Hammonton was located about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south of Browns Valley. It sat at an elevation of 131 feet (40 meters) above sea level.
A Town Built for Gold
Hammonton was a special kind of town called a company town. This means it was built and owned by a single company. The company was called Yuba Consolidated Mines. Their main goal was to find gold.
The company used huge machines called dredges to dig for gold. These dredges worked in the Yuba River floodplain. A floodplain is a flat area of land next to a river that sometimes floods.
The town of Hammonton was started in 1906. It grew to have about 250 people by 1938. The residents had a store, a service station, and even a swimming pool.
Moving for Gold
The gold mining operations were very important to the company. So important, in fact, that the town of Hammonton had to move! In 1938, the people of Hammonton were asked to move about two miles away. The original townsite was then completely dug up and dredged for gold.
But the story doesn't end there. In 1957, the residents had to move again. This time, they relocated to a nearby town called Linda. The new Hammonton townsite was also dug up for gold. After this second move, Hammonton officially stopped existing.
Today, the areas where Hammonton once stood are part of the Yuba Goldfields. These are large areas of land that have been dug up by gold dredges.
How Hammonton Got Its Name
Hammonton had its own post office from 1906 until 1957. The town was named after W.P. Hammon. He was an important official in the gold-dredging company.
