Sageland, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sageland
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 Sageland
Location in California
Sageland
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Kern County |
| Elevation | 4,026 ft (1,227 m) |
Sageland is a small, undeveloped area in Kern County, California. It used to be called El Dorado Camp. This community is located near Kelso Creek, about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) west-northwest of the base of the Piute Mountains. It sits at an elevation of 4,026 feet (1,227 meters) above sea level.
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Sageland: A California Ghost Town
Sageland is known for its interesting past as a mining town that quickly grew and then faded away. Today, it's mostly a quiet area with very few signs of its busy history. It's a great example of a "boomtown" that became a "ghost town."
The Discovery of Gold and Silver
In 1866, miners from a nearby town called Claraville found quartz in the Sageland area. Quartz is a rock that can contain valuable minerals like gold. Because of this discovery, a new mining area called the New El Dorado Mining District was created that same year.
The first settlement built there was named El Dorado Camp. But in 1867, its name was changed to Sageland.
A Bustling Boomtown
By the spring of 1868, Sageland had become a very busy place, known as a boomtown. This means it grew very quickly because of the mining. Almost a thousand people lived there!
Sageland had many businesses, including several saloons (places to drink), a billiard room, and a hotel. There were even two stagecoach lines that connected Sageland to another town called Havilah. For entertainment, the town even had an opera house.
The Silver Rush and Sageland's Decline
Later in 1868, something big happened that changed Sageland. A new discovery of silver was made far away in White Pine County, Nevada. This caused a "silver rush," and many miners decided to leave California to try their luck in Nevada. This event was sometimes called 'White Pine Fever'.
Many miners from Sageland and other California boomtowns left. This caused the population of Sageland to shrink very quickly. By 1875, the main mine, called the St. John Mine, closed down. Just one year later, in 1876, Sageland had become a ghost town. This means most people had left, and the town was almost empty.
Today, you won't find any complete buildings from the original settlement. Only small pieces of stone walls remain, showing where buildings once stood.
Native American History in Sageland
Before the miners arrived, the Sageland area was home to a large village of Kawaiisu Indians. The Kawaiisu people lived off the land and had a rich culture.
Sometimes, there were disagreements and conflicts between the white settlers and the Kawaiisu people, often related to resources. You can still find signs of the Kawaiisu people in the area today. These include "cup holes" (small, round holes in rocks used for grinding food) and "pictographs" (pictures painted on rocks). These ancient markings tell us about the history and culture of the Kawaiisu people who lived there long ago.
