Historical Marker · No. 445
Cherokee
Tuolumne, Tuolumne County · California
Erected by the California Centennials Commission, with the base provided by the Tuolumne City Progressive Association, 1949
No other bronze in this county talks about the ground recovering. Scars of placer diggins in every little arroyo in Cherokee Valley, it says, healed over by Mother Nature. Quartz mines took over from the placers, and farms took over from the quartz, so the same valley has been dug, mined and ploughed in turn. Gold was found here in 1853 by the Scott brothers, whom the plaque names as descendants of Cherokee Indians, and the valley carries the name.
What the plaque says
MARK TWAIN BRET HARTE TRAIL CHEROKEE FIRST PLACER CAMP IN EAST BELT SECTION OF MOTHER LODE. GOLD DISCOVERED HERE IN 1853 BY SCOTT BROTHERS, DESCENDANTS OF CHEROKEE INDIANS. SCARS OF PLACER "DIGGINS" IN EVERY LITTLE ARROYO IN CHEROKEE VALLEY HEALED OVER BY MOTHER NATURE LATER REPLACED BY QUARTZ MINES. PRESENT DAY PRODUCTIVE FARMS IN THIS AREA WERE ONCE RICH PLACER GROUNDS. STATE REGISTERED LANDMARK NO. 445 TABLET PLACED BY CALIFORNIA CENTENNIALS COMMISSION. BASE PROVIDED BY TUOLUMNE CITY PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION DEDICATED DECEMBER 11, 1949
Where it stands
37.97985, -120.24805 · Directions
Worth the stop nearby
- Columbia State Historic Park — 9.5 miThe Gem of the Southern Mines, still open for business on a car-free Gold Rush main street.
More markers nearby
- Soulsbyville — 0.9 mi
- Tuolumne — 1.3 mi
- Sonora Pass - Mono Road — 6.2 mi
- St. James Episcopal Church — 7.5 mi