Dutch Flat

The transcontinental railroad was subscribed, first, in a hydraulic mining town. Theodore Judah and Dr D. W. Strong took the original subscriptions to build it here, and the bronze says so plainly. Dutch Flat was founded in the spring of 1851 by Joseph and Charles Dornbach, worked its hydraulic mines from 1854 to 1882, and by 1860 had the largest voting population in Placer County. The bronze counts about two thousand Chinese residents in the town at that time.

What the plaque says

DUTCH FLAT FOUNDED IN THE SPRING OF 1851 BY JOSEPH AND CHARLES DORNBACH. FROM 1854 TO 1882 IT WAS NOTED FOR ITS RICH HYDRAULIC MINES. IN 1860 HAD THE LARGEST VOTING POPULATION IN PLACER COUNTY. CHINESE INHABITANTS NUMBERED ABOUT 2,000. HERE THEODORE JUDAH AND DR. D. W. STRONG MADE THE ORIGINAL SUBSCRIPTIONS TO BUILD THE FIRST TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD. STATE REGISTERED LANDMARK NO. 397 TABLET PLACED BY CALIFORNIA CENTENNIALS COMMISSION BASE FURNISHED BY PLACER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY DEDICATED JULY 22, 1950

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Nevada City — 10 mi
  Gaslamps, brick storefronts, and the Nisenan who are still fighting to be recognized on their own ground.
• Empire Mine State Historic Park — 11 mi
  The oldest, deepest, richest hard-rock gold mine in California, with 367 miles of flooded tunnels underneath.
• Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park — 12 mi
  A canyon washed out of a mountain by water cannon, and the lawsuit that ended hydraulic mining.

More markers nearby

• Gold Run — 2.5 mi
• Iowa Hill — 7.1 mi
• Alpha and Omega Hydraulic Diggings — 8.8 mi
• First Transcontinental Railroad - Colfax — 9.6 mi