Holcomb Valley

The largest gold rush southern California ever had happened four miles north of this plaque, and hardly anyone has heard of it. William Holcomb and Ben Choteau found placer gold on 4 May 1860, the valley filled, and Belleville grew big enough to rival San Bernardino and come within a few votes of taking the county seat. It was a violent place and the hangings were routine. Note where you are standing: the marker is in a park in town, not at the diggings.

What the plaque says

Southern California's largest gold rush followed the discovery of rich placer deposits by William F. Holcomb and Ben Choteau on May 4, 1860. Miners rushed to the valley and established boom towns. Belleville, the largest, rivaled San Bernardino in population and almost became the county seat. Violence and hangings were common in this remote valley. Over time, major placer and quartz mining declined although some activity continues today.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Baldwin Lake Ecological Reserve — 1.6 mi
  Pebble plains occur in this valley and nowhere else on earth, and the flowers on them are small enough that you have to lie down.
• Doble — 2.7 mi
  Three men with money reopened this mine and all three failed. The town is named after the second one.
• Big Bear Solar Observatory — 4.4 mi
  A reservoir dug for orange groves turned out to be one of the steadiest places on the continent to look at the sun.
• Bear Valley Dam — 7.8 mi
  Big Bear Lake is an irrigation reservoir first, and in 1977 the town had to buy the dam to keep water in its own view.

More markers nearby

• Old Bear Valley Dam — 7.7 mi
• Chimney Rock — 16 mi
• Daley Toll Road Monument — 21 mi
• Yucaipa Adobe — 22 mi