Historic Downtown Sonora, California (4K)

NOTE – The video moves briskly and has a lot of information. Be ready to hit the PAUSE button to take it all in.

Sonora, California, is in the heart of California’s Gold Country. It is located on the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. Incorporated in 1851, it is the 11th oldest incorporated city in the state. Incorporation was a means to build a badly needed hospital as many miners were falling ill and dying, from scurvy.

The city is named after the first settlers, miners from Sonora, Mexico, who arrived in 1848. Much gold was found in the area and attracted prospectors from around the world. This cultural diversity is reflected in the different building architectures (Mission, Art Deco, Victorian, etc.).

In 1850, a state law was passed to tax foreign miners. The tax was $20 per miner. Thousands of Mexican miners banded together to protest. Violence and deaths ensued. Resolutions were passed for foreigners to leave Tuolumne County. The Mexicans had enough and to avoid a war, left for home. Soon, Sonora lost half its population and it fell on hard times. In 1851, the law was repealed. But it was too late, Sonora’s boom times were over.

Sonora was the business center for the southern mine operations. Because of its status as a business center, the town was able to survive when the gold became more scarce and difficult to mine. Agriculture and timber industry replaced mining.

Fire was a major concern for the town. There were 4 major fires in which the city lost original buildings. The Gunn Hotel is an example of one of few original buildings to survive.

City of Sonora webpage - https://sonoraca.com/

Samsung S21 Ultra in Pro Video mode (4K 60 fps), and GoPro Hero 11 (4K 60 fps)