Sonora California Historic Gold Rush, Dining & Antiques Wide Angle Drive -- 4k HDR

Sonora California Historic Gold Rush, Dining & Antiques Wide Angle Drive
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Things To Do in Sonora California
Sonora was once a booming center of industry and trade in California's Mother Lode. Most of the gold that was removable with traditional mining techniques was quickly extracted, leaving miners to use more complex and expensive mining techniques to reach deep pockets of quartz and gold. Sonora as well as other mining towns of the era experienced economic hardship when the value of gold decreased.

The area economy was historically based on the mining and timber industries, but now relies on tourism. One of two active lumber mills in Tuolumne County was shut down in 2009, but reopened in July 2011.

As the closest city to Yosemite National Park, Sonora provides services to some of Yosemite's visitors. The city also benefits from its proximity to Railtown 1897 State Historic Park.

Columbia Community College is part of Yosemite Community College District (YCCD) which also includes Modesto Junior College is the sole college in Tuolumne County and offers two-year degrees. Individuals wishing to attend a university must commute 50 miles to University of California, Merced or California State University, Stanislaus in Turlock.

Sonora uses a city council consisting of five council members, including the mayor. The city council appoints a city administrator to implement the council's policies and enforce ordinances. As of March 2020, the current mayor of Sonora is Matt Hawkins and the current city administrator is Mary Rose Rutikanga.

In the California State Legislature, Sonora is in the 8th Senate District, represented by Republican Andreas Borgeas, and in the 5th Assembly District, represented by Republican Frank Bigelow.

In the United States House of Representatives, Sonora is in California's 4th congressional district, represented by Republican Tom McClintock.

Culture and arts
See also: List of films shot in Sonora, California
The newspaper of record for the Sonora area is the Union Democrat.
The cabin of Mark Twain and Bret Harte, where Twain wrote "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" The cabin is located on Jackass Hill just outside of Sonora, near Columbia.

It was in 1806 that explorer Gabriel Moraga's expedition first entered the foothills home to the Mi-Wuks and discovered the Stanislaus River. In 1841 The Bidwell - Bartelson party summits the Sierra to enter the area now known as Tuolumne County. Included in the party are Nancy Kelsy and her baby the first white American females to cross the rugged pass.

CourthouseIt is likely that if James Marshall had not discovered gold in the tail race of Sutter's Mill someone else would have, within days, claimed the tittle of "The first to discover Gold in California." Up and down the entire length of what is now Hwy 49 it seems someone was picking up or stumbling over a nugget of gold, where in a new town would spring up overnight. Sonora's story is no different and was quick to join the ranks of Gold Discovery sites in California soon after Marshall's find.

In May of 1848 a group of Native Americans working for Charles M. Weber discovered gold along the Stanislaus River. Then in July of 1848, Benjamin Wood, James Savage and company discovered gold in Wood's Creek near Jamestown. Within two years the population of Tuolumne County had grown to nearly 20,000 people; miners searching for gold and merchants looking for a way to profit from those seeking gold.

The Mi-Wuk Indians were first to call the lush, rolling oak covered foothills near the Stanislaus River their home. Their once tranquil surroundings, were quickly transformed into a gold rush town by miners, pioneers, loggers and later with the introduction of the railroad.

Notable people
Vaughn Armstrong – actor
Melvin Belli – attorney
David Carkeet - writer
Jack Cassinetto – painter
Phil Coke – MLB pitcher
Molly Culver - actress
Charles Dellschau – artist
T.J. Dillashaw - UFC Bantamweight Champion
Ross Dwelley - NFL tight end
Larry Franco - Film Producer (Hulk - Jumanji - more)
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