Auburn has heritage
Continuing on our Heritage Days tour (see previous post), on Sunday we went toward Auburn to do some mining. The first stop was the Gold Country Museum. At the entrance is a dimly lit shaft, resembling a mine. Following it through you come to a room with some great mining relics, including a working stamping machine. Here is where large rocks were brought and crushed under heavy cylinders. Though the docent explained what it was used for, even warned us it would be loud, when she turned it on there were more than a few people who jumped back a few feet. A little further was a re-creation of a room the miners may have lived in, complete with a “Husband Wanted” ad posted to the bed frame. Could have been real.
All of these exhibits began to give you a feel for what living as a minor may have been like long ago. But the highlight, of course, was further on where a small “stream” ran through the museum. Mining pans were available to do your own mining with gravel that had been taken out of the American River. The kids were happy enough to shake the gravel around and play. Even Jeff got into it, a bit more meticulously than the kids. I have to admit, I lost interest before my hands even got wet. I can’t imagine the life of someone bending over for hours on end, shuffling through bits of gravel, trying to decifer one kind of shiny rock from another. The perserverance did pay off, though. A docent came and 
helped us with our mining technique and low and behold, pointed out a flake of gold on the bottom of the pan. Ryan, who’s pan she found it in, secured his claim to it and we took it home in a small bottle of water.
Nearby was the Bernhard Museum. This was originally a rest area hotel built in 1851 for miners and teamsters. The deed had passed through several families, including the Bernhard family who raised grapes on the 2.3 acre property. Several relics throughout the property’s history remain on display, including a horse-drawn hearse. Several ladies were dressed in period dresses (I’m guessing the Victorian period). As we were packing up, one of the ladies invited the boys to make dolls with her using scrap materials and rope. The dolls, basic enough that a 5-year-old could make, quickly became airplanes instead. Still, the way the kids took pride in their airplane-dolls and played with them for a good couple hours after we left is a good lesson to me. I often wonder how people survived with as little as they had in the “olden days”. Clearly, they had skills, patience, and imagination. With that as your foundation, the world is wide open.
Okay. This post brought back some wonderful childhood memories.
My parents were big on family vacations, via automobile, when my sister and I were younger. Seems like we went everywhere in California, the Pacific Northwest, and Canada.
One of my absolute favorite vacations included a place where we could pretend to mine for gold. I still, 30 years later, have the little bracelet with the metal miner charm on it.
This sounds like a great day out with kids. My kids will love to get their hands wet and look for gold. How nice to be able to learn about it with hand-on experience.
We have similar Gold mine museum nearby. I think I might have to check them out after reading your post.
I’m with Amy on this one, the childhood joys of finding gold ( and then the disappointment in realising I’m not going to be the next billionaire from it). Great fun and a super story.
What a great activity, and suitable for kids of all ages. My son would love it (come to think of it, so would I)!
Mining looks like fun to me. We went amethyst “mining” in Thunder Bay, Ontario…where they let us dig through the slag pile and buy what we found at $1 a pound. Great fun!
I love this post. My mom grew up in Auburn and my great grandfather was a gold miner so my dream is to head up that way some day. The drive would be long since we live in San Diego, but we may try it out around Christmas time for skiing. Hope to get up there soon!
You know what’s funny, I did a bit of gold panning in Alaska. People still do it, more of a hobby, but they do do it:)
I had no idea that mining is currently popular. And judging from the amount of people who have done it or want to do it, I can see why. I hope my kids have as fond memories as you have expressed, Amy. That speck of gold makes a pretty cool souvenir. Glad that was found. You’re right, Cate, the thrill of discovering something is priceless.
Hope you come on up, Bridget. The hills await you.
I’m with you that panning for gold isn’t much fun – but kids sure do love it! They have a similar exhibit at the Arizona Museum of Natural History in Mesa, although I think they stock their so that every child gets to leave with a little pouch of gold. My children could spend hours with their hands in the water, looking for those little nuggets.