This episode of California’s Gold speaks to me because gold dredgers operated in the American River near Mississippi Bar and Negro Bar from the early 1900s until 1962. There are still people living in my area who recall the constant noise of the dredgers as a regular part of their childhood. Aside from that, La Grange is a great example of life in the Gold Country early in California’s history as a state. Huell gets a special inside look at some of the places us ordinary tourists might never see!

Gold dredger in operation

Visiting the old dredger site

Mission St. Louis

An honorary member!

Historic chairs

History — and rickety steps

Huell travels to the small town of La Grange to see an amazing part of our state’s history. The Tuolumne Gold Dredge sits abandoned right of the highway and is an incredible site. Huell and some local historians visit the dredge and the now virtual ghost town that was once home to the many workers that kept this behemoth running around the clock in search of gold.

(Click on the linked image below to see the video.)