I have lived in this area of California for 30 years and had never taken the opportunity to visit Sutter's Mill, the site of the discovery of gold in California leading to the 1849 Gold Rush. The actual spot where gold was found is now a mucky puddle alongside the river, surrounded by willows, reached by following a muddy path and understated signs.
The arrastre was horse or mule-driven, used to crush rock before panning out the gold.
The California stamper was much more efficient at crushing rock, and the design was adopted worldwide for processing gold.
Powerful shoots of water washed dirt away from the rocks on the mountainsides. One of the results of this hydraulic mining was that the silt was washed downriver all the way to the San Francisco Bay, which, if I remember correctly, is now at an average depth of only 17 feet.
Got gold? Bring it here, or spend it for outrageously priced lodging, food, or mining supplies.
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