Information & history on back side of plaques:

2991 Auburn Hook & Ladder company Firehouse, Auburn, CA. Mining towns were built in a hurry and with the material readily at hand, wood. Fires were common in these settlements often destroying an entire town in just one hour's time. Built in 1893, this firehouse is home to one of the oldest volunteer fire departments in the state. It has operated since it was first organized in November 1852.

2992 Columbia Wells Fargo, Columbia, CA. Miners saw signs everywhere "Gold Dust Bought" but only at the young banking and express company known as Wells, Fargo & Co. did they know they could get a fair price. Wells Fargo set up shop in gold towns throughout California and their agents were truely the resident experts in the precious metal. The company's accuracy was credited to the famous Gold Standard Balances, the gleaming brass scales that accompanied the agents everywhere. More than 1.4 million ounces of gold were weighed in on the scales at the Columbia building. Wells Fargo closed the office in 1914 and donated the building in 1945 to the State of California as part of the creation of the Columbia State Historic Park. Wells Fargo & Co. is a trademark of Wells Fargo & Co. and is used under license by F.J. Designs, Inc.

2993 Sutters Mill, coloma, CA. The American gold rush began at Sutters Mill on the South Fork of the American River. "Mill Boss" James Marshall, discovered gold flakes in the trail race on January 24, 1848. Though the gold rush fostered dreams of wealth for many 49ers, mill owner John Sutter and James Marshall, went to their graves penniless.

2994 Silver Dollar Saloon, Marysville, Ca. Silver Dollar Saloon was built in 1860. It served as both a bar and hotel, and later as a brothel until 1975. The gold region produced its share of adventure, romance and history. The Silver Dollar Saloon provided more than a place for weary travelers to rest. It was a place for gold seekers to share their dreams of striking it rich. The town of marysville, home to the Silver Dollar Saloon, is actually older than the state of California.

2995 National Hotel, Neveda city, CA. The National Hotel opened for business in 1856, just a month after a fire gutted its offices. The hotel is actually comprised of four buildings, each stretching three stories high. During the mining days, these buildings were a pertinent part of town as the Wells Fargo Express, Western Union Telegraph and assorted stage and mail lines had their offices here. In use today, the hotel is one of the oldest in the state.

2996 Mariposa county courthouse, Mariposa, CA. The Mariposa mining camp materialized in the spring of 1814 along the veins of the Mother Load and soon grew in size and importance. Mariposa County was one of the original twenty-seven counties created in California adn at one time, was more than one-fifth of the state's area. By 1854 it became evident that the county needed a courthouse. Mariposa is the oldest county courthouse in continuous use west of the Rockies. The second floor courtroom still contains many of the original furnishings.

2997 Booth & Company, Old Sacramento, CA. Newton Booth, a shrewd and influential businessman, built one of the largest wholesale grocery stores on the Pacific Coast. A platform was installed on the roof of his building so that incoming ships could signal the cargo's worth, giving him an advantage over his competitors. Booth's success may have stemmed from the inspiration of John Sutter establishing Sutter's Fort. As the settlement grew with the rush for gold, it attracted businessmen like Booth looking for opportunities.

2998 Old Sacramento Schoolhouse, Old Sacramento, CA. The need for schoolhouses increased as men brought their families to the area in search of prosperity. The Old Sacramento Schoolhouse is typical of the one-room schoolhouses sprinkled throughout gold rush country in the 1800s.

2999 49ers. One of the most massive migrations in human history, the California Gold Rush, began with John Marshall's discovery of gold in a sawmill ditch on January 24, 1848. More than 90,000 people made their way to California within the next two years and by 1854, over 300,000 lived in California. We called them 49ers.

3000 Clipper Ship Helena. The Clipper Ship Helena united with thousands of other American designed ships that sailed swiftly from the eastern U.S. to California, in response to the Gold Rush frenzy. In 1849, during the month of February alone, more than 50 ships left their harbors in search for the gold fields.