Here is a display I came across at a museum in Placerville, California about 8 miles from Coloma where gold was discovered in 1848. The relics in the exhibit were donated by a local detectorist and contains items used by gold miners and found in local camps. Thought it was worth sharing. Sorry about glare in photo.
That is an EXQUISITE display! That powder flask is like the one Ray & Ron found. Did they name placer gold after Placerville? Curious...
Are these public mining camps open to detectorists, or are they off bounds for hunting?
Joe
Yes Placerville is named after placer gold, but was originally known as "Dry Diggings"and then "Hangtown" for a while.
No all these finds were made on private property and its quite a chore to get permission to hunt in most of these areas. Just about all the old mining areas in the gold country are now privately owned or under mining claim.
(10-28-2014 05:11 PM)caprock Wrote: [ -> ]Yes Placerville is named after placer gold, but was originally known as "Dry Diggings"and then "Hangtown" for a while.
No all these finds were made on private property and its quite a chore to get permission to hunt in most of these areas. Just about all the old mining areas in the gold country are now privately owned or under mining claim.
That's what I thought about those areas, very difficult to get on. I laugh sometimes when the treasure rags do stories on those old ghost towns & mining camps, as even if one
could get permission to hunt them, I'm sure they been picked over pretty good since at least the early 70's.
I think donating the finds is a good thing if a detectorist doesn't have any family left to pass them on to, or if you know they aren't going to be appreciated & cherished. Imagine accruing a lifetime of history from the earth and your kid goes and hawks the stuff at a pawn shop or something?!
Joe
Here's my favorite old Hangtown image, same site as Ron's pic, just 160 years earlier. Big oak is the hangin' tree
Kickaxx!
Love the wild west history stuff!
Must of missed that one . Thank Ron
![[Image: Placerville%20Downtown%20003.jpg?itok=O38ex60U]](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/af/30/Placerville%20Downtown%20003.jpg?itok=O38ex60U)
![[Image: 6390537-Enjoy_a_local_hanging_with_fine_...?version=2]](http://cdn2.vtourist.com/4/6390537-Enjoy_a_local_hanging_with_fine_wine_or_espresso_Placerville.jpg?version=2)
