Nestled on the northern edge of the Tahoe National Forest is an early gold rush town that was erected in the Spring of 1850 below a geological prominent landmark known as the Sierra Buttes which stand at 8,587'.  Its rocky jagged granite crags can be seen all the way from Tahoe to Lassen Peak which is a dormant volcano. Below the Sierra Buttes aka Yuba Buttes is an area called the Lakes Basin known for its 45 plus granite lakes but also the gold that the region yielded which surpassed 30 million dollars. Before the miners came to the region it was inhabited by three Native American tribes being the Washoe,  Maidu and Nisenan for thousands of years. They knew better only to migrate seasonally to this harsh land in the warmer months to hunt, fish, gather roots and berries. While in the cooler months they remained at lower elevations in the Sierra Foothills where winters were less harsh. Today if you were to explore the area thoroughly you will find that their are petroglyphs and grinding rocks within the canyon all point to signs that before the Europeans came here seeking out the gold the natives were the first to stake there claim.

 I read an article that a massive asteroid struck Sierra City eons ago which may have led to the enriched gold that was found here due to that impact. When the impact occurred its possible that its precious metals from the asteroid were dispersed onto the land then years later rain water washed it into the local rivers and lakes thus revealing Placer Gold! Also may I add geologist who studied sediment surrounding Sierra City found a layer that dates back to 300 million years old which verifieds that an ancient shallow sea once swallowed this entire region and in fact it was underwater at one time just another fast fact.  Some of the best dinosaurs fossils in the state of California have been found in the region this is a very old area with allot of mysteries and secrets. It is more then just a ghost town or series of mines or lush forest it dates back to the time of the dinosaurs!

During the gold rush which began in Coloma California in 1849 many of the miners spread their wings north of here in search gold which was found along the shores of the raging Yuba River which in turn carried rich placer gold. That same year one of the first miners to arrive near the Sierra Buttes was Thomas Robertson Stoddart who mined and panned Gold Lake which is one of the third biggest lakes in the region and largest found within the Lake Basin. The men who were responsible for helping build the settlement of Downieville also known as Sinnott also were responsible for the discovery of Sierra City named Philo A. Haven and Joseph Zumwalt. The discovery of the placer gold drew in allot of prospectors to set up a more permanent camp which then grew into a major city of its time. However more serious mining would riddle the sierra buttes above the town with miles of tunnels after a man by the name of Murphy discovered an outcropping of quartz that contained gold within it by 1852 just two years later after the camp sprung up. Not to far from the Sierra Butte Mine led to Sierra City being built on a ledge above the river below. That town had a bakery, saloons, gambling houses, cabins and two large buildings at the time. While Sierra City focused on its mining its sister town focused on ranching which provided food for the miners known as Sierraville California. 

In 1850 the town was very problematic during its first few winters due to its close proximity of the mountains it made life very difficult for the pioneers. It was built at a much higher elevation then most of the towns in the Sierra Nevada's. Winters were very harsh therefore mining equipment had to be brought in by men on snowshoes with sleds or by mule as tunneling begin in 1851 high up in the Sierra Buttes. Food was very scarce here afterall this remote region of California was an uncharted frontier which led to the settlement nearly being abandoned. Which may have not been such a bad thing considering in the Spring of 1853 the late wet snow led to an avalanche which destroyed the entire town. That avalanche destroyed everything crushing all the structures and some of the residents were killed from it. It would be at least five years before Sierra City would bounce back in 1858 as it remained abandoned. Most of the miners back in the day were Native Americans who were displaced by the influx of prospectors that came to the area. Its hard to say how many perished in the avalanche because they were not treated with the same burial traditions as the white Europeans were therefore any graves from the result of there deaths would remain unmarked and undocumented. 

That gold fever would not stop the town from being rebuilt as Ferdinand, Christian and Gustav purchased many of the mining claims surrounding the Sierra Buttes and once again gold mining would continue. Sierra City from that era and on reached its peak of 3000 residents. This time however when the town was rebuilt it was rebuilt near the bottom of the canyon along the Yuba River. This way the risk of another avalanche wiping out the town would be decreased. No less avalanches did continue to occur from 1859 into the early 1900's as the buttes were very steep and winters were very harsh which made it an ideal location for snow to accumulate then eventually break off and fall to the town below.  Stores, saloons, restaurants and cabins would be built near the mines but most of the town site resided at the bottom of the buttes. If you worked the mines you possibly would have to hike it on in or get on one of the wagons however most miners braved it living thousands of feet above the city in avalanche high risk areas allured by the mountains gold. 

The best known mine was the Sierra Buttes Mine which had a long standing history of operating from 1851 before the avalanche all the way up until 1937. The mine at one time peaked out at nearly 300 miners boasting a forty-stamp and twenty-stamp mill which produced over 17 million in gold making it one of the rich mines in the region.  Nearby you also had the Young America Mine which also featured a forty-stamp mill which ran 24 hours a day all day and was so loud that the residents of Sierra City could hear the pounding of the stamps even though it was over a ridge behind the town site.  The Monumental Mine in 1860 yielded a 106 pound nugget making it the largest piece ever discovered in Sierra County and the second largest in the state of California. Other mines that came to be were the Colombo, William Tell, Keystone, Four Hills and Kentucky Mine & Mill which still stand today which serve as a reminder of the mining that resulted in the growth of Sierra Cities boom in its heyday.  Its said there are over 100 miles of underground tunnels within the buttes and today its honeycombed with mines. One thing was for sure this region had some of the largest gold nuggets in the world thus it was very alluring for prospectors to journey here to work these mines.

The grand order of E. Clampus Vitus originated in Sierra City in 1857 one year prior to the settlements redevelopment which Mark Twain belonged too believe it or not. Other fraternal organizations would also rise such as the Masons and the I.O.O.F.  The Masonic Lodge still stands today in the heart of downtown. Later on orders like E. Clampus Vitus served the community by taking care of the orphans of the men who died in the mines. Death was imminent in Sierra City mining was dangerous if that did not kill you the rugged outdoors would. Just take a journey through the towns cemetery which was built on a hillside below the Sierra Buttes where many miners, children and settlers who died tragically during the towns beginnings. I have posted photos of the cemetery as it holds many of the first emigrants who came to this area seeking wealth and it led to their own very demise.  Alone you had between 1850 to 1880 over 10 thousand miners living here and some just did not ever leave Sierra City.

Back in the day every Fourth Of July the locals since the 1850's would climb the Sierra Buttes to the top by taking a rugged wagon trail via horseback till they made their way to the base of the crags. The men would then go first and lower ropes down to the women who then in turn would tie ropes around there waists to be hoisted upwards. One can imagine that their long dresses were torn and how difficult it must had been to try to climb the mountain with corsets on.  For over 150 years fishing, camping, skiing, boaters, cyclist, mountain bikers, kayakers, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, hiking, adventuring and exploration has truly never ended. I myself plan to do some major hiking in the region to some of the mines, lakes and peaks in the region. Today people four wheel and RV all over the Lakes Basin however Sierra City is the gateway to the buttes therefore many pass through the city however not everyone is aware of its rich history. Thankful our website educates others about these locations more in depth that way when others pass through Sierra City they are aware of its significance and role it played in the area. 

Many historic buildings still remain in Sierra City today its one of the reasons I enjoy visiting here because it is like taking a step back through time for example the oldest building standing in town is the Masonic Hall built in 1864 also used as a temporary school house. Many of the old saloons, hotels, restaurants and homes are original dating back to the towns boom. The post office is new but the mine cart embedded within it is a symbol of the towns early mining days. The two story brick Busch Building originally belonged to the Wells Fargo Company. The Bigelow House a historic Victorian Structure still stands today while the cemetery sits on the western edge of town and contains some of the first early pioneers who set eyes on the Sierra Buttes.  The towns church and school also are original as well as many of the artifacts that line the streets especially downtown. In the 1920's many rustic cabins were built which today serves as a getaway and retreat for those who visit the region wanting a peaceful escape. Not much has changed except that today the cozy rustic cabins now house electricity and running water. 

Various mining booms took place over the years surrounding Sierra City after its good years gold veins would be exhausted while new veins would be discovered. Various peaks lasted a short time for example the 1850's, 1860's 1880's to about 1914 were very productive years for the miner owners in the region. In the 1920's to the 1930's another boom did occur for a short time. After that era it did drastically slow down although some smaller mining operations took place in the 1980's into the 1990's proof of that can be seen up near Loves Falls. Throughout the national forest and surrounding the buttes old mining operations can be found whether they are quartz tunnels, rusty equipment left behind, shafts or wagon roads they are all symbolic in regards to the medium grade gold ore that was extracted from the region. Many of the mills are gone but just east of Sierra City the Kentucky Mill still stands and has some of the only operable working stamps in the state of California.

On the east side of town the famous Pacific Crest Trail passed main street and traverses to a location known as Loves Falls which contains the Lower, Middle and Upper Falls. It is the middle falls that is the largest and tallest of the three. Above it is a footbridge and is known for its large heart-shaped boulder that splits the waterfall into two during the Spring when the Yuba River is heavily flowing. These are some of the finest waterfalls in Sierra County being so close to the town it is no wonder I took my family here on a hike after we explored historic downtown. Make no mistake these falls and the river rapids make it a deadly combo one slip could be your last here. But if you feel inclined to check them out safely you can reap the awards of great photography and the serenity of mother nature that is found in abundance here. Between downtown's extensive history, cemetery, waterfalls and nature I can promise you that you will fall in love with Sierra City as it shows with our website addition. 

In 1993 the dedication of the 160 mile long Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway was erected this is a scenic route that traverse interstate 80 and highways 89, 49 and 20 through the sierras.  Its some of the most beautiful country in northern California.  Today mining is not as relevant as tourism in the area according to one of the business owners I privately interviewed downtown. During the winter months most of Sierra City shuts its doors to the public and hunkers down for winter. In 1952 tour buses were mainstream here as everyone wanted to see a piece of Sierra Cities history. Sierra City is what drew in people from all over the world to enjoy the Lakes Basin and Sierra Buttes area making it what it is today. People come from all over just to enjoy the great outdoors so consider this addition on our site a symbol of things to come or rather an introduction to an area we will work with for years to come.  

This region has a long standing history of Bigfoot activity and many of the older historic locations have their own ghost stories to tell. I have studied allot of reports in this region and the one common denominator here is that their is a hairy monster who has thrown boulders at various cars screaming at them as they drive by some of the forested roads surrounding the town site.  I read at least four reports about hikers having rocks thrown at them while camping or off-roading near some of the lakes found near Sierra City.  It would appear that their are even some Bigfoot meet ups in the area so we definitely want to research it further. Eventually I will run an expedition to the top of the Sierra Buttes but no trail will hike behind the town itself to the top primitive just like the route Sasquatch would take and will work with the Lakes Basin below because where you find allot of water your going to find these creatures. Nothing like stopping for a brew in Sierra City after journeying and exploring the rocky crags of the Sierra Buttes. This area is very special as it has not been touched by forest fires and remains one of the most intact semi ghost towns in northern California therefore much more remains to be seen. Its a friendly little place very cozy and quaint everyone treated me with hospitality which has me even more eager to promote tourism and some of the local businesses here. 

Copyright By
Lord Rick aka AngelOfThyNight
PGS Founder
Author, Talk Show Host, Producer and Paranormal Investigator

Although we do not require it we ask that each viewer donates leisurely or subscribes therefore we ask that you take the time to gift us even if its minimal. All proceeds go towards the cost to maintain our site, equipment, gear and other services. For years we have taken our donations and applied them towards many of the trips that you see visible on our site. We know that times are tough so we are not asking you to go broke donating to our cause therefore donate leisurely when you can. On an average PGS spends more then we ever receive from the volunteer work that we do. Our equipment does often break down due to the elements and more then often it needs dire replacement. Please use the donate button to gift The Paranormal & Ghost Society when its at your convenience or if you prefer to gift us yearly you can do so using the subscribe button. As a Gold or Platinum member YOU WILL recieve a copy of AngelOfThyNight Radio on disc which contains hours of stand up comedy, bloopers, entertainment and various paranormal topics. The more seasons we perform the more episodes you will recieve on disc. Since we are a nonprofit group there is no monetary gain even if you donate a dollar a month we thank you for your support and loyalty. I want our viewers to know the hardwork that comes with our explorations which go all the way from dangerous expeditions to being broken down in the desert. We have been a reputable Paranormal Group for over ten years and our work has been legendary. What promise will future years hold for us?  Find out and help support our cause united as one not because we are asking but because we need your friendship and love for what we do within our society to contineously improve our explorations and services. We THANK each and everyone one of you for your membership with us!