Wild West Still Alive in Calaveras County

Author: Cary Ordway

If you're looking for the Wild West, you could do no better than to go to a place that was once the home of Mark Twain and even memorialized in one of his short stories. Lucky for California residents, Calaveras County is a reasonable drive from both north and south and puts a lot of Gold Rush history all within a few square miles.

Students of Mark Twain will remember The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, a short story that was actually Twain's first published work and what eventually made him famous. Today, the Angels Camp community reminds us about Twain and his story every May, drawing more than 2,000 "frog jockeys" who compete to see whose frog can jump the farthest.

Such is the spirit in Calaveras County, a fascinating collection of historic villages that you don't need to wait until May to visit. In fact, the Jumping Frog Jubilee's added traffic may just interfere if all you want to do is explore the many historic attractions, museums, interesting shops - and even wineries - found in this scenic part of the state.

Your exploration can be a weekend or a vacation and can focus on just Calaveras County or include any number of towns and attractions in neighboring counties. We spent just a weekend, parking our RV near Angels Camp and driving short distances to attractions in Calaveras County as well as a couple over the border in Tuolumne County. The distances are all short - 10 to 20 miles between towns or attractions - and the sometimes-winding roads are always scenic in this hilly, forested part of California.

The common denominator between all these attractions is history - if you like history and love looking at historic towns, then this part of the state is your kind of place. A historic church here, an old general store there, antique stores on every block - the towns of Calaveras County are like a stroll into the past.

The Mark Twain connection is a big one for Angels Camp and, just like "the Birds" has become a cottage industry for its filming location, Bodega Bay, the Mark Twain short story has put Calaveras County and Angels Camp on the map. All manner of frog memorabilia are offered locally, and more than one business has the word frog in its name. You can even visit the cabin where Mark Twain lived for the few months he was staying in the area.

Angels Camp is the only incorporated city in Calaveras County so that tells you something about the rural nature of the neighborhood. Anxious to share its history, Angels Camp offers visitors a map for a walking tour of the town. Each of the historic buildings in town - and from what we could tell, they're ALL historic - has a number posted on the front of the building to correspond with the numbers on the map. The map has a description and history of each location.

The Angels Camp Museum and Carriage House is known for its fine collection of historic mining equipment as well as its many native American artifacts. There are reminders of life in the mid-1800s such as the drug store with the many old remedies on display in their original packaging. The Carriage House features more than 30 carriages, carts and wagons from the era.

Just a few miles from Angels Camp, a little further into the mountains, is Murphys, a tiny hamlet that also features many historic landmarks. Most of the buildings are from the mid-1800s with thick stone walls, iron shutters and white picket fences. Once a town of 3,000 people, the current population is a fraction of that, although tourists do swell the numbers on weekends.

Not far from Murphys, we came across a winery that had been recommended to us by the local visitor association - Ironstone Vineyards. This 1,150-acre property includes a tasting room, tours and even a museum on site. Catching our attention was a 44-pound gold nugget that was on display with, as you might suspect, plenty of precautions against theft. Ironstone also has an amphitheater on property which looked like the perfect place to enjoy a Sunday concert. Altogether there are 14 wineries in Calaveras County.

Some of the best history in the area actually is in neighboring Tuolumne County, where we visited the town of Sonora. Perhaps the most scenic town in the area, Sonora has a main street of western storefronts even longer than Angels Camp, but also boasts historic homes and a couple of spectacular church steeples that make it great for taking pictures. Again, Sonora is chock-full of antique shops, as well as small, but interesting shops and restaurants.

Near Sonora is the Columbia State Historic Park, a theme-park like reconstruction of a real California gold rush town. This is like the historic parks you hear about on the East Coast where people dress in period costumes to take you back to earlier days. Gold was discovered in 1850 in Columbia, and the town quickly grew into a bustling base for miners seeking their fortunes. Today, the park has a complete Main Street with reconstructed storefronts that actually have real stores and shops inside. There's a blacksmith shop, a couple of saloons, a hotel and a even a stagecoach ride in addition to many other small businesses. When we were there, a local bluegrass group was dressed in period garb, strolling the streets and entertaining visitors.

While we didn't have time to visit, it's not far from Columbia to Railtown 1897 State Historic Park which offers rides on authentic steam trains that have been used in many television shows and movies.

Another historic attraction in the same general area is the Tuolumne Museum, which blends local history from the early Me-Wuk tribes and the Gold Rush period. Open only on weekend afternoons, the museum displays many typical family items from the period, including clothing, health care items and family photos. A scale model of a local railroad and its route are set up in an adjacent room.

Between Columbia and Angels Camp, we came across a rather unique experience. Moaning Cavernn is just four miles east of Angels Camp and it's where we had the opportunity to walk down into the ground on a spiral staircase that opens to one of the largest caverns in the state. At one time, it was just a hole in the ground that was first discovered by local Indians who would hear a moaning sound coming from the opening. Some would accidentally step into the hole and plunge to their deaths.

Later, when the big underground cavern was discovered, lots of human remains were uncovered. A new opening was cut to allow for the insertion of the staircase and, today, visitors have the choice of taking the staircase or a more adventurous 165-foot rope rappel. If that's still not enough for you, guided tours are offered into the undeveloped and unlighted portions of the cave using lighted helmets and ropes. We chose Option A - the staircase - but there is still something unsettling about being underground in a natural cavern that would be big enough to place the Statue of Liberty inside.

This was just one of the many surprises we found in and near Calaveras County and, like Mark Twain, we had no trouble telling a short story or two when we got back home.

AT A GLANCE

WHERE: Calaveras County is in the heart of California's Gold Country and easily accessed from Highway 99 using west-east highways you can get at various points south of Sacramento. One of the most direct is Highway 4 from Stockton.

WHAT: Calaveras County and several nearby counties make up Gold Country, a historic part of California that retains much of the flavor and charm of the mid-1800s gold rush period. Outdoor recreation is also plentiful here, including several campgrounds and New Melones Reservoir, a haven for boaters.

WHEN: Any time of the year, although there is some mountain driving and most roads are narrow and windy, so spring, summer and fall would be bets.

WHY: The scenic beauty of the area - hilly, mountainous and forested - is a feast for the eyes, while the history of the area is visible almost everywhere you look.

HOW: To plan a trip to Calaveras County, contact the Calaveras Visitors Bureau at 800-225-3764, or visit www.visitcalaveras.org. For more information on the attractions noted here that are in Tuolumne County, contact the Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau at 800-335-1333 or visit www.thegreatunfenced.com.

About the Author:

Cary Ordway is a syndicated travel writer and president of Getaway Media Corp, which publishes websites focused on regional getaway travel. Among the sites currently offered by GMC are http://www.californiaweekend.com , covering California spa vacations and other Golden State destinations, and http://www.northwesttraveladvisor.com , covering Washington vacation ideas as well as other Pacific Northwest travel destinations.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Wild West Still Alive in Calaveras County

Way Out West...Wickenburg, AZ.

Sitting in the shadows of the rising Phoenix, a small town full of cowboy history and culture awaits just a short jaunt away. I could have used the description short "drive", but out here a horse is considered a major part of the public transportation system, and many locals tend to "drive" the cows. This town is well known for dude ranches and open spaces, but more know it as the stop on the way to the gambling destinations of Nevada. Why not take a gamble on Wickenburg, Arizona? It is your best bet along the way.

Wickenburg was founded in 1863 when Henry Wickenburg, a Austrian prospector, found gold around the area of the Vulture Mountains of central Arizona. Soon after the mining and ranch foundations of the town were laid, and a western town was born. The town celebrates it's history in many ways, much which can be seen still today. From ghost towns to festivals, there are numerous opportunities to immerse yourself in Wickenburg's western heritage.

One of the biggest western festivals of it's kind, the annual Gold Rush Days draws thousands of visitor's from all over to celebrate the mining history of the area. The weekend in February offers mining competitions, melodramas, and one of the largest parades in the state on Saturday. If you are in town at any time of year, be sure to visit the Chamber of Commerce located in the historic railroad depot on Frontier Street. This is a great place to start and get the skinny on the history of the town and the places and things you will want to do. Be sure to check out the old Santa Fe steam engine right outside the station. Many shops and artisans are located around the downtown area from here. Some of the highlights include Ben's Saddlery Shop, Buckshot Babe's, and some of the best turquoise jewelry in the state at Danny's. Take a walking tour of downtown and you will find a few "guides" around town to help you learn a little about it's history. These guides are actually statues located around town and with the push of a button will tell you a tale of the town's past.

For a town of it's size, the selection of restaurants is pleasantly plentiful. The best thing you will find about Wickenburg's eating establishments is character. Mom and Pops are very well represented, with Anita's, Rancho Bar 7, and the Cowboy Cafe to name just a few. After a good meal check out a movie over at the historic Saguaro Theater, built in 1948 it's signage and original ticket booth are still intact. And as far as movie popcorn goes, this place knows how to pop those kernels. Wickenburg is the obvious place for that Dinner and a Movie date that you need to take.

The two best things about Wickenburg to do we have yet to mention. Desert Caballeros Western Museum and the Vulture Mine townsite. For a town of less than 10,000 people, the museum here is the toast of the town. With a western art collection that includes greats like Remington, Russell, Moran, and Weighorst, this is the little museum that could...and does. Besides the ever changing exhibits to keep you coming back, the permanent historical part of the museum includes a 1915 Arizona street scene complete with a saloon, watch shop, livery stable, post office, church, and general store. There is also a Victorian house recreation to show how things were back in the old west. This is a must see in Wickenburg, appreciate, learn, and enlighten.

Vulture Mine was the original location of Henry Wickenberg's gold find. Just in sight of Vulture Peak, the town of Vulture City was founded here to support the mining. At one point the population was as high as 5,000 who would call this desert town home. Many of the original buildings are here, and a self guided tour is offered to those that are up to it. The original hanging tree is still there, in a town where 18 were hung from this old Ironwood. Some say there are ghosts that still haunt this area. Isn't this a little obvious? I mean this is a Ghost Town.

There are many things we have not covered, but there is so much to be discovered. Wickenburg is just a short distance from Phoenix and a long distance away in your mind. Be sure to take a trip soon and get in touch with that western spirit that this great Arizona town has to offer.

Author: Chris Bowley is the owner of oldwestweb.com, a web design service with a western twist. Web design with the west in mind.