Columbia (California)
| Columbia | |||
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 Columbia State Historic Park |
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| Location in California | |||
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| Basic data | |||
| Foundation : | 1850 | ||
| State : | United States | ||
| State : | California | ||
| County : | Tuolumne County | ||
| Coordinates : | 38 ° 2 ′ N , 120 ° 24 ′ W | ||
| Time zone : | Pacific ( UTC − 8 / −7 ) | ||
| Residents : | 2,405 (as of: 2000) | ||
| Population density : | 150.3 inhabitants per km 2 | ||
| Area : | 16.0 km 2 (approx. 6 mi 2 ) of which 16.0 km 2 (approx. 6 mi 2 ) are land |
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| Height : | 652 m | ||
| Postal code : | 95310 | ||
| Area code : | +1 209 | ||
| FIPS : | 06-14904 | ||
| GNIS ID : | 0277490 | ||
| Website : | www.columbiacalifornia.com | ||
Columbia (also Columbia Diggings or Hildreth's Diggings ) is a census-designated place in Tuolumne County in the US state of California .
The typical gold rush town was founded in 1850. It became one of the most important cities in California's so-called Gold Country. Part of the city is still preserved today and is a "California State Park" as a historical monument. Columbia was in its heyday the second largest city in California and was even up for discussion as the seat of parliament .
In three major fires, the last one in 1854, most of the city burned down and was rebuilt with brick and iron structures. These constructions still stand today. The Wells Fargo Express Office or the historic school building are in their original state. Gold mining fell sharply from 1860 onwards , but Columbia never became a ghost town . The remaining residents received the buildings until the city center was declared a historical park in 1945. Every second Saturday of the month, the shops open, stagecoaches drive through the streets and visitors can panning for gold and a hearty meal in the saloon. The entrance for visitors is free of charge.
Sons and daughters
- Peter James Muldoon (1862–1927), Roman Catholic clergyman, Bishop of Rockford
Individual evidence
- ^ Steven Warshaw: Diablo's Complete Guidebook to Central California and the Sierra Nevada . Diablo Press, Berkeley, California 1963, p. 62.
- ^ Erwin G. Gudde: California Place Names: A Geographical Dictionary . University of California Press, Berkeley, California 1949, p. 75.
