Historic Gold Towns

The Coarsegold Area

Here, the oldest and most extensively worked mine was the one generally known as Texas Flat. In 1855, there were four claims filed, apparently by some greenhorns from Texas who may have been the victim of some sharp salesmen with a worked out mine on their hands. However, the four struck "pay dirt" and made a fortune. The Texas Flat Gold and Silver Mining Company incorporated for 1 1/2 million dollars in 1863. No record exists of its success or failure.

In 1882, a Santa Cruz group erected a fine stamp mill, but work didn't really get going until 1904. The mine became one of the deepest in this part of the country, going down to 900 feet. Before it was shut down, it produced $185,000 of ore.

Grub Gulch

This community no longer exists. It was about 10 miles west of Oakhurst on the road from Ahwahnee to Raymond.

The Gambetta mine, also called the Arkansas Traveler, was the first and richest mine around Grub Gulch. It was discovered in 1880 and produced $490,000 in ore before it was abandoned in 1904. Close to it was the Josephine, worked in the 1880's, producing $360,000 in gold. Also nearby was the Mammouth (Woodland or Starlight). One of the foremen at this mine, Charles Wood, was not only a good miner, but he and another man made a good living by promoting mines. The mine was finally abandoned in 1914 when heavy rains caused cave-ins.

The Enterprise was also developed in this area in 1881-82. The first buyer exhausted a rich pocket, sold out for $20,000 to another miner who found a new vein and got his money back in two weeks.

Hildreth

In this area about $100,000 was taken between 1880 and 1895. At the present time there is a semi-active tungsten mine here.

The California Journal credits, what is now Madera County, with the production of $1,350,000 in gold between 1880 and 1892. Of this amount $958,000 was produced by three Grub Gulch mines: The Gambetta, Josephine and Enterprise. This leaves less than $400,000 for all the other mines in the area.

Recent efforts to produce gold have mostly been limited to small suction dredges. There are two in nearby streams, both inactive.

One gold activity does flourish here, however. Gold panning contests are held frequently at Ahwahnee and the gold panning champion lives in this area.

Oakhurst

Oakhurst, formerly Fresno Flats in the 1850's is only 12 miles from the southern entrance of Yosemite.

Once the Mi Wok, Mono and Chuckchansi people lived and flourished, surrounded by the breathtaking scenery of the rolling Sierra Foothills among the oak and pine trees. In the 1850's it became known as Fresno Flats providing supplies to mines and lumber companies in the surrounding area. Today Oakhurst, the southern most starting point of Historic Hwy 49, is a town of 18,000 people.