You Can Visit One Of California’s Best-Preserved Gold Rush Towns For Free — It’s An Open-Air Museum Where Modern Cars Are Completely Restricted

Tuolumne County’s Columbia State Historic Park is one of California’s most remarkable Gold Rush towns, inviting guests to experience life as it would have felt in the mid-19th century. After Columbia’s founding in 1850, the city became a bustling mining town known as the “Gem of the Southern Mines.” With the influx of a diverse population, including Mexican, Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Jewish miners, it was once one of California’s largest cities. These days, visitors can see thirty or so Gold Rush-era buildings still standing today, embellished with costumed docents, stagecoaches, and more historic accoutrements. Things to do at Columbia State Historic Park -------------------------------------------- The free state park is carefully preserved to give guests an authentic window into the past. Costumed docents operate working shops, including a blacksmith, candy store, saloon, and photography studio, and curated historic exhibits offer a deeper dive. In fact, modern vehicles are completely restricted from the main street so as to add to the realism. Popular hands-on experiences include stagecoach rides, old-fashioned bowling, and gold panning . You can also join free walking tours and special Gold Rush Days events to round out the day. Planning your visit ------------------- Columbia State Historic Park is free to visit and open year-round in Columbia, California. It takes about 2.5 to 3 hours to reach the park from San Francisco. Consider making the most of your drive with a visit to nearby Oakdale, the “cowboy capital of the world,” or Jamestown and Railtown 1897 State Historic Park. Read our article about Highway 49 to learn more about planning a Gold Rush roadtrip. 📍 Location : 11259 Jackson St, Columbia, CA 95310 🌐 Website : Columbia State Historic Park Source: https://secretsanfrancisco.com/columbia-state-historic-park-california/