California State Mining and Mineral Museum Park Property Maps

California State Mining and Mineral Museum Park Property Description

We are proud to display the Fricot “Nugget”, a rare and beautiful specimen of crystallized gold discovered in the American River in 1864. This spectacular 13.8-pound. specimen is the largest remaining intact mass of crystalline gold from 19th century California, when these finds were more common but usually were simply melted down. You can also take a trip back in time as you walk through our mine tunnel and see how gold was mined in the mid-1800s, when California was a wilderness, being transformed by rapid development. Our assay office and working scale model of a stamp mill will help you