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The earliest history of California includes evidence of ancient Indian cultures living in the lower desert near the Colorado river. The early European culture was predominantly composed of the Spanish who were settling the south american continent as well as the north american continent. Much of the California life centered around small farms and trapping for furs. For an interesting study of the early life along California's coast I would recommend reading Henry Dana's Two Years Before the Mast.
Although the Spanish in California had discovered gold prior to the discovery at Sutter's mill in 1848, that tiny nugget was the one that changed the course of history of the west. Miners from the gold fields of California discovered the great Comstock lode of Nevada and established new trails across the territory. The gold mines of the Sierra Nevada mountain range were incredibly rich. The first miners on the scene were able to gather, through hard work large amounts of placer gold from the many streams and rivers flowings westward from the mountain peaks. It wasn't long before the majority of this mineral bonanza was plucked away. From then on, mining required large capital outlays to finance either deep hardrock mines or large hydraulic mining operations.
Even though much of the desert of California has been explored by a great number of people including the military during WWII, the former contributors to Desert Magazine, and the huge number of weekend visitors it is still easy to find a remote area to investigate and enjoy the quiet remoteness of this land. There are a number of old settlements and mining operations that are very interesting to visit along with WWII military camps, lost mines, and the secrets of long gone Indian settlements.
| Barnwell | Calico | Cerro Gordo | Darwin |
| Death Valley | Hart | Lookout | Masonic |
| Panamint City | Riggs | ||
| Tumco (Hedges) | Yermo | WWII Military Bases - New Addition |
| Lost River Of Gold | 4 Lost Gold Mines east of Twentynine Palms | Lost Mines - Found |
| Salt Springs | El Paso Mountains |
| Tidewater and Tonopah | Randsburg Railway |
| Superstition Mtn. or Aztlan, ancient city of the Aztecs | Trilobite Fossils | Rainbow Basin |
| Where To Find Gold in the Desert, by Klein.
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McDonnell F-4C, Shadow Mts.: Feb. 20, 1967 a#65-0656 USAF F-4C crashed in the Shadow Mtns. near El Mirage. The aircraft burned. Small pieces including some with part numbers can be found scattered over a wide area.
Visit our new Prospecting Book Store for more books on Lost mines and Prospecting or visit the Book Store for books on mines and ghost towns of the Southwest.
