Near Weaverville in Trinity County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Moving Mountains...
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 25, 2016
1. Moving Mountains Marker
Searching for Gold
Imagine a pile of dirt as big as 6 football fields and two miles high. That pile of dirt use to be where you are now standing. It is called Oregon Mountain. Hydraulic mining dissolved 90% of this mound in the quest for gold. From 1851 until 1933, Oregon Mountain was slowly washed down the Trinity River by “monitors.” This hydraulic mine was the largest in the world.
Building a Highway
The remaining 10% was washed away searching for another kind of gold… travel, tourism and trade. The California Department of Transportation liquidated what was left of Oregon Mountain to make a road cut. It took them 5 years of day and night washing with monitors to eliminate the mountain. In 1939 the last segment of Highway 299 was finished. The valley and coast were connected.
Trinity Scenic Byway: From the Valley Oaks to the Redwood Coast (California highway 299)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles.
Location. 40° 44.32′ N, 122° 59.759′ W. Marker is near Weaverville, California, in Trinity County. Marker is on California Route 299, on the right when traveling east. This marker is located near
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The La Grange Mine (a few steps from this marker); Weaverville Basin Gold Discovery Site (approx. 2.8 miles away); Old Section (approx. 2.8 miles away); I.O.O.F. Hall (approx. 2.9 miles away); Trinity County Courthouse (approx. 2.9 miles away); Spiral Staircases (approx. 2.9 miles away); Site of First Cabin (approx. 2.9 miles away); Weaverville Bandstand (approx. 2.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Weaverville.
Also see . . . Giant Gold Machines - Hydraulic Mining. Gold Fever! entry (Submitted on August 9, 2016, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 25, 2016
2. Marker Detail: View of the LaGrange Mine with two "Monitors" working
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 25, 2016
3. Marker Detail: LaGrange Monitor Through-cut (1934)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 25, 2016
4. Moving Mountains Marker under "Giant" or "Monitor"
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 25, 2016
5. "Giant" or "Monitor" (wide view)
Monitors - Water Cannons of Hydraulic Mining
Snowy Range Reflections website entry
Hydraulic mining was a variation on ground sluicing where the water delivered to the site would be shot through a nozzle at high pressure onto the face of the cliff, thereby washing away tons of boulders, gravel, dirt, and ounces of gold.
Snowy Range Reflections website entry
Hydraulic mining was a variation on ground sluicing where the water delivered to the site would be shot through a nozzle at high pressure onto the face of the cliff, thereby washing away tons of boulders, gravel, dirt, and ounces of gold.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 20, 2022. It was originally submitted on August 6, 2016, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 404 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 6, 2016, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
