Downieville Historic Riverfront District

Downieville Historic Riverfront District. . Downieville, one of the most important towns in the Northern Mines region during the California Gold Rush, was founded in late 1849. It was first known as "The Forks" due to its location at the confluence of the now - named North Yuba and Downie Rivers. In 1850, the settlement was renamed after "Major" William Downie (1819-1893), a Scotsman who led a party in October 1849 from Bullard's Bar to the North Yuba region that consisted of two white men, seven African Americans, and an Irish boy. Eventually, the white men left Downie's party and were replaced by a Kanaka man, known only as Jim Crow, and a Native American man. The party headed towards The Forks, settling there in November 1849. As winter storms approached, eight of the men, including Jim Crow, headed "down below" for provisions. Downie and the remaining men built a log cabin at the present townsite in December 1849. Word of plentiful gold discoveries spread, and by 1850, Downieville had fifteen hotels and gambling houses, four bakeries, four butcher shops, and numerous saloons. The town reached a peak population of over 5,000 miners by 1851. Numerous fires and floods destroyed large portions of the town and the gold mines played out, resulting in a large population decline. However, many of Downieville's historic buildings remain., Dedicated on August 24, 2024 (CY6028) , By Major William Downie 1849 , Outpost Pio Pico 1801 , E Clampus Vitus