The History of This Area

The History of This Area. . , The Native People , The cultural history of people inhabiting the western slope of the Sierras spans a period of at least 3,500 years. It is known that the Nisenan, a Native California tribe, occupied the geographic region between the Sierra Buttes, those rugged peaks outlined on the horizon, and the Consumnes River drainage to the south. As experienced hunters and gatherers, the Nisenan possessed considerable knowledge of the plants and animals of the region and utilized this information to acquire food during the summer-spring portion of their annual subsistence round. The life of the Nisenan remained unchanged until the mid-1800’s arrival of people from the eastern portion of the country, Europe and Asia., The Immigrants , The first major entry of immigrants into the region occurred in 1849 when a company of men from Indiana decided to winter over on a small flat on the south bank of the South Yuba River which was given the name of “Indiana Camp.” The discovery of gold at this location insured the permanence of this camp which was renamed Washington as a patriotic gesture on the part of its citizenry on July 4, 1850. As mining operations expanded, the region became known as the Washington Mining District, and the landscape began to change as water conveyance systems were constructed. New mining camps sprang up bearing such names as Jefferson, Gaston, Maybert, Omega and Alpha. Timber was cut to provide lumber for the mines and associated buildings., Transportation , The need for adequate transportation facilities surfaced quickly as the population of the region grew and the demand for supplies and services increased. Evidence of the various types of transportation employed in satisfaction of this need is still visible. Highway 20 still winds its way along Washington Ridge and closely follows the route of the Nevada and Washington Toll Road. An important way station associated with this road, the Junction House, was located to the east of this vista point. The harvesting of timber spawned the construction of the Towle Brothers Narrow Gauge Railroad whose tracks provided access to large stands of timber in the Yuba and Bear River drainages