Near La Grange in Stanislaus County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Tuolumne Gold Dredge
Photographed By Richard Wisehart, April 19, 2008
1. Tuolumne Gold Dredge Marker
Inscription.
Tuolumne Gold Dredge. . Behind this monument rests the historic Tuolumne Gold Dredge which started operation at Patricksville, just east of this location, on June 15, 1938. A Walter Johnson No. 52 Model, it floated on a self-created pond of water. It was larger than a football field, weighed over 2500 tons, and cost $543,148 to construct. The dredge used electricity to drive 120 4000 lb. buckets 70 ft. deep to recover gold. It ceased operation in July 1951. The total amount of gold recovered is unknown.
Behind this monument rests the historic Tuolumne Gold Dredge which started operation at Patricksville, just east of this location, on June 15, 1938. A Walter Johnson No. 52 Model, it floated on a self-created pond of water. It was larger than a football field, weighed over 2500 tons, and cost $543,148 to construct. The dredge used electricity to drive 120 4000 lb. buckets 70 ft. deep to recover gold. It ceased operation in July 1951. The total amount of gold recovered is unknown.
Erected 1998 by Estanislao Chapter No. 58, E Clampus Vitus.
Location. 37° 38.203′ N, 120° 28.283′ W. Marker is near La Grange, California, in Stanislaus County. Marker is on County Route J59, 2 miles south of California Highway 132, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: La Grange CA 95329, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regarding Tuolumne Gold Dredge. The dredge is listed in the National Register of Historical Places as Structure #71000208. It is located on private property and in the 1980's the owner of the property sold a portion of the dredge to a buyer who moved that portion to Australia.
Photographed By Richard Wisehart, April 19, 2008
2. Tuolumne Gold Dredge
View is westerly of marker, on the edge of the road, and dredge in the background behind the marker. County Route J59 is in foreground. The town of La Grange is approximately 3 miles to the right (north). The town of Snelling is to the left (south).
Photographed By Richard Wisehart, April 19, 2008
3. Gold Dredge
Remaining portion of dredge is in background. Piles of dredged cobbles can be seen in foreground.
Photographed By Quentin Robert Noble, circa 2010
4. Tuolumne Gold Dredge
Photographed By Quentin Robert Noble, circa 2010
5. Tuolumne Gold Dredge
May 19, 2011
6. Tuolumne Gold Dredge Buckets
These buckets from the Tuolumne Gold Dredge are on display at the La Grange Historic Park in the nearby community of La Grange.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 18, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 24, 2008, by Richard Wisehart of Sonora, California. This page has been viewed 8,155 times since then and 95 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on April 24, 2008, by Richard Wisehart of Sonora, California. 4, 5. submitted on May 13, 2010, by Quentin Robert Noble of Modesto, California. 6. submitted on May 20, 2011. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.