A little-known former California boom town is attracting new interest as residents claim they are still finding gold.
Washington, which is tucked away in the Sierra Nevada Hills, became a Gold Rush hotspot when it was first founded two centuries ago.
Today it is one the oldest mining towns in the state and still boasts many original buildings and features.
Remarkably, many residents in the tight-knit community also still regularly hunt for hidden gold along the scenic South Yuba River that runs parallel to the main road.
‘I’ve found enough to make earrings. But I haven’t made them yet,’ lifelong resident Harmony Blake, 47, told SFGate.
The land was first settled as Indiana Camp in 1849 – named after the mining company from the state of Indiana that set up there.
The official name of Washington came a little later in 1850, along with a flood of new residents hoping to strike it rich.
At its peak, thousands of people resided in the town. But as of 2022, only around 100 residents remain.
In the 1870s, Chinese miners outnumbered any other demographic.
According to the Nevada County website, the Sierra Hills community even had its own Chinatown along the South Yuba River.
But by 1890, just a few hundred remained.
Now, a campground has been set up on the land where the Chinese miners once searched for gold.
The ‘Lil’ Town of Washington’ has avoided modernization, with key historical sites such as the Washington Hotel – which opened in 1857 and has 14 rooms – proving integral to the town’s fabric.
The building has a homey feel, with photos of now deceased residents hanging on the walls as if it were a big living room.
Guests fondly remember the former owner, Su Morgan DeCorte, who died in 2010, as ‘Mama Su’.
Inside the ceiling is covered with all types of items – from wheels to tools – adding to the site’s quirky allure.
Beers are served in mason jars, condiments are held in emptied cardboard beer packs, and money has been pinned to the walls.
Blake, who works as a bartender at the hotel, said locals pop in all day for meals and drinks at the bar, creating a cast of regulars.
She told SFGate: ‘Nothing ever really shuts down, even in bad weather. The bar is always open, no matter how bad it is. It doesn’t matter if the power is off. We have a generator.’
Meanwhile, the hotel’s brochure states that it has just three rules: ‘No Dogs. No Douchebags. No WiFi.’
In the 1850s, more than 180 gold mines were up and running within seven miles of the booming hotel.
With miners flooding Washington, the town was bustling with residents and visitors.
Before she passed away, Mama Su documented that there were ‘five provision stores, two clothing stores, three hotels, one billiard saloon, a bowling alley, rum shops and bars too numerous to count,’ SFGate reported.
The Washington General Store is another town staple.
Owned by Gary Banks of Fresno, the building has been preserved and adorned with plaques honoring its original owners, Fong Chow and Lonnie Tom.
The town’s Brimskill Building sits along the main strip and is said to be the oldest structure in Nevada County, according to its historical marker. It served as a general store that sold miner supplies.
Wells Fargo also had a desk inside the building and shipped thousands of dollars of gold from Washington.
The Kohler Building is another preserved site, which also served as a general merchandise store.
However, some residents increasingly fear for the town’s future as population dwindles.
The town’s only school house closed in 2022 because there were not enough children to fill it.
The school, built in 1905, had only four students when it shut. A decade before, there were just 10 students.
As of 2020, Washington’s median age of residents was 61 years old, SFGate reported.
Despite this, the town continues to fight to withstand the test of time.
Two campsites, the River Rest Resort and Little Town Campground, currently help support its economy.
But the campgrounds draw fewer visitors in the colder seasons, leaving many locals wondering if the fading tourism trend will last for good.