The transition from the 1850's to the 1950's involved moving from man power to mechanical power. This included electric motors, steam engines, and Pelton wheels. On-site displays of some of the equipment reveals the technology of this gritty world. This device below has wooden brakes.
This Pelton wheel illustrated the importance of water in working this mine. Not only did they need water to help in the chemical separation of gold from the rest of the ore material, they also used water to drive these wheels to, in turn, run the stamp mills.
Ore was moved out of the mines and about the property in cars such as these.
Some of the remaining buildings are maintained here.
Inside this one is a machine shop for building and maintaining the operation. This was a self-contained operation. Amazing, dirty, loud, and very polluting. This is a big part of what put California on the map as the Golden State. But by the time this place closed down, that title was well supported by Hollywood.
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