Landmark information
- Location:
NE corner of Main and Donovan Sts, Jamestown - Plaque:
Official State Plaque - Site:
Existing - Date First Visited:
5/26/1996 - Date Most Recently Visited:
1/15/2025 - GPS Coordinates:
N 37 57.106, W 120 25.429
About this landmark
Plaque text:
Mark Twain Bret Harte Trail
Jamestown (Also Called Jimtown)
Known as gateway of Mother Lode and to southern mines, gold first discovered in Tuolumne County west of this point at Woods Creek by James Woods shortly before town was founded by Col. George james, August 8, 1848. Large quantities of gold recovered from stream beds and gulches during "gold rush." Surrounded by famous mines from which millions were extracted in later years. First mercantile business in southern mines said to have been in Butterfield Building, built in 1850, still standing (1948).