Why Columbia State Historic Park is called a park makes good speculation. While it does provide picnic tables, no one goes there to admire its botanical delights. It was basically the shopping precinct of the small town of Columbia when its primary industry was mining. What history California has draws heavily from its Mother Lode. This section of the state has always intrigued me. From my first visit to the region in the early 80s, I’ve always enjoyed spending time there and learning more about it. As a movie fan, learning it has been the site of movie and TV-series locations, such as High Noon, Pale Rider, and Little House on the Prairie, is even more incentive to visit. When I learned of all the ghosts this former mining boomtown has, it drove my enthusiasm up another notch. Today, its primary industry is tourism. With its history, exhibits, tours, activities, shopping, dining, lodging, special events, and ghost folklore, it is a captivating area to spend a day or more. Who knows? Even the town’s ghosts have been known to greet visitors.


A brief history

In March of 1850, the Hildreth brothers happened to camp in the area during an until-then unsuccessful search for gold. It had rained during the night, so they hung their blankets up to dry. With time on their hands, they did a little panning and soon discovered how rich the soil was with gold, minerals, and other gems. When other prospectors noticed how much time they were spending in the locale, it was quickly teeming with hundreds of men. People soon found they could pull a clump of grass from the ground and find gold nuggets in its roots. Within a month the population peaked at 6,000. By the end of 1852, there was more than 150 businesses; such as stores, saloons, and hotels; in the town to support the miners.

After California became the 31st state to enter the union during September 1850, Columbia lost the honor of being the Golden State’s capital to Sacramento by two votes. As the price of gold began to dwindle in the 20th century, so did the town’s major industry. By the 1940s, most of the serious mining had ceased. On the other hand, unlike so many other former boomtowns, it retained a small population and, although deteriorating, it avoided becoming clusters of abandoned, derelict buildings. Located in the Sierra Foothills, it is such a pretty area many of its residents will never leave. Columbia’s downtown area was established as a state park in 1945 and since then the state government has gradually been buying up all of the buildings built during the Gold Rush period and preserving them.


Exhibits

Many of these old buildings still have businesses operating out of them, but quite a few have exhibits to give visitors a good idea of the hardships our ancestors endured under these rough and tough circumstances. The miners were alive. While they worked they still needed food, lodging, and health care services. Even those without an interest in mining could make a good living by providing items and services to attend to the miners’ daily needs and recreation.

Although Columbia State Historic Park does have a couple of small standard museums, the whole thing is one itself. Walking down the boardwalks of Main Street or the few that cross it, are exhibits of businesses the townsfolk could expect to find in these mining towns, using relics from the period to demonstrate what these establishments were like. For instance, the general store is a physical example of how the merchants kept all of their merchandise behind the counter. (Woolworth came up with the concept of putting out his wares where customers could give them closer examination in the early 20th century.) The assay office tested ore for purity, weighed and documented what was mined by and for the miners. The Chinese apothecary probably had all sorts of remedies for whatever ailed their patients.

Most of these exhibits are more like artpieces. Visitors cannot walk into these rooms to look at everything up close. They are blocked off by picture windows and most have pushbuttons for recordings providing more details of how the 49ers conducted that aspect of their lives. Others have signs with further info or both. The dentist office shows how the state of dental health was becoming more respected. It’s kind of scary when it becomes clear how new the art of practicing dentistry was in the 19th century. When teeth were pulled, the extractions sometimes either additionally took a bit of jawbone or left a bit of tooth behind.

The Columbia list of historical exhibits and museums includes:

—Dentist office
—IOOF museum
—General store
—Butcher shop
—Chinese apothecary
—William Cavilier Museum
—Johnson Livery
—Papeete Firehouse
—Masonic Hall
—Wells Fargo Stage Office (but they provide no ATM)
—Native Sons of the Golden West museum
—Justice Court
—Schoolhouse
—Assay Office
—Pharmacy
—Jail
—Miner’s cabin
—Chicken coop
—Wagon barn
—Columbia diggin’s camp


Tours

Because of California’s current budget crisis, the regular official park walking tours have ceased. Special tours for groups can be arranged, however, by calling Michelle at 209-588-9128 with any rates to be determined at that time.

After several visits to Columbia, I know only a couple of other formal tours are offered regularly through the park. The first and most frequent can be booked at the Matelot Gulch Mine Supply Store. For a $10 per adult ticket, visitors can learn quite a bit about the town’s history and geology when their guide takes them to the Hidden Treasure Gold Mine, which is probably the only actively worked gold mine in the area. They explain how gold forms as a sort of carbuncle on quartz. What is found in the soil is what has crumbled off over the millennia since it originally formed millions of years ago. It also explains how blasting was important to find the ore. I took it during one of my more recent visits and it was conducted by Candace who was geography major. It is a very informative and educational tour.

The other tour is the Columbia Ghost Walk, guided by the town’s authority on its local ghostlore, Carol Beiderman. Ghost stories heavily depend on history to evolve and Carol takes you to some of Columbia’s hottest haunt spots. One teenager, whose family rented a house in the park, returned home with a friend and heard someone calling her. On investigation, she found they were the only ones there and they immediately fled the house. Her brother had a dream where a woman was heatedly arguing with a couple of men and he was quite agitated by its intensity. Later, they came to learn that their home was the original location of a house that was the center of a rental dispute. Despite the family paying their rent, the landlord decided he wanted to demolish it so he could mine the land underneath it. With a signed contract that had not been violated, the renters fought it and ended paying a steeper price than expected. This tour is only offered once or twice a month, so check The City Hotel's special events web page at http://www.cityhotel.com/specialevents.htm for most current info.


Activities

Among the many ways the park has of conveying to visitors Columbia’s history are a few activities that can keep punters occupied for hours. Foremost of these is panning for gold, which is set up at the Matelot Gulch Mine Supply Store. One of the amazing factors about this heavily mined town is that its soil still retains quite a bit of gold and other precious stones. For $10, visitors are lent a prospecting pan that is “loaded” with a few flakes of gold and possibly some little gemstones. Behind the building are a couple of long water troughs where panners can plunge their pans and shake them to find the gold and precious stones. Those with no previous experience can be given a quick lesson of how it’s done. After panning the contents of the pan that is initially given to customers, they are welcome to pan the sediment at the bottom of the troughs until the shop closes. I found a really pretty little amethyst that I may consider having set in jewelry.

Stagecoach rides are offered through the stage office for around $5 per adult. I took this ride several years ago and was disappointed to see that the coach I had rode in had been replaced by a buggy during my most recent visits. Regardless, travelers in the Old West had to contend with risks and this is demonstrated in a mock holdup that can be quite entertaining. Mine became even more amusing when the horse the “outlaw” sat on went number two.

The Sierra Repertory Theatre operates in the Fallon Theatre, providing professional live theatre entertainment on an authentic Gold Rush stage. Among the 19th century entertainers who performed in the Fallon Theatre is Edwin Booth (John Wilkes’s brother). Lotta Crabtree also appeared in Columbia, yet I was unable to confirm it was on the Fallon stage. SRT produces 5-6 plays a year at this theatre. It has 274 seats and sells tickets at very reasonable prices. The fee was $18 per ticket for Ain’t Misbehavin’. Compared to the $78 I recently put out for The Producers in San Francisco, this is a real bargain. Mind you, I doubt any in the Ain’t Misbehavin’ cast received the same wage Jason Alexander or Martin Short did, but they were just as good.

Other activities offered that I have yet to indulge in is candlemaking at the Columbia Candle & Soap Works and dressing up for an old-time photo at A. de Cosmos on State Street. Whether they use an antique camera or not, I believe they create a daguerreotype-look finished product. By the looks of it, the barbershop still gives shaves and haircuts for anyone interested. During Gold Rush times, they would offer bathing facilities in the back room.


Shopping

The State of California owns all but one of the buildings (the Wilson-McConnell home) along the main section of Main Street, but it does rent space in these historic buildings to concessionaires. While any exhibits found these buildings most likely belong to the state, the merchandise within them belongs to the vendors. If some people think of this as crass commercialism, they’re overacting. It gives visitors a better idea what life was like during the Gold Rush period. The vendors dress in period fashion and generally sell the types of items that were available at the time, with some modifications that none can reasonably object.

For instance, Columbia Mercantile has a refrigerator and freezer section along its south wall. The City Hotel keeps a computer hidden behind its front desk and maintains a heating/air conditioning system throughout the premises. All of these stores have telephones tucked away somewhere.

Columbia Mercantile has the distinction of being a building that originally opened as a grocery store, so to speak, and has always operated as one and remains so to this day. This store offers visitors and local residents bottled water, sodas, deli items, snacks, and general groceries. At the front counter, panels for its bulk bins remain intact. Some of the wall shelves that were built for bolts of cloth are still angled for them. The vendors were lately disheartened when a 1928 Maxfield Parrish calendar was stolen from an exhibit the state kept there. (If any turn up for auction on the Internet, buyer beware.)

Several other shops line Main Street for a full effect. Many offer items that make ideal gifts and would be excellent place for holiday shopping. Among them are:

Matelot Gulch Mine Supply Store: This shop offers more than Hidden Treasure Mine tours and the opportunity to pan for gold. It has mining supplies, kitchenwares, minerals, gifts, gold flakes and nuggets, silver, minerals, and other relics.

Parrots Blacksmith: This is an authentic 1850s shop with a coal forge. It offers hand-crafted items ideal for gifts. They also take commissions.

Columbia Booksellers & Stationer at Columbia Gazette: This shop offers new, used, and antiquarian books, some used LPs, and related printed items. They’re also happy to demonstrate how newspapers were printed during the Gold Rush.

Columbia Candy Kitchen: Customers can find handmade chocolates and other imported candies here. During the Christmas season, they even give lessons on how to make candy canes. This has been a family-owned business for four generations.

Brown’s Coffee House & Sweets Saloon: This little expresso shop can be found next to The City Hotel. Aside from coffee and sodas, it sells ice cream and candy.

Columbia Candle & Soap Works: In addition to providing the facilities to allow punters to make their own candles, they sell ready-made candles, soaps, bath items, candle & soap-making supplies.

Pioneer Emporium: This dry goods shop offers household sundries and gifts. There are lots of brass, tin, and textile wares here. It also sells items recognizing the local Native American cultures.

Fancy Dry Goods and Clothing Store: Another dry goods shop that offers textile items. Bolts of material are stacked on shelves lining its walls. Squares of assorted cloth patterns are packaged together for quiltmakers. Clothes started to be sold on the rack around the 1860s, so finding Old West fashion dresses, shirts, and pants available here was a treat. These sizes cater to men and children, as well as women. Also available are patterns for making Old West clothing.

Towle & Leavitt: This shop offers a wide variety of gifts and souvenirs, including books, toys, knickknacks, teas, and the obligatory t-shirts.

I seem to recall a shop selling woodwork merchandise, but when I went over my documentation for the town, could find nothing on it.


Dining & related establishments

Quite a few picnic tables are located at several spots throughout the park area, for those who prefer to pack their lunch; however there are several places that offer some sort of repast. I’ve given most a try at one time or another, but not quite all. Following is a list of those found within the confines of the state park.

The City Hotel: The three-star restaurant found here is probably the pride of the town. It is also the training ground for Columbia Community College’s culinary school, where students can gain experience needed for the professional hospitality industry. It has good variety of meat-and-potatoes type of dishes, including some main entrées that are hard to find in the average restaurant, such as venison and duck. It serves lunch and dinner at prices that are on the high side of the medium range (or, if preferred, the low side of the high range). Reservations are recommended as it is very difficult to take a table without one, at least during the peak of the tourist season.

What Cheer Saloon: This saloon is actually attached to The City Hotel's restaurant. I've never actually spent much time in there, but I presume it offers what the other saloons in town do and cocktails as well.

The Lickskillet Cafe: Aside from The City Hotel, this appears to be the only other restaurant in the park that serves dinner. It can be found in a renovated yellow house on State Street. It also offers mainly meat-and-potatoes types of meals, but frequently has its “gourmet nights” where they stray outside of their normal fare. My companion, Lisa, and I happened to drop in when they were exploring Indian cuisine. Like The City Hotel, reservations are recommended here as well. Most of the dining room had been reserved that evening leaving only two poorly positioned tables available. To top matters, we were handed their special Indian menu, but were told without a preordered reservation we only had a choice of one or two entrées and were unable to have the side items that went with it (at a reduced rate, of course). I opted for their regularly offered air-dryed steak, which was excellent. The butternut squash soup was also to die for, since that is my favorite. Their prices were in the medium range.

Columbia House Restaurant: This establishment has a fairly large dining room and serves breakfast and lunch. It offers the standard breakfast fare, such as eggs, hash browns, pancakes, and biscuits and gravy. It remains traditional as far as American lunches are concerned, primarily sandwiches, soups, salads, hamburgers, fries, and chili. These days I usually have a hard time finishing off any cheeseburgers I order in restaurants because they’re too greasy, but theirs was just right. Most of the items were under $10.

Jack Doulass Saloon and St. Charles Saloon: Women and children are also welcome at the saloons in the park. These two are located at opposite ends of Main Street. One of the beauties about being located in California is that no smoking is permitted by state law. The practice may not be authentic to the Gold Rush period, but it sure does make it more pleasant for those who avoid the habit. Although I believe both of these places have a limited bar menu, I forget whether I ever ordered food from them. I have partaken a sarsaparilla or wild cherry drink and enjoyed the atmosphere of both of them. The St. Charles Saloon attracts more of the locals and has live music from time to time, so it shows a little more wear and tear than the Jack Douglass, which has a beautiful hardwood floor.

Gold Street Bakery & Cafe: This is one I have yet to try and I believe it is located on Columbia Street. It serves breakfast and lunch. Their bread is baked daily and they have organic food available.


Lodging

There are several lodging and camping facilities available nearby Columbia State Historic Park, but two small bed & breakfasts are right there on the spot, The City Hotel and Fallon Hotel. These are the actual buildings the miners and visitors themselves stayed in during the Gold Rush with the amenities to match. (There was no TV, radio, or Internet access during the 19th century.) About the only modern features these B&Bs concede to are electricity and a temperature control system. Today’s guests can look forward to an upscale continental breakfast, evening sherry, and beds with springs. For more details, please see my review of The City Hotel.


Special events

Columbia has many annual special functions throughout the year that visitors may want to plan to attend. I have yet to take advantage of any of them as it seems I find so many other things to do with what they regularly offer. Next year, I hope to participate in one of The City Hotel's series of Victorian Christmas feasts. Taken from the Columbia State Park brochure, following are some of the events visitors may want to make their plans around.

Victorian Easter Parade, Easter Sunday
Wine Tasting Festival, last Sunday in April
Fireman’s Muster, first weekend in May
Columbia Diggin’s--Living History Program, first weekend in June
Glorious Fourth Celebration, Fourth of July
Grand & Gala Admission Day , second Saturday in September
Art Show, third Sunday in September
Gold Panning Championships, third weekend in September
Poison Oak Show, fourth Sunday in September
Fiddle and Banjo Contest, first Saturday in October
Harvest Festifall, second weekend in October
Christmas Lamplight Tour, first and second Friday and Saturday in December
A Miner’s Christmas, first and second weekends in December
Nativity Procession, second Sunday in December
Equestrian Christmas Parade, second Sunday in December

All of the above dates and events are subject to change. Some events encourage participants to wear historical fashion, but it isn’t mandatory. For most current info, please go to the pages for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce at http://www.columbiacalifornia.com and the City Hotel special events at http://www.cityhotel.com/specialevents.htm.


The ghost stuff

One of the features that draws me to Columbia is its promise of ghost stories. The most commonly known haunted buildings are The City Hotel and Fallon Hotel. The aforementioned has the ghost of a grieving young mother, who staff named Elizabeth, while children staying at the latter have reported seeing a little boy who urges them to see the dancing girls in the theatre. Between not wanting to spoil all of the details of the ghost walk and wanting to learn more of Columbia’s ghost folklore, I asked around the stores and succeeded in learning a few.

The Columbia Mercantile staff still babysits a girl who is believed to have been the little daughter of a previous owner and died of “the fever” at the age of seven. They call her Lizzy. Most of her phenomena takes place at the back of the store. She is known to knock merchandise off the shelves. Occasionally, they hear her giggle. One of the employees, Gaylin, said a past employee has seen a little girl with long, dark hair walk into the back room.

A sign at the St. Charles Saloon warns punters to “Beware of pickpockets and loose women.” Donna, who works there, says they have no ghost stories, but swears she’s seen a few shades standing off to the side as she works there. She claims she’s even seen lights moving around at The City Hotel when it was supposed to be shut down for a couple of weeks and had no staff around. She believes it was Elizabeth moving about there.

Eliot, at Columbia Booksellers, claims that a psychic who visited the area told him of couple of adult male ghosts who hang around the covered wagon exhibit at the north end of Main Street. She said they were still in shock after dying in the fire of a building on that spot.

The schoolhouse is also reputed to have quite a bit of phenomena. Caretakers have tried to set up the display of a working classroom during the 19th century, but everytime they have tried to place a second grade reader on one particular desktop, it is soon found shoved on the floor. Perhaps that pupil feels he has graduated from the second grade and is insulted by the insinuation.

Before the previous owners of the Sierra Gold Tea Company sold their business, which is located in the red barn on the corner of State and Columbia Streets, they were constantly finding dimes all over the place in the oddest spots. One customer swore to seeing a dime fly as she sat at her table. One of those owners had a vision of the woman who was responsible for the phenomena. Today, the Sierra Gold Tea Company is an on-line business and the building is no longer open to the public.

Lisa and I shot about eight rolls of film during a recent visit to Columbia. All of mine came out crisp and clear, except the few I took of Assay Office exhibit. Each and every one of those shots came out with an unnatural cloudy obstruction. Lisa also took a lot of clear images, except for a few at the schoolhouse, where some unusual shapes show in the lighting.


The bottom line

Columbia State Historic Park can be found in the southern portion of California’s Mother Lode. There is no admission fee to enter, although shopping and some of the activities require money. The exhibits are open year round from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some of the stores give or take an hour from either end of the schedule. During my most recent visits, the Knapp Building; which houses the Wilson Store, butcher shop and Chinese apothecary exhibits, a retail shop, and the William Cavilier Museum; was boarded up for a two-year restoration project because some of its bricks were beginning to crumble. It requires extra time to maintain its historical integrity and had already completed a year of the work as of September 2003. Fortunately, this project has not been affected by the state’s current budget problem and if all goes according to the current plan, work should be completed in June with the building reopened in July. Parents with concerns about what their family is exposed to might appreciate that--unlike many of the Arizona towns--little is said about the prostitutes of the Gold Rush. None of these buildings were reputed to be brothels or cribs (one did operate behind the building next to the south side of the firehouse). Handicap accommodations have been created where possible, but because the park is a designated historical landmark, many areas may not be accessible by wheelchair.

Despite seven past visits to Columbia State Historic Park, I’m still learning of features I missed seeing. The outlying areas additionally have some points of interest. For instance, the Gold Mine Winery has a tasting room a little south of the park on Parrott’s Ferry Road (I recommend the Columbia Gold). Nearby Sonora is great place to go antiquing. Jamestown is fairly close by too. With everything Columbia has to offer, visitors should find it unique and one of California’s finest attractions, regardless of whether they’re going there for a day or longer.



UPDATE: 8 August 2005

I paid subsequent trips to the Mother Lode since posting this review and learned that the Gold Mine Winery has gone out of business. However, I was floored to see just how many other tasting rooms there are in this region, particularly on Highway 4 between Angels Camp and Murphys. Excellent for anyone looking for California wine.

Out of curiosity, I returned to the assay office and took more pictures. This time multiple orbs developed. There is definitely something going on around that building.


Recommended: Yes

Best time to go: September-November
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview