Roadside Attraction
Bullion Bend Robbery: El Dorado County’s Infamous Stagecoach Robbery
The Bullion Bend Robbery was one of the most dramatic crimes in Gold Country history. On June 30, 1864, armed men stopped two Pioneer Stage Line coaches on the Placerville-Carson route near present-day Pollock Pines and made off with bullion and treasure. What makes the story especially memorable is that this was not just another...
Yankee Jims Bridge: A Walk Through Placer County History
At first glance, Yankee Jims Bridge looks like a quiet backcountry crossing suspended above the North Fork American River in the Auburn State Recreation Area. But this narrow bridge in Placer County stands on a route with roots deep in California’s Gold Rush era, when the nearby mining camp of Yankee Jim’s helped turn the …...
Point Reyes Shipwreck: A Guide to the Fading Inverness Shipwreck
The Point Reyes shipwreck in Inverness, California, was one of the most photographed hidden gems along the Northern California coast. Resting quietly in the shallow waters of Tomales Bay, this abandoned fishing boat has been the source of local pride, creativity, and tall tales for decades. Sadly, the ship’s current state is a remnant...
The Spirit of Sacramento: an abandoned riverboat with a fascinating tale
Along a quiet stretch of the Sacramento River, there is a roadside attraction that feels almost too strange to be real: a weathered, old sternwheeler sitting high and dry, as if it drifted out of the past and anchored along the Garden Highway. What makes this attraction even more interesting, is the fact that it’s …...
Lover’s Leap in California: The Story Behind the El Dorado County Landmark
For anyone who’s traveled along Highway 50 to or from Lake Tahoe, Lover’s Leap is an unmistakable landmark that jumps out from the Eldorado National Forest on the south side of the river as if it were waving to a friend passing by. This granite cliff is not only a magnificent scenic location just above …...
Clarksburg’s mighty Cornish house and the tale of George F. Cornish
150 years ago, George F. Cornish and his wife Mary made their way to Yolo County, California, with the aspirations of a better life for them and their future family. In 1868, they built a magnificent house along the banks of the Sacramento River, near the town of Clarksburg. Over time, the Cornish house was …...
The Maiden’s Grave: A story of hope, loss and mistaken graves
Located on Highway 88 a few miles west of Silver Lake and Tragedy Spring, the Maiden’s Grave is one of those Sierra Nevada roadside landmarks where California history, pioneer grief, and local mystery all meet in one small place. For generations, this grave has been remembered as the final resting place of Rachael Melton, a …...
The Murderous Tale of Tragedy Spring and the Mormon Emigrant Trail
In the spring of 1848, the decision to return home to Salt Lake Valley was made and roughly four dozen veterans of the Mormon Battalion informed their employer John Sutter that they would be leaving. After spending nearly a year in the employment of Sutter at his fort and at his sawmill in Coloma, where …...
The Butte Store: a historical reminder of the forgotten Butte City
Along Highway 49 in Amador County, stands a historic structure too proud to fade into the past like the town it was once a part of. The Butte Store, which was constructed in the 1850’s, is nothing more than four walls seemingly out of place with today’s landscape. But, if you look close enough, this …...
Bufano Peace Statue Monument: The Expanding Universe at Timber Cove
Located behind the Timber Cover Resort, along the rugged Sonoma County coast of California, stands a statue that seemingly looks out of place. Despite its contrasting appearance to the coastal landscape, the story behind this artistic masterpiece, known as The Expanding Universe or Madonna of Peace, only proves that it’s right where it...
