California - Gold County Area Attractions

Columbia State Historic Park About 4mi/6km north of Sonora, on the CA 49, lies the Columbia State Historic Park. Here you can admire the once famous gold-mining town in all its old, restored glory. Thousands of hopeful gold-miners lived here at the time. Although restoration is not yet complete you can already visit most of the houses, including an old school-house, a boarding-house, a fire station and a restaurant.

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park Railtown 1897 State Historic Park holds one of two short-line roundhouse complexes from the steam era. It has been in operation as a museum since 1971 and is part of the California State Railroad Museum Foundation.

The site has been popular with Hollywood appearing in such films as "Unforgiven" as well as the television show "Petticoat Junction".

Steam train rides on a six mile track take 40 minutes and run from April through October.

Among the equipment is a steam locomotive built in 1922 for the Hutchinson Lumber Company and a Pullman Coach built in 1910 for the Southern Pacific's luxury service.