When gold was discovered on January 24, 1848, just eight miles from where Gold Bug Mine sits today, a new way of life was created in our corner of this great nation. By 1860, hard rock mining began to take form. In 1888, William Craddock filed the Vulture Claim, which eventually had three mines, one of which he called the “Hattie,” named for his eldest daughter. By 1930, William Meagher, who was the last of several claimants, filed a claim on the entire 62 acres and four claims that compromised Gold Bug Park. He also built a home at the end of Gold Bug Lane as a summer destination for his family. 

In the early 1960s, the Bureau of Land Management reclaimed the mine and surrounding land and in 1965 leased it to the City of Placerville as a recreational area. In 1980, Hangtown’s Gold Bug Park Development Committee was formed to protect and defend the property for public use. The City of Placerville is now the only municipality to own a mine in California. 

Gold Bug Park and Mine—located at 2635 Gold Bug Lane in Placerville—can be enjoyed seven days a week, April through October, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Step back into the 1800s with an audio tour that guides you into the 352-foot drift. Don’t forget to bring your picnic lunch and enjoy the park’s picturesque trails, too. After lunch, walk up the hill to experience the Miner’s Blacksmith Shop and Hendy Stamp Mill; before heading home, duck into Hattie’s Gift Shop and Museum. 

— Aris Chambers 

For more information, call 530-642-5207 or visit goldbugpark.org.