Now & Then: Gold discovered in Sonora 172 years ago,
Wednesday was St. Patrick’s Day, which honors the patron saint of Ireland. However, it has special significance for Sonora because it is believed that on that date in 1849 a group of Mexicans from the state of Sonora, Mexico, founded the town when they set up camp beside the rich placers in Woods Creek, where it flows through today’s Sonora High School campus.
The Sonorans were early arrivals in California’s rich gold fields as observed by the Rev. Walter Colton, the alcalde of Monterey, who toured the area in the fall of 1848.
With winter coming on, the Sonorans headed back to Mexico and spread the word of their fabulous gold discoveries in California which, ironically, had very recently been a part of Mexico until the country ceded it to the United States following hostilities between the two nations.
In early 1849, some of the incoming Sonorans returned to their camp on Woods Creek about a half-mile above Jamestown. Unfortunately, friction developed between the foreigners and the increasing number of Americans flooding into the southern mining region. Quickly and quietly the Sonorans moved further up Woods Creek, where their encampment extended from the future campus to today’s Columbia Way bridge.
It was believed that the Sonorans, who were experienced gold miners in their native country, had a knack for locating excellent gold deposits. The Americans soon found them and in the process located and settled near today’s Sonora Creek, which flows through downtown Sonora and is actually a tributary of Woods Creek and equally as full of gold. The new camp extended in both directions along Sonorita Gulch (Washington Street) and eventually became known as Sonora.