Sonora - California Ghost Town

SONORA

NAME: Sonora
COUNTY: Tuolumne
ROADS: 2WD
GRID #(see map): 3
CLIMATE: Cool winter, warm summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime.

COMMENTS: Just north of Jamestown, Semi-ghost.
REMAINS: Many original buildings.

Peacefully settled by Mexicans prior to the invasion by Americans, the town quickly became a war zone between the Americans and the Mexicans, Chileans, and Chinese. Under a plan of continued harassment, the Americans decided to oust the Mexicans and Chileans. The Chinese were allowed to stay to do menial labor. The town quickly became a war zone. During the first few weeks, several skirmishes were fought resulting in twelve dead. The Mexicans realized there position was, at best, insecure and decided to move en masse elsewhere. By this time, the population had reached 5000 people. The masse exodus by the Chinese depleted the population by half. The unexpected result was an economic downturn of considerable proportions that almost ruined the town. After a year of near bankruptcy, the town invited the Chinese to return. Some did but many did not. The town had seen its best days. Even so, hard rock mining had paid off to a total of $40 million before it was all over. Sonora is on highway 49, north of Jamestown. Submitted by Henry Chenowith. In her Gold Rush heyday, Sonora was a city of superlatives. With an all-time yield well into the nine figures, she was possibly the richest. And with an average of one unpunished murder a week, she was certainly the wildest. Sonora was one of the first Mother Lode camps. By the end of 1849, there were more than 10,000 Mexicans and 4,000Americans and Europeans in the Sonora district. From then on Sonora's day of peace and plenty was over. The Americans had no intention of letting the best mines fall to Mexicans. There followed a shameful campaign of abuse against the �foreigners.� By September of 1850, three-fourths of the Mexicans had returned to Mexico and Sonora was a dead town. Still, the Queen of the Southern Mines was not downed so easily. Gradually, Sonora was gaining a degree of refinement not found in neighboring towns. By July 1852, the town had the reputation of having reached �civilization.� Today, Sonora is one of the most picturesque of Mother Lode towns. Sonora Courtesy Bob Stelow Sonora Courtesy Bob Stelow	Sonora Cemetery Courtesy Dolores Steele Sonora Cemetery Courtesy Dolores Steele Sonora Cemetery Courtesy Dolores Steele Sonora Courtesy Bob Stelow

Peacefully settled by Mexicans prior to the invasion by Americans, the town quickly became a war zone between the Americans and the Mexicans, Chileans, and Chinese. Under a plan of continued harassment, the Americans decided to oust the Mexicans and Chileans. The Chinese were allowed to stay to do menial labor. The town quickly became a war zone. During the first few weeks, several skirmishes were fought resulting in twelve dead. The Mexicans realized there position was, at best, insecure and decided to move en masse elsewhere. By this time, the population had reached 5000 people. The masse exodus by the Chinese depleted the population by half. The unexpected result was an economic downturn of considerable proportions that almost ruined the town. After a year of near bankruptcy, the town invited the Chinese to return. Some did but many did not. The town had seen its best days. Even so, hard rock mining had paid off to a total of $40 million before it was all over. Sonora is on highway 49, north of Jamestown. Submitted by Henry Chenowith.

In her Gold Rush heyday, Sonora was a city of superlatives. With an all-time yield well into the nine figures, she was possibly the richest. And with an average of one unpunished murder a week, she was certainly the wildest. Sonora was one of the first Mother Lode camps. By the end of 1849, there were more than 10,000 Mexicans and 4,000Americans and Europeans in the Sonora district. From then on Sonora's day of peace and plenty was over. The Americans had no intention of letting the best mines fall to Mexicans. There followed a shameful campaign of abuse against the �foreigners.� By September of 1850, three-fourths of the Mexicans had returned to Mexico and Sonora was a dead town. Still, the Queen of the Southern Mines was not downed so easily. Gradually, Sonora was gaining a degree of refinement not found in neighboring towns. By July 1852, the town had the reputation of having reached �civilization.� Today, Sonora is one of the most picturesque of Mother Lode towns.

Sonora
Courtesy Bob Stelow

Sonora Cemetery
Courtesy Dolores Steele

Sonora
Courtesy Bob Stelow

BACK