Folsom Gold Dredge Tailings

This is a feature story I did in 1990 on the remains of gold mining by dredger in the Folsom, CA area. Many of the formations are now long gone replaced by development.

[@carlstritzinger6724]

Yes, you are acorrect because my home in Foldom was built on top of the tailings and there was an old shaft about 300 yards from the house. There was another dredger located at Rancho Cordova that sat there for years. One day I walked over the tailings and was able to go inside and I walked around and saw how it was operated. It is gone now, dont know who removed it but in my opinion it should still be there as a reminder of what happened during the gold rush days in and around Folsom. From one of the video pics along Hwy 50 I can easily see my home on Heaton Way, what a great treat and thank you.

[@Joe-li3zj]

Does the shaft near your house still exist??? I would love to go explore! Let me know!

[@carlstritzinger6724]

@joe-li3zj Joe, no that entire area was graded and now is covered with homes. The Persic family owned a lot of that land but sold it when their grandfather passed. He had been exploring for gold there for years and the remains of the familys home was still there around 1980. I never tried to enter the shaft because it looks just to dangerous and had no evidence of anyone having been there for years. I did most of my exploring on a mountain bike. The video of the area is great and absolutely true and it extended almost to Rancho Cordova and many miles down the American River. All gone now.

[@janishaag]

Great story, Dann! Love seeing the tailings from your view in the air! Thanks for your archives of your older pieces.

[@ludwiggraupe7571]

In this Tailings is enough Gold left the Oldtimer's don't catch. 100% Good Land for a Detektor ore you work with Chemicals. Think with the 2nd Opinion you make more

[@sierragreen]

Looking at aerial maps, the old tailings site south of 50 and east of Sunrise is monstrous, almost as big as the city of Folsom. One has to wonder about the value of gold extracted versus the cost of cleaning up the mess with these large scale mining operations. Unfortunately the clean up cost was not pertinent to the operators; they left the burden to future generations.

[@dangarrison3503]

sierragreen there is no overburden. The tailings( rocks) are used for aggregate for concrete, base rock for roads and asphalt. Its actually a good thing. Its all above ground, no need for digging further into the earth.

[@FolsomDann]

Hi Trevor, thank you for the kind words. Unfortunately most of these tailings are gone form the Folsom area, covered by development. One area where they still exist is in the state park along Lake Natoma. There are some between the bike trail along the lake and Folsom Blvd. just north of Parkshore Dr. You have to walk in a little to find them.

[@jeffsalcedo8334]

Can't wait!

[@shauncorless8965]

U can bet ,there,s still millions still in the tailings ,they didn't have today's technology to get all of it ,,🤔🤔

[@zje1851]

@Dann Shively Do you know if any of the machines are around? I've seen a picture of one that claims to be in Lake Natoma but it doesn't give a location. I would love to photograph it

[@FolsomDann]

I live next to Lake Natoma and have never heard of one around here. I'm not sure if the one in the Yuba Goldfields (that I showed in the video) is still around but if it is, it's on private property and you'd have to get permission to get in there. It's just north of Beale AFB, along the Yuba River next to Highway 20. In La Grange, CA, a couple miles south of town, there is an abandoned dredge off La Grange Road. There's a historical marker on the road and then a short hike to the old dredge. Hope this helps.

[@zje1851]

@@FolsomDann this did help thank you

[@dangarrison3503]

Dann Shively the only one left is of Hammonton Smartville Rd near Beal AFB. It is at Western Aggregates. Its the largest one left in existance, i believe. There was one that Belonged to Sacramento Mining on Sunrise years ago, but it was cut into scrap on the 80s

[@ZacharyTyler0509]

@@FolsomDannthe one on Yuba is still there. Flew over it yesterday and could see. maps.app.goo.gl/HbcwfvsyAdGakUro8?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

[@Stever-il3rb]

It's called a dredge not a dredger a dredger with somebody that ran the dredge

[@trevorsansom3306]

@Dann Shively Great video! As a Folsom native, I did not know about these. Do you know where in Folsom they still exist?

[@FolsomDann]

Trevor Sansom Hi Trevor. Please see my comment above.

[@FolsomDann]

Trevor Sansom I may have not been clear in my answer. There are hardly any tailings left in Folsom except for the ones I told you about. But there are many left in different areas around Northern California. Nearby on Aerojet property, south of Highway 50, there are many, still untouched.

[@seanshnizzy]

Trevor Sansom lake Natoma you can see them from google earth

[@dangarrison3503]

Dann Shively there are quite a few along Folsom blvd