The Forest Hill Divide Museum

The town of Foresthill is a fascinating community perched on top of a deeply forested ridge rising dramatically between the North Fork and Middle Fork of the American River. Steeped in Gold Rush history and fiercely independent, yet still connected to its larger neighbor down the hill Auburn, the town is the largest in a collection of Gold Rush era towns scattered through the area and is a great base to explore them all from. A great place to start that exploration is from the Forest Hill Divide Museum.

Situated in a beautiful wooded area one block up from Foresthill Road, the museum complex includes a number of interesting exhibits outside and inside the main building. The front of the museum hosts a large collection of mining equipment used in the area, the restored jail and reconstructed Maidu home. Inside the museum, there are recreations of residential rooms showcasing mining and logging life from the mid 19th and early 20th centuries, logging and fire fighting displays, mining and logging dioramas, and exhibits about the first people, the Nisenan, that lived in the area.

The museum complex includes a working mid-19th century blacksmith shop unique in Placer County. The blacksmiths working the forge and anvils demonstrate how this work was done during the mining era and will happily answer any questions or go into detail on specific techniques. There is often an array of wrought iron puzzles they’ve created you can try out, and you can even buy their work in the museum shop. Their jewelry items are popular and go fast.

The Livery building next to the blacksmith houses a number of vintage coaches and carriages, as well as an original fire truck. 

Foresthill is also a great base to explore the many nearby historical points of interest, hiking trails and nature areas. Stop by the museum and pick up a walking tour map and talk to the docents about interesting things to see in the area. They’re full of great information (and on the day we were there, personally related to many of the people featured in the exhibits). 

The Forest Hill Divide Museum Complex is open from noon to 4pm on Saturdays, Sundays and major holidays, from the Memorial Day Weekend through the Labor Day weekend.