First settled in 1851 by German emigrants Joseph and Charles Dornbach, the town of Dutch Flat soon blossomed into a thriving gold rush community. The Golden Drift Museum, located right in the middle of Main Street, tells the stories of the people that lived in this remarkable Sierra Foothills town and the explosive change that the gold rush brought. The museum is small, but it's packed with period photographs, interpretive displays, and gold rush artifacts found in Dutch Flat and the surrounding towns of Gold Run and Alta. Quite a few of the exhibits feature the large Chinese community that came to live and work in Dutch Flat for the railroad.
Be sure to take advantage of the brief introduction from the docent. On the day we visited, our decent provided a great overview of what makes this town's history so interesting. After your visit, the old gold strip mining operations are just a short walk a way. Also grab a walking tour map - many of the historic buildings featured in the museum are still standing in the town. Interpretive signs along the way help identify buildings and locations.
