History
The Kentucky Mine is a historic hard rock gold mine dating back to the early 1850's. In the early 20th century the local butcher purchased the claim, and operated the gold mine until the mid 1940's. Sierra County acquired the claim from the family in the early 1970's. The Sierra County Historical Society began to develop the property into a County Historic Park spearheading building a museum, and cabin, as well as restoring the mine, and stamp mill. In 1977 the museum opened to the public, and started giving guided tours of the gold mine and stamp mill.
Specialties
Two times each day the Kentucky Mine stamp mill is once again brought to life to give folks on the twice daily tours of the mine and stamp mill a close up encounter with an operating stamp mill. Tour members are cautioned to cover their ears if sudden loud noises bother them because when the stamp drops, nearly everyone jumps! This is a chance to see and hear the sounds of a working gold mill, and is just the dramatic ending of the hour-plus tour that takes visitors through the incredible day-to-day experience of hard rock mining in the Sierra City mining region during the later part of the 19th century. A visit to the Kentucky Mine and Museum located on Highway 49 near the town of Sierra City, CA, is a unique opportunity for you and your family to step into the world of the gold-seeking miners who worked the mines and built the towns that made California the golden state.