Interesting stone monolith on property in California gold country

[mr_larry]

This is my first post here. In the past I used to head to the gold country to do some recreational gold panning and I've been looking to do some this summer. While doing some research I stumbled across this site. I really enjoy reading all the different posts here.

Anyhow, yesterday I got to day dreaming about buying some property in the gold country. The place I used to go panning was on the North Fork of the Yuba River near the Downieville area. So I started searching for some acreage in that area. I found a Realtor who works out of Nevada City and specializes in Gold Country properties. I was specifically looking for land, not houses.

I came across a listing of a piece of property a little over 20 acres that had river front access to the middle fork of the Yuba river. Apparently someone lived there in a mobile home for a while. There are 4 photos accompanying the listing. Two of the photos are of a very large, long rock sticking straight up that appears to be 5-6 feet above the ground. Someone went to a great deal of trouble to put that rock there. I wonder why....

Here is a photo (if I can post one). Also, here is a direct link to the property listing:

Here's a link

I just thought I would share it with you all as it is so unusual and out of place....

[aa battery]

now that is strange

[mr_larry]

The more I look at the rock, I'm thinking it is 7-8 feet tall. It has to have at least 3-4 feet underground. Something like that must weigh at least 3-4 thousand pounds.
Although I doubt a cache is buried directly beneath it, I'm wondering if it is a sight-line marker, i.e. stand by a certain tree, look across the stone and see another tree in the distance and maybe find something.
Does anyone have any ideas?
The other possibility is that some New-Agers dropped it in the ground to create their own Stonehenge. But if you've ever been up in that area, it is mostly miners, not New-Age hippies.

[maui]

mr-larry, i am not an expert on markers but i do believe it is some kind of marker.
hopefully somebody that has more knowledge about markers will chime in.
best of luck to you on you property, sure looks like a nice place to find that
yellow metal.
take care and be carefull out there. ron

[mr_larry]

I sent an email to the realtor to ask her if she knew the story of the large rock. Her reply,
"The owner's father had set the rock in that particular position "just because." No great story behind it..."

Case closed I guess....

[maui]

keep us up to date on your adventures and some pictures would be nice
if you are able to take afew.
take care and be safe out there. ron

[oddrock]

Mr-Larry,

That looks like a lot of work involved, digging the hole, hauling a big rock, placing it upright in the ground.....makes me think someone was wanting to mark something. Just Because....sounds a lot like my answer to my parents when they asked me "why in the world did you do that"? Whoever put it there had a better reason than "Just Because", in my humble opinion....and good luck to you.

[mr_larry]

Just to clear up something: I don't own this property, nor am I going to buy it or visit it. I was just looking at the online listing of the property when I saw the photos of the large rock sticking out of the ground.

According to the real estate agent, it was the father of the current owner of the property that put the rock in the ground. But I agree, it must have taken many hours to accomplish the feat and would have required a large backhoe to move it and lift it up into place.

Maybe the old man did it just to mess with people's heads. If so, his cunning plan was a success!