Rock Foundation North Fork Merced River ID......

[Rowdy Yates]

Does anybody know the history of this rather large square rock foundation located on the North Fork of the Merced River, near it's confluence with the Middle Fork of the Merced in Mariposa County, California? My research can't positively ID it, although I do know "Grizzly Adams" lived for a time on the North Fork, and there were a few trading posts on the North Fork also, one of Major Savage's not being one of them.

Thanks,

Rick

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

Rowdy Gates, have you actually been to this site ? Or did you find it by surfing google satellite ?

I was able to find your site on google-satellite . I've hunted up around Indian Gulch and Bear Valley area, but haven't gone further up into the hills. But I will say this: There are guys up there who have DONE THEIR HOMEWORK. We encountered sites that were worked to smithereens. Particularly the old tent-city camp zones of where the miners would have lived. But that was lower down, as I say. Not sure if whoever's local there is getting every ruin, foundation, site, etc...

Your site does not show up at a black dot (a habitation) on any of the earliest topo maps (which start at 1905 for that area). So that's a good omen that whatever it is you've found, was abandoned very early on. So even if pickens were slim, yet you can bet that ANY target you found would, by definition, be old. So the type of site where even "junk" is "fun junk" .

I'll be a kill-joy and guess that your site is nothing more than a homesteader/miners lone habitation. Not the more highly desired travel stop type places (stage stop, store, saloon, etc...) . Because the north Fork there doesn't necessarily connect to anywhere, as far as cities, for example, further up. Hence not on a "travel route" between 2 populated areas.

That's not to say that I wouldn't detect singular family homesteads (if abandoned very early on). But just saying that the more preferred places to hunt, where your odds at coins are better, will always be commercial/retail places, where $$ exchanged hands, travelers stayed the night, items bought-sold, etc... Or where many folks lived in short-term tent-cities (and perhaps had a camp-store, canteen office, etc...). The coin counts drop way low for singular family concerns, as a ratio to other items.

I would certainly try it though. Since it seems to be a long-hike (5 miles !) from anywhere. And is not showing up as a black dot on the early topos, perhaps no one else has found those to detect.

Do you get up to that area very often to detect ? If so, you want to do a reconn. to a site I researched out ? If so, let me know and I'll turn you on to the info. [email protected]

 

[Rowdy Yates]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the reply. The reason I was looking for info on the foundation is that I have property in the area, and am very interested in the general history of the area. I just finished reading "Discovery of Yosemite Valley in 1851" by Bunnell (a member of the Mariposa Battalion) credited with being the first white men in Yosemite Valley. The book references the North Fork of the Merced many times.

I would love to detect this site, but unfortunately it's BLM land, the Merced River is designated "wild and scenic", and, although the North Fork of the Merced where the foundation is located hasn't been designated "wild and scenic" yet, it's on the waiting list, and therefore has "wild and scenic" status until a determination is made. BTW, I have an 1868 map of the area, and there's no "black dot" on that map either.

Regards,

Rick

 

[Tom_in_CA]

... I would love to detect this site, but unfortunately it's BLM land, the Merced River is designated "wild and scenic" ....

Rick, good to talk to you. Small world figuring out it was famous Rick from San Jose-ish area

We will hit that this fall, along with other sites between our mutual research. And in-so-far as BLM, it's as you say: We're hunting meteorites, that's the ticket !

 

[Rowdy Yates]

Rick, good to talk to you. Small world figuring out it was famous Rick from San Jose-ish area

We will hit that this fall, along with other sites between our mutual research. And in-so-far as BLM, it's as you say: We're hunting meteorites, that's the ticket !

LOL!!! BTW, love your avatar... great minds think alike! See you this fall.

Rick

 

[familyhunter]

Did you guys make it up?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Did you guys make it up?

Not sure about him, but my work load has kept me swamped. By the first rains and the holidays will slow down my seasonal type work.

 

[mtnbay]

There are some great areas in that neck of the woods with good potential. I used to live in Chowchilla and would head out in the hills behind Merced often. Looking to make a weekend trip down that way from Sacramento in the next couple of months and I am always looking for a digging buddy.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

My experience in any remote rock ruins, cellar holes, etc.... in the gold rush country, is that you've got to put yourself in relic mindset. Ie.: be happy if you only get harmonica reeds, henry shells, clock part, toe tap, lantern parts, etc..... And if you DID get a coin, then that's just icing on the cake.

The better places for coins (if that's your solo goal) is not going to be at singular family/squatter concerns. But rather: At places where travellers came and went from, spending $. Like stage stops, camp spots, hotel/saloons, trading posts, etc.... Not that a coin couldn't be at a miner's solo/individual cabin. But the ratios are better at places where multiple came and went with the distinct intention of spending Money. Or recreational pursuits too.

 

[Desert Don]

I lived in Merced for many years, and have been all over that country to the east. There is another place I rarely see mentioned. It was call Hite's Cove. You turn off Hwy 140 somewhere up around the old Savage Trading Post area. I was last there in about 1987, so the memory is rather dim. I think there was a creek crossing and a mine there. Also, there are some old rock foundations near the original county seat at Agua Frio. There is an old Stage stop foundation in the hills along White Rock Road as well. Also on White Rock road, l there is an old settlement that I have hunted many times. The only way to identify it is by a very old Orange tree, and a Date tree along the road and back a few hundred feet. I found melted silver coins in there. Apparently the place burned down at some point. Indian Rock road also has ruins. Boy, all of this brings back memories of the good old days when I was young. I had an old Bounty Hunter TR 550 at the time. I can just imagine what I could do now with my Garrett AT Pro.