North Bloomfield (previously, Bloomfield, Humbug, and Humbug City) is a small

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

located in Nevada County,

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. It is in the Sierra Nevada, northeast of Nevada City.

History

Settled in 1852 as a mining town of the California Gold Rush, it was originally named Humbug after the creek of the same name. As the settlement grew, it was renamed Humbug City, and then the more dignified Bloomfield. The settlement thrived during Malakoff Diggins mining days. When a post office was established on June 1, 1857, residents selected the current name to differentiate the town from Bloomfield, California. In 1857, the population was approximately 500. Three years later, the

North Bloomfield Mining and Gravel Company The North Bloomfield Mining and Gravel Company of North Bloomfield, California, was established in 1866 and operated a hydraulic gold-mining operation at the Malakoff Mine subsequent to the California Gold Rush. In its day, no other company's oper ...

arrived and began hydraulic mining operations. By 1876, the population swelled to 2000. But in 1884, when hydraulic mining ended because of '' Woodruff v. North Bloomfield Gravel Mining Company,'' a lawsuit by

Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...

area farmers, North Bloomfield became an uninhabited San Juan Ridge

ghost town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * ''Ghost Town'' (1956 film), an American Western film by All ...

. In the present day, the town of North Bloomfield is contained within the

Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park is a state park unit preserving the largest hydraulic mining site in California, United States. The mine was one of several hydraulic mining sites at the center of the 1882 landmark case '' Woodruff v. Nor ...

. Some of the town's original buildings remain and a few have been reconstructed: * Skidmore House *

E Clampus Vitus The Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus (ECV) is a fraternal organization dedicated to the preservation of the heritage of the American West, especially the history of the Mother Lode and gold mining regions of the area. There are chap ...

Building * McKillicam & Mobley General Store * St. Columncille’s Catholic Church The post office was open from 1857 to 1942, moving once in 1875.

References

External links

Ghosttownexplorers.org: Photos of Bloomfield

Unincorporated communities in Nevada County, California Mining communities of the California Gold Rush Populated places in the Sierra Nevada (United States) Populated places established in 1852 1852 establishments in California Unincorporated communities in California {{NevadaCountyCA-geo-stub

History

See also

References

External links