The Omega Hydraulic Diggings are located north of what was the town of Omega, California during the

California Gold Rush The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California fro ...

. The site is southeast of the unincorporated town of

Washington, California Washington (originally, Indiana Camp) is a census-designated place located in Nevada County, California. Washington is located on the banks of the South Fork of the Yuba River and has a population of approximately two hundred people. There is ...

. From SR 20, the diggings are reachable via the gravel Omega Road which merges with Forest Route 29 in small sections. The hydraulic diggings became a registered California Historical Landmark (No. 629) on January 1, 1958. The plaque's inscription reads:

ALPHA AND OMEGA

One mile north of here were the towns of Alpha and Omega, named by gold miners in the early 1850s. The tremendous hydraulic diggings, visible from near this point, engulfed most of the original townsites. Alpha was the birthplace of famed opera singer
Emma Nevada Emma Nevada (née Wixom) (7 February 1859 – 20 June 1940) was an American operatic soprano particularly known for her performances in operas by Bellini and Donizetti and the French composers Ambroise Thomas, Charles Gounod, and Léo Del ...
. Mining at Omega continued until 1949, and lumbering operations are carried on there today (1958).

California Registered Historical Landmarks Nos. 628-629

References

History of Nevada County, California 1849 establishments in California Nevada County, California California Historical Landmarks California Gold Rush Hydraulic engineering History of mining in the United States {{NevadaCountyCA-geo-stub

See also

References