Strike gold at Museum of the San Ramon Valley

On Jan, 24, 1848 the American River resounded to the cry "Gold! Gold!" and thousands headed to California from across the country, many landing in the San Ramon Valley. Residents can heed the same call at the Museum of the San Ramon Valley's Gold Rush exhibit, on display through July 14.

This exhibit tells that story, from the first electric moment until it played out in Danville and San Ramon as miners arrived searching for attractive home sites. The exhibit features trail diaries, rifles and more artifacts from pioneer San Ramon Valley families who established themselves locally after finding their fortune.

One of those pioneers was Robert O. "R.O." Baldwin, an Ohio farmer who farmed in the valley and whose descendants continued to make their mark on the Bay Area. Baldwin arrived in the valley in 1852, after striking gold in Feather River.

"When he rode through the valley, being a farmer from Ohio, thought this was a garden of Eden in California. He wrote 'I never had a reason to change my mind,'" said Stan Wharton, a museum docent.

Baldwin grew wheat, fruit trees and occasionally beets. He built a large home off what is now El Capitan in Danville, near Osage Station Park. In fact, the park gets its name from the Osage trees (native to Ohio) Baldwin planted.

In addition to photos, the museum will display tools used in placer mining such as gold pans, a sluice box, gold molds, a miner's poke and sizing forks. When the easy placer gold was gone, hard rock mine tunnels were dug and actual hand drills, miner's candles, a can that held black blasting powder, mercury to pull the gold from the ore and many other artifacts will be displayed.

The devastating hydraulic mining practice that radically transformed the Sierra landscape relied on hydraulic hoses and nozzles to blast out the gold. Actual documents and displays will tell many stories in print.

The museum is located at the corner of Railroad and Prospect Avenues in downtown Danville. It is open from 1-4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays.

Those interested in learning more about San Ramon Valley Gold Rush history are invited to attend a special event with Sourdough Steve on May 17. A dinner and lecture, titled "Tales from the Gold Diggings," will be held at 7 p.m. at the San Ramon Gold Club. Steve will regale attendees with tall tales and true tales about life in the gold diggings and make 49'er history come alive.