The Gold Rush and Mining

Beginning with the Gold Rush of 1848, Italian miners played an important role in the mining industry of California. Attracted by the discovery gold, the early Italian gold miners left their legacy emblazoned in history on historic places with names like Italian Camp, Italian Diggings, Italian Bar and the Italian Bar Trail in Tuolumne County, the Italian Mine in Nevada City and Italian Bar on the American River in El Dorado County.

Between the 1860s and 1890s, numerous quartz and gravel mines along the mining belts of the Mother Lode were operated by Italian miners such as La Fortuna Mine, the Volponi, the Garabina, the Porto Fino , and the Bella Vista.

During the later deep mining period of the 19^th and 20^th century, Italian miners were recruited  from Italy by the large mines to work the deep veins in both northern southern mines. By the turn of the century, the Italians were among the largest of the European immigrant groups in the mines.