Ophir - Newcastle, California

DATE VISITED:  03/15/2015

HISTORICAL SITE:  Ophir

LOCATION:  Corner of Lozanos & Bald Hill Road, Newcastle, Placer Co., CA

MARKER #:  463

DEDICATED:  September 23, 1950

"Founded in 1849 and first known as "

The Spanish Corral". Area proved so rich that biblical name of Ophir adopted in 1850. Most populous town in Placer County in 1852. Polling 500 votes. Almost totally destroyed by fire July 1853. Later became center of quartz mining in this county."

**closer look below

Marker Placed By:  Placed by California Centennial Commission. Based furnished by Placer County Historical Society

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS: I drove by the monument twice before realizing where it was hiding...in plain sight on the same side of the road that my car was passing by.  I have only one defense...these roads were a bit windy and for any of you who know me...bad news!  I was not feeling all that great by the time I did find it.

The exact location of the original town is unknown to this day in spite of research by historians and scholars.

Ophir, like most towns now gone in the Sierra Nevada foothills, came into being because of the discovery of gold. The town was originally called "The Spanish Corral" but when gold started coming up in volumes, to the tune of $5 million by the time the mines were abandoned, the name was changed to Ophir as a nod to the biblical town of the same name that was considered to be the source of King Solomon's treasurers. 

It didn't take long for the town to disappear. Founded in 1849 and when fire destroyed it in 1853, it was determined that most of the gold was already pulled from the ground and people moved on to other towns.

One of the more interesting pieces of information I was able to find out about Ophir and really most places in the West, 1851 saw the formation of a "vigilance committee" in Ophir. These "committees" were formed to maintain law and order, specifically in the areas of protecting claims and settling claim disputes. There are several examples where "vigilance committees" summarily killed people but there is no mention of that in Ophir.

Ophirs placard was stolen in 2012 for its brass; which was cut away and the rest of the marker was found at the side of a road. I have to wonder if that's why the bar is in front of the monument now.

But the people of Ophir took it in stride and until a new marker could be put up, the town put up a very funny cardboard one. I was going to say that it's too bad they couldn't make it a permanent fixture in some way, but I guess since nothing on the internet ever goes away...it sort of is permanent. 

"Once the areas most thriving gold town, Ophir boasted 40 saloons, 12 dance halls, 1 jail, 5 churches and 2 women of ill repute. Sadly after 3 accidental fires the town was reduced to ashes. Ophir gave up rebuilding and joined with the town of Newcastle. Ophir now consists of 1 fire station, one school, 2 businesses and 1 graveyard. The towns current population is estimated at 700 people, 600 sheep, 500 cows, 200 chickens, 5 donkeys and 4 peacocks. The 700 Ophir residents earned the reputation for being the wildest, toughest, rough riding rebels this side of the Rio Grande. *At this very site at 2pm on the 3rd of April in the year of our Lord 1612...nothing of importance happened here. Attention. P.S. Copper thieves this plaque is worth 29 cents!"