There’s Gold in Them Thar Hills

Grass Valley was once the golden heart of one of the most dramatic eras of the Old West—the California Gold Rush. The little town, tucked up in the Sierra foothills between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, is practically bursting with historic treasures, ranging from celebrated mines and splendid museums to houses that once belonged to some of the most famous—and infamous—characters of the era. “You are ensconced in history from the moment you arrive here,” says prolific Western author C