Nevada City: A mix of old and new

Like other Gold Rush-era towns, “the past is always present” in Nevada City. The entire downtown is registered as a historic landmark. “Preservation has been the byword in Nevada City, and the town’s commitment to it began as a happy alternative to a threatening civil war between hippies from the Bay Area and the more […]

Grass Valley: Revitalizing the historic downtown

NOWHERE IS THE THEME “what’s old is new again” more prevalent than in Grass Valley, the Gold Rush town nestled in the foothills. The Center for the Arts and historic Holbrooke Hotel are undergoing major renovations. Another historic building, the Nevada County Bank Building, is being transformed into a retail center, and new businesses are […]

Visit Grass Valley: A postcard-perfect Gold Rush town

NESTLED IN THE HEART OF the Sierra Foothills, Grass Valley is a postcard-perfect historic Gold Rush town. It offers a window into the past while featuring the best of the present: unique stores, wine and beer tasting, art galleries and top- notch restaurants and entertainment. The central streets are Mill and Main, anchored by the […]

Below the ski belt: Satellite ski towns

“Unless you have a family inheritance, or somehow snagged one of the few affordable rentals, living in a traditional ski town is a less viable option than ever,” observes Powder Magazine. “Unable to afford the old ones, young, adventurous people are making new ones.” Though a little farther from the ski slopes, so-called satellite ski […]

Nevada City: Focused on economic development

Thanks to the Gold Rush, Nevada City was once California’s third largest city, behind Sacramento and San Francisco. The picturesque foothills’ town—incorporated in 1856—has enticed some famous people. Mark Twain lectured in the Nevada Theatre “when Los Angeles wasn’t much more than a squalid cow town,” as the Los Angeles Times observed. The town also […]

A Sense of Place

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep. And miles to go before I sleep.” – Robert Frost in Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening FEW PEOPLE DO A BETTER JOB OF creating a sense of place than Robert Frost—in his case, describing life in rural New England. In […]

Springtime in Nevada City

SPRING IS A GLORIOUS TIME TO visit the Gold Rush towns in the foothills, and few are more picturesque and enjoyable than Nevada City. Wildflowers are in full bloom on surrounding hillsides and alongside the wild and scenic South Yuba River. The 56th annual Nevada City Bicycle Classic is on Father’s Day, June 19. It […]

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