Mount Ophir, California, Mariposa County is a captivating ghost town that once flourished during the California Gold Rush. It was a bustling center for miners and adventurers seeking wealth in the mid-19th century. Below is detailed information about the town.
County: Mariposa County
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: 37.5283° N, 120.0875° W
Elevation: Approximately 1,385 feet (422 meters)
Time Zone: Pacific Time Zone (PT)
Established: 1850
Disestablished: Not specifically documented, but the decline began in the late 19th century
Comments: Mount Ophir was named after the biblical land of Ophir, renowned for its riches. During its peak, it was home to the Mount Ophir Mint, one of California’s first authorized mints, producing gold coins. The town was strategically located near the Mother Lode, attracting numerous miners and entrepreneurs.
Remains: Very few remnants of Mount Ophir exist today. Some foundations and mining equipment may still be visible, offering a glimpse into its historical past.
The most notable relic is the ruins of the Mount Ophir Mint building, which serves as a tribute to the town’s once prominent role in minting gold coins. Mount Ophir during the early 1850s was a large camp, and stores and tents straggled along the main road for quite a distance. In 1854, Louis Trabucco purchased the stone-walled trading post in Mount Ophir, which miners and packers patronized.
Its ruins now stand next to the foundation of a large two-story frame hotel built in 1852. The Post Office opened in 1852 under the name “Ophir” but was changed in 1856 to “Mount Ophir” because of the name conflict with Ophir in Placer County.
Current Status: Mount Ophir is considered a ghost town, with no active residents or significant modern development. It is primarily visited by history enthusiasts and tourists exploring California’s gold rush history.
Remarks: Mount Ophir played a significant role in California’s early economy and remains an intriguing site for those fascinated by the Gold Rush era. Its history is a reminder of the transient nature of such boomtowns, where fortunes were made and lost, and communities rose and fell with the shifts of economic change.
