Forest Hill Divide Historical Society

05/16/2026

Heritage Trail Museums Tour is a Summer-long tour of Placer County Museums. 29 Museums will host special events on their tour day. The tour runs from June 6 to September 6.

05/15/2026

Here’s the link to all of the information on this year’s Placer County Museums Heritage Trail.
It is the schedule for all of the participating museums. Ours will be September 12th this year in conjunction with our Heritage Festival in Foresthill. Plan to discover a new museum this summer!

Heritage Trail Museums Tour is a Summer-long tour of Placer County Museums. 29 Museums will host special events on their tour day. The tour runs from June 6 to September 6.

05/08/2026

Hidden Treasure, in Forest Hill, Featured in this week's placer county newsletter! https://www.placer.ca.gov/8336/Weekly-Newsletter

The Hidden Treasure Mine located on the Foresthill Divide was the most productive drift mine in California. Drift mines tunnel horizontally into the buried gold-bearing gravel of ancient river channels that have been encased underground. It is estimated that between $4 million and $5 million in gold was extracted by this operation from 1875 to 1910, which would be between $870 million and $1.1 billion in 2026.

The town of Sunny South was a company town, founded at the entrance of the mine on the south-facing hillside above El Dorado Canyon. Miners working for wages brought their families to this rugged location, and the town’s population grew to a peak of about 350 people, with nearly 50 families.

In 1896, when the Hidden Treasure tunnel was nearly 2 miles deep, a new tunnel was dug 2 miles above Sunny South. At the new entrance, the town of Bullion was built, and the residents of Sunny South abandoned the old townsite. A hydroelectric power station was installed to provide electricity to the mine at Bullion, which now included an electric locomotive that ran on rails through the main working tunnel.

In June 1910, a cave-in forced the mine to close, and operations never reopened. The town of Bullion was abandoned. A major fire in 1924 destroyed what was left of Sunny South, and very little remains to mark the site of the famous Hidden Treasure Mine.

Photo: Hidden Treasure Mine at Sunny South. Circa 1880. Placer County Museums, Placer County Historical Society collection.

Explore our new interactive timeline — updated every Thursday with photographs, milestones and the stories of people who built this county. Explore timeline

https://engage.placer.ca.gov/175th-anniversary

Also check out this article by Christina Lynn Richter
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1447057000554984&id=100057520926654&mibextid=Nif5oz

Christina's page: https://www.facebook.com/ChristinaLynnRichter?mibextid=ZbWKwL

04/28/2026

Save the date, RSVP for dinner by June 9

04/28/2026

04/18/2026

Forest Hill has some incredible stories—want to help share them?
We are looking for volunteer docents to bring our local history to life at the Forest Hill Divide Museum. Training included and it’s just a couple shifts a month during the summer.
It’s a great way to meet people, give back, and be part of something meaningful in our community. We are also looking for Society volunteers to help keep our town's history alive.

Email us at [email protected] to get involved.

12/19/2025

Happy to Clementine Beach Preserve!

Placer Land Trust purchased Clementine Beach Preserve from a willing seller to ensure continued public access to Upper Lake Clementine and to keep development away from the lakeshore. The preserve contains a section of Upper Lake Clementine Road, which leads to the popular Upper Lake Clementine Day Use Area, and a stretch of beach and gravel bars where the North Fork American River enters Lake Clementine. The protection of Clementine Beach Preserve, along with our other preserves in the area, ensures that a significant stretch of the North Fork American River canyon land will be permanently protected and remain natural. Cool clear water abounds!

12/19/2025

A big shout out toForesthill Farms & Bakery for a great catered meal
at our Forest Hill Divide Historical Society holiday dinner last Monday! It was a delicious choice of tri-tip, chicken Alfredo or vegetarian lasagna with all the sides and a wonderful apple cake for dessert!
On top of that@Jennifer Vigarino donated a gift certificate to one of the lucky winners of our gift basket drawing!
Thanks also goes toBrew Masters Deli and@Kelsey Kerner for their gift card donation for another gift basket given away!
Support these local businesses. They are great people with great food and services.
Also, thanks toGuthrie Tree Farm for the beautiful live greenery and tree to adorn our tables and reception area. It made it nice and festive and smell so nice!

08/29/2025

Lots going on at Leroy Botts Memorial Park in Foresthill. Our Heritage Festival with craft booths, food vendors, antique fair, Interactive Entertainment teaching mining history and a shootout at high noon, historical walking tour at 11, blacksmiths demonstrating their skills, music, Foresthill Fabric Friends with their quilts and handmade items, free entrance to the museum, American Legion food and raffle etc.

Head up to Foresthill this weekend, August 30th, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and explore the Forest Hill Divide Museum!

Forest Hill Divide Museum
24601 Harrison St., Foresthill
530-367-3988 foresthillhistory.org

Watch blacksmiths craft period tools and household items. View exhibits on mining, Native American Heritage, the lumber industry, fires & firefighting on the divide and life here in the Victorian era. There will be a historical walking tour before noon of our town as well. Enjoy plenty of food and craft booths, hands-on activities for the kids and music will fill the air. Visitors may also witness the re-creation of history with the Interactive Entertainment group of notable outlaws and marshals who teach as well as perform skits about the heritage of the Gold Rush.
The Forest Hill Divide Museum combines the Heritage Trail with their town’s annual Heritage Festival, so come prepared for a full day of adventure.