Browns Valley (also, Brown's Valley) is an unincorporated community in Yuba County, California. Browns Valley is located 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Marysville and is near Collins Lake.[2]
Browns Valley | |
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Browns Valley Location in California Browns Valley Browns Valley (the United States) | |
Coordinates: 39°14′32″N 121°24′33″W / 39.24222°N 121.40917°W | |
Country | United States |
State | California |
County | Yuba County |
Elevation | 269 ft (82 m) |
ZIP code | 95918 |
Area code | 530 |
Before the establishment of the Browns Valley community, the land was the home to the Concow Maidu and the Nisenan people.[3]
In the fall of 1849, gold was found in the township of Long Bar and along the Yuba River, only three miles away from Browns Valley.[3] The name of the community was in honor of a settler who arrived in 1850 and discovered gold here.[2] In the early days of mining in this area, gold was extracted in many different ways including hydraulic mining.[3] The mines had to be continuous monitored because competition was high, and people would try to steal mining claims.[3] Initially the area mined for gold, and when that ran out they mined quartz (which sometimes would encase the gold).[3] The Chinese and Irish immigrants that came to the area for mining work, and also worked to build rock walls across many areas of Browns Valley.[3]
Browns Valley was the home of the Sweet Vengeance Mine, founded by six African American men.[4][5] Other African American mining operations in the community included the Rare Ripe Gold and Silver Mining Company (also known as the Rare Ripe Company); and the Horncut Mine.[6][7][8] In 1868, the Rare Ripe Gold and Silver Mining Company incorporated, and had an office in Maryville.[8]
In 1863, Tensions grew over the land in this area between miners, ranchers, and Native Americans; and there was a forced removal of Native Americans to a reservation in Mendocino County.[3] A post office was established at Browns Valley in 1864.[2]