Did You Know Gold Was Found In Dodge County?

We're going back a long time for this occurrence.. It was back in 1855 that west of Mantorville there were reports of placer gold being found along branches of the Zumbro River. Placer gold is the small flecks that erode from veins or could very well have been deposited by the glaciers years and years ago. There's another story that a man back from the gold strike in California may have placed flecks of gold from California in hopes of making some money in Minnesota.

Whatever the case a town was platted out in 1855 and named Sacramento in honor of the Sacramento in California. The California gold rush began in 1849 of course. There wasn't enough gold to make it worthwhile to seek it out. The in 1857 voters chose Mantorville over Sacramento as the county seat for Dodge County. Sacramento was doomed and in just a few years the buildings were either moved to Mantorville or torn down. The land became farm land. The area was for many years thereafter or maybe even still today referred to as Sacramento.

What might add credence that there was actually placer gold found that wasn't planted is that just up a ways near Oronoco there were reports of placer gold being found along the Zumbro. A mining company was even formed. I suppose that's where the Gold Rush Days Oronoco hosts got its name.

Either way kind of interesting to know that even in Dodge County, Minnesota there was once a bit of 'gold fever'.