About the Art: Groveland Then and Now
Our local history didn't start or end with the Gold Rush. Our community continued to prosper as local jobs and businesses were created to support the designation of Yosemite as a National Park and major tourist attraction in 1890, and the construction of the Hetch Hetchy Dam to provide water and power to the San Francisco Bay Area in the early 1900's. Businesses and buildings like the Hotel Baird (built in 1915 on this property; destroyed by fire in 1919) may have come and gone, but many more have taken their places as our community has developed and grown as Yosemite's Historic Northern Gateway and the source of adventure and excitement for generations.
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The Community of Groveland: Then and Now
Like so many other towns in the Mother Lode, both Groveland and nearby Big Oak Flat began as mining camps during the California Gold Rush of 1849. Originally known collectively as Savage’s Diggings, they were named for James Savage, who is credited with pioneering the placers along the creeks later known as Rattlesnake and Garrote Creek. By early 1850, the two camps were renamed Big Oak Flat (in tribute to a large, stately oak tree) and Garrote (the Spanish term for death by choking or hanging). The small town of Garrote became Groveland in the 1880's.
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The Southern Tuolumne County Historical Society (STCHS) is a volunteer community organization dedicated to the preservation and celebration of the colorful history of the area “south of the Tuolumne River.” The centerpiece of STCHS is the Groveland Yosemite Gateway Museum welcoming visitors from all over the world, and all year long. STCHS also advances its goals by building preservation projects, community education, and the History Resource Center. Learn more about our rich history by visiting the Groveland Yosemite Gateway Museum or their website at grovelandmuseum.org.
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You can also visit our history by taking a stroll through downtown. Download the Groveland Historic Walking Tour HERE.
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