Nevada City Walking Tour

Nevada City is the most complete gold town in California. A tour of the Historic Preservation District, as well as the lovely adjacent neighborhood called Nabob Hill, one of seven hills in town, should be on every visitor's to do list. Take Broad Street across from the National Hotel and follow it up to East Broad to the split and return on the opposite side of Broad Street. As you stroll up Broad Street, you should also take a short detour down York Street to the area that was once Nevada City's Chinese Quarter.

After returning to the National Hotel, you may also want to continue down Union Street (short street to the left) to the South Yuba Canal Building and Ott's Assay Office. Nearby is an historic firehouse built in 1861. You should also explore Spring and Commercial Streets which are located on either side of Broad Street and are part of the Historic District.

CHINESE QUARTER
Commercial Street between Broad and Pine Streets, existed from the beginning of the Gold Rush to about 1879. Many buildings date from mid-1800s, some of the oldest in Nevada City. Note the area at the entrance to the city parking lot dedicated to the Chinese.

NEW YORK HOTEL
408 Broad St., dates from 1880; fire destroyed original hotel built in 1863. Host to actors appearing at Nevada Theatre and miners.

HOMES OF INTEREST
Emil Ott home, 450 Broad St., was built in 1910. His father was a well-known assayer whose office still stands on Main Street. Charles E. Mulloy home built in the late 1870s sits between East and West Broad Streets. Mulloy, a popular and successful businessman, shocked residents when he hanged himself. Senator Aaron A. Sargent home, 449 Broad St., was built in 1856. A lawyer and newspaper man, he was a champion of women's rights and author of the Anthony Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which gave women the right to vote.

METHODIST CHURCH
433 Broad St., built in 1869. Established in 1851, first located near the Pioneer Cemetery on West Broad.

NEVADA THEATRE
401Broad St., was opened with a gala performance, ball and supper in 1865 making it the oldest theatre building in California.

CITY HALL
317 Broad Street, first built on site in 1878, replaced with modern building in 1937 constructed by WPA. Completely renovated, it was dedicated in 2000.

NATIONAL HOTEL
211 Broad St., opened its doors in 1865 and has been going ever since. Popular with important mining people and miners, thousands of dollars in gold passed over the bar which had been shipped round the Horn.

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