Murphys
Deemed "The Queen of the Sierra," Murphys is located in Calaveras County and is surrounded by oak-studded hills. Close to the mighty redwoods of Sequoia National Park, it was founded in 1848. You are sure to be delighted by this quaint town when you try your hand at repelling while exploring the Moaning Caverns, or when visiting the Dunbar house, a quaint Victorian bed and breakfast that is walking distance to many wineries.
www.visitmurphys.com
www.caverntours.com
www.dunbarhouse.com

Colfax
Just off Interstate 80 lies Colfax, an Old West town with a population of 1500. Join us as we experience its charming downtown, genuine friendliness and rich history. Hike the 7-mile Stevens Trail, built in the 1860's, interspersed with waterfalls and great views of the foothills, and dine at Giovanni's, a local institution since the 1940's. This hidden town is progressively attracting visitors seeking a relaxing getaway. Just outside Colfax, don't miss STL TIKN Restoration, Don Doughtery's collection of restored, rare, old trucks, cars and tractors.
www.foothill.net/colfax/history
www.rosemountainmanor.com

Murphy's Wineries
We go wine tasting in Murphy's where most wineries don't charge a tasting fee and where recent vintages are winning international awards. The rich soil and gentle climate in Murphys is ideal for everything from Zinfandel to Merlot to Chardonnay grapes. We visit some of the top wineries in the Murphys area: Stevenot, where it all started; Ironstone, where the Kautz family has created a complete venue that includes dining, entertainment, shopping and tasting; and the Black Sheep, where Dave and Jan Olson purposely keep their family-run winery focused on quality, not quantity.
www.stevenotwinery.com
www.ironstonevineyards.com
www.blacksheepwinery.com

Folsom
Beyond the suburbs and before the foothills is a slice of the old west in the heart of the Sacramento valley. Folsom was the western terminus for the pony express where miners and farmers came to fulfill their dreams of gold and arable land. With a restored railway turntable, the Folsom History Museum, and the Folsom Interpretive Center, the town's tenacity is keeping the past alive. Additionally, Sutter Street houses numerous antique shops, and the Folsom Powerhouse, built in 1895 and now a state historic park, was the first plant in the nation to transmit electrical power over a distance.
www.folsomchamber.com
www.folsomhistorymuseum.org
www.historicfolsom.net
www.parks.ca.gov

Amador Wineries
We explore two of Amador County's wineries to experience first-hand the unique atmosphere and fascinating history of Amador County viticulture. Spectator's California Wine named Domaine De La Terre Rouge "Top Rated Sierra Foothill Winery." You can also enjoy both a professional art gallery and the Valley Museum of Early Winemaking and Agriculture at the Sobon Estate/Shenandoah Valley, located at the site of one
of the oldest wineries in California.
www.Amadorwines.com

Jamestown
Known as the gateway to the mother lode, Jamestown is the location of the first gold discovery in Tuolumne County. Here, you'll find Rail Town 1897, the place where the Sierra Railway began its short-line operation to haul passengers and freight into the mother lode. Over the years, this town has been the backdrop for over 200 film and television
productions earning it the title of
the "movie railroad." Today,
visitors go to this quaint setting to
experience the sights and sounds
of a pure gold-country town.

Cornish Pasties
We visit Grass Valley to try out a delicious treat: pasty - pronounced "pass-tee." This traditional pasty dish includes beef, potatoes, onion, rutabaga, and turnip, all baked inside a golden crust. The original pasties were a hearty and hot, hand-held "no dish" meal for miners who had no time to come above ground for lunch. Some miners reheated their pasties underground; others kept them at least body warm in a chest pocket.

Other Stories
We also visit more of gold country's treasures at Holbrook Hotel with a sample of a miner's favorite dish, and the high-flying town of Coloma. Plus, we remember the swift justice of the old west at the Placerville Hangman's Bar.

Season eight of "Central Valley Chronicles" is underwritten in part by Classic Living.