French Corral, California

Infobox Settlement
name = French Corral, California
settlement_type = Unincorporated community
nickname =
motto =

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pushpin_label_position = none
pushpin_map_caption = Location of French Corral in California
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = California
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Nevada

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population_as_of = 2000
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timezone = Pacific (PST)
utc_offset = -8
timezone_DST = PDT
utc_offset_DST = -7
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m =
elevation_ft = 1532
latd = 39.306
longd = -121.16

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code =
area_code = 530
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French Corral is an unincorporated community in Nevada County, California, United States, convert|5|mi|km off State Route 49 via Pleasant Valley Road, and convert|9|mi|km northwest of Nevada City.

Geography

French Corral is located at coord|39|18|22|N|121|09|37|W|, and the elevation is convert|1532|ft|m above sea level. [cite web |url=http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=10184 |title=French Corral |accessdate=2008-09-06 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher=epodunk.com]

History

It was one of the first of several historic California gold rush mining camps along the San Juan Ridge. The name was literal as the town grew around a mule corral built by the first settler in the area, a Frenchman, in 1849. [cite web |url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~historic/FrenchCorral.htm |title=Historic French Corral Cemetery |accessdate=2008-08-01 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher=ancestry.com] Few original structures remain besides an old Wells Fargo Bank building. [cite web |url=http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/ca/frenchcorral.html |title=French Corral |accessdate=2008-08-01 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher=ghosttowns.com]

It is the site of the Bridgeport Covered Bridge, a historical landmark reputed by some to be the longest single-span wooden covered bridge in the world. The other leading contender is Old Blenheim Bridge in New York State.

In 1877, it was the terminus of the world's first long-distance telephone line, another historical landmark. [cite web |url=http://calsign.com/mining/nevada.htm |title=Historical Landmarks |accessdate=2008-08-03 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher=calsign.com]

In 1880, the population was 527. [cite web |url=http://www.cagenweb.com/nevada/nchistory.html |title=Nevada County History |accessdate=2008-09-06 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher=cagenweb.com]

References

External links

* [http://www.museumca.org/goldrush/dist-frenchcorral.html French Corral] at museumca.org
* [http://malakoff.com/goldcountry/frenchco.htm French Corral] at malakoff.com
* [http://content.cdlib.org/search?facet=type-tab&relation=calisphere.universityofcalifornia.edu&style=cui&keyword=French+Corral&x=21&y=13 Photos] at University of California Libraries