A 45-ton concrete statue of a Gold Rush era miner stands at the entrance to Old Town Auburn, a small collection of shops, restaurants, and antique stores. The statue is a representation of Claude Chana (1811-1882), the prospector who discovered gold here in the foothills east of Sacramento on May 16, 1848.
A 45-ton concrete statue of a Gold Rush era miner stands at the entrance to Old Town Auburn, a small collection of shops, restaurants, and antique stores. The statue is a representation of Claude Chana (1811-1882), the prospector who discovered gold here in the foothills east of Sacramento on May 16, 1848.
Auburn dentist Ken Fox, creator of the Great Statues of Auburn, sculpted the miner at the request of the town. It’s made of a rebar and wire mesh framework covered in concrete. Fox sculpted the miner between appointments at his still operating dental practice on the other side of town. You can see more of his statues, constructed in the early 1970s, in other parts of Auburn.
- Hours Available for public viewing
- Address Lincoln Way & Park Street
- Website Claude Chana Gold Panner Monument
- Old Town
- Historic Site
The Claude Chana statue which is one of first things to be seen upon entering Old Town Auburn from Interstate 80. Visit the Placer County Visitors Bureau to pick up a walking map of Old Town Auburn.
ALSO CHECK OUT:
-
Gold Country Medical History and Museum
Auburn, CA219 Maple Street, Auburn, CA 95603The museum prominently displays an ever-growing collection of vintage medical, pharmaceutical, nursing, and dental artifacts dating from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century.
-
Colfax Area Historical Museum
Colfax, CA99 Rail Rd St, Colfax, CA 95713The Colfax Heritage Museum contains an eclectic collection of items that tell the history of the Colfax area, as well as illustrate the strong relationship to and influence of the building of the Transcontinental Railroad.
-
Christmas Tree Vineyard Lodge
Foresthill, CA38400 Foresthill Road, Foresthill, CA 95631Weather in the Tahoe National Forest is amazing. Spring features colorful wildflowers, summer sun warms the lakes and rivers. Fall brings an array of vibrant colors followed by winter storms that transform the area into a snowy playground.
