Oak of the Golden Dream – Santa Clarita, California - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

Oak of the Golden Dream

Santa Clarita, California

According to legend it was a nap taken under this tree that kicked off the California Gold Rush. 

View all photos
Oak of the Golden Dream Cathy Cole on Flickr (Creative Commons)
Oak of the Golden Dream Cathy Cole on Flickr (Creative Commons)
Oak of the Golden Dream Konrad Summers on Flickr (Creative Commons)
A depiction of Lopez and his onions. Mitch Barrie on Flickr (Creative Commons)
148
287
Top Places in Santa Clarita
Tom Mix leaping the gap. Beale's Cut
Beale's Cut
Santa Clarita, California
St. Francis Dam
Santa Clarita, California
Gibbon Conservation Center
Santa Clarita, California
 See All

Someone had to be the first person to discover California’s gold deposits and as the story goes it was a premonition received beneath this tree that inspired the first successful prospector. 

As the story goes, it was on a spring day in 1842 that mineralogist Francisco Lopez decided to take a leisurely nap beneath the tree now known as the Oak of the Golden Dream. While sleeping, Lopez had visions of being floated along a river of pure gold. When he awoke, he found that he was famished and dug up some wild onions, but discovered flecks of gold (whole nuggets according to some accounts) clinging to the roots when he pulled the vegetables from the ground. All visions aside, this was the first documented discovery of gold in the California region. After Lopez brought his gold to Los Angeles to be appraised, other prospectors began to smell the possibility of riches in the Western soil and the famous California Gold Rush was underway.        

The Oak of the Golden Dream is now an official California Historic Landmark and its gnarled trunk can still be visited in the Placerita County Natural Area. Come sleepy and you may just walk away rich.

Know Before You Go

State Route 14 or Sierra Highway to Placerita Canyon. East on Placerita Canyon to Placerita State Park.

hoaxes and pseudoscience gold rush trees plants
Nearby
Beale's Cut
3.01 miles
Nethercutt Collection and Museum
4.83 miles
Gibbon Conservation Center
6.10 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Tom Mix leaping the gap. Beale's Cut
Santa Clarita, California

Beale's Cut

Gouged in the mountain to make stage coach access easier through the Fremont Pass.
Los Angeles, California

Nethercutt Collection and Museum

Rare collectibles from automated musical instruments to 250 unique automobiles.
Santa Clarita, California

Gibbon Conservation Center

This Southern Californian Conservation Center is home to singing and howling apes.
Los Angeles, California

Global Effects, Inc.

Where the line between entertainment and aerospace blurs.
Related Places
A rejuvenated Mother Tree in June 2012.
Oroville, California

Mother Orange Tree

The oldest orange tree in California spawned a generation of citrus farmers.
Treaty Oak
Jacksonville, Florida

Treaty Oak

This ancient octopus-like tree was saved from destruction thanks to shady reporting.
Dinoša, Montenegro

Dinoša Mulberry Tree

Water gushes from the trunk of this miraculous mulberry tree about once a year.
Orihuela, Spain

Palmeral of Orihuela

The second largest palm grove in Europe was planted during Moorish times and has been largely unchanged since then.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web