The only community of distinction and size (its population reaching four fig­ures) in this section, Weaverville flour­ished as a gold-mining center during the 1850s and has more than a hun­dred buildings from that time clustered within the small but grandly-titled Weaverville National Historic Dis­trict.

During the 19thC, Weaverville’s 2,500-strong Chinese community (Chi­nese labor was a common element in gold-rush towns) contributed to the construction of the Joss House (http://www.weavervilleinfo.com/Josshouse.html), a Taoist temple dating from 1874 and decorated with handmade tapestries and ornaments set around an ancient Chinese altar. Now the centerpiece of Joss House State Historic Park, Main and Oregon Streets, the temple can be entered on half-hourly guided tours but is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Across Main Street from the park, the J.J. Jackson Memorial Museum (http://www.trinitymuseum.org) dwells on broader aspects of Weaverville’s early days: an entertain­ing clutter of paraphernalia includes a steam-driven stamp mill and several jail cells still bearing their 19thC graffiti.

Should the museum’s exhibits bring on a bout of gold fever, visitors can purchase gold-panning utensils at the museum and try their luck on the local rivers. The mineral riches which were once easy to find are long gone, how­ever. A few hours’ panning is unlikely to produce anything except backache.