Golden Summer Fun
By Melissa Wynn
Ever since I was a little girl Seneca has been a very special place to me and my family.
Just six miles off Hwy 89 near Canyon Dam, Ca Seneca was once a thriving gold mining community. Gold was first discovered here in 1851 and the “town” of Seneca included a dance hall, feed store, livery, post office and rooming houses for the miners. Today all that remain s are a few run down old shacks and the Gin Mill. The Gin Mill is a small tavern that is still often open on weekends during the summer months. Folks from all over have been pinning up their business cards on the walls inside and out of this rustic old bar for many years and the tradition continues today.
What a tale it would be if those card covered walls could talk. Last mined in the 1980’s by Seneca Gold Corp. this is still a favorite spot for local gold panning. My daddy worked as a miner for Seneca gold and we spent many summer days wandering the canyon searching for treasures of own, camping, fishing, catching salamanders and melting slugs with salt. Those were the days! Some areas are private property that are clearly marked and one should never wander onto the gold mining claim of a serious prospector. Open areas on the river are fair game for gold panning ,trout fishing, and blackberry picking. The largest nugget found in Seneca weighed 42 ounces and was worth $28,000 in 1942. We still go camping in Seneca on a regular basis and go in late August for the berries every year. This was the chosen spot for our family reunion just this summer.
Chris and Amy avid riders in Senica
Groups of dirt bike riders and 4 wheelers also find this place lost in time the perfect playground. Seneca is a great spot for a picnic and a good game of horse shoes. There are two horse shoe pits and picnic tables at the Gin Mill and every now and then someone breaks out a guitar or the old tub and washboard and the dancing is on. Only six miles from the highway down a narrow winding dirt road Seneca has the feel of a place far, far away. I find it easy to put my feet up, let my hair down and just…be. Lake Almanor and Butt Lake are both just a stones throw away if fishing for bass or lake trout are on the summer fun agenda. Seneca is like a good local secret that no visitor should miss. Bring your friends, family and favorite outdoor toys and come discover Seneca the historic hidden playground.
Historic facts courtesy of ghosttowns.com
