Gold Dredge, Gold dredge in La Grange, California.
The Walter Johnson No. 52 Model dredge measured larger than a football field and weighed 2,500 tons, using 120 buckets to extract gold.
Starting operations at Patricksville on June 15, 1938, the dredge operated until July 1951, when declining gold prices led to its closure.
The site received recognition on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, preserving the memory of California's industrial mining operations.
Located near County Route J59, two miles south of California Highway 132, the dredge remains stand on private property with restricted access.
Each of the 120 buckets used in the dredge's operations weighed 4,000 pounds and could reach depths of 70 feet for gold extraction.
Location: Stanislaus County
Inception: 1937
GPS coordinates: 37.63333,-120.47639
Latest update: September 23, 2025 14:25
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