Rotarians, guests and four-footed furry friends alike enjoy eating out of doors at the annual Portola Rotary pancake breakfast, with a steady stream of hungry families lining up to fill their plates and listen to the bluegrass stylings of Code Bluegrass echo through the trees. Photo by Ian Hoffmann

Gold Discovery Days shine at Plumas-Eureka

August 3, 2018August 2, 2018 Lauren Westmoreland, Staff Writer

The Plumas-Eureka State Park Association (PESPA) hosted the ever-popular annual Gold Discovery Days event in Johnsville on July 21 and July 22, with many filling up the park to enjoy the festivities. On Sunday, Chris Foster, a grandson of William Johns, shows off his family’s history at the state park as he explains to the group that his ancestor had once managed the Plumas-Eureka mine, leading to the town acquiring the name Johnsville in the late 1800s. Photo by Lauren Westmoreland

From left, Shane Cocco, 8, Ian Hoffmann and Lee Hoffmann enjoy panning for gold in the trough, with excited shouts of “Eureka!” filling the air as shining golden flecks are found. Photo by Lauren Westmoreland

The Plumas-Eureka State Park Association (PESPA) hosted the ever-popular annual Gold Discovery Days event in Johnsville on July 21 and July 22, with many filling up the park to enjoy the festivities. On Sunday, Chris Foster, a grandson of William Johns, shows off his family’s history at the state park as he explains to the group that his ancestor had once managed the Plumas-Eureka mine, leading to the town acquiring the name Johnsville in the late 1800s. Photo by Lauren Westmoreland

Rotarians, guests and four-footed furry friends alike enjoy eating out of doors at the annual Portola Rotary pancake breakfast, with a steady stream of hungry families lining up to fill their plates and listen to the bluegrass stylings of Code Bluegrass echo through the trees. Photo by Ian Hoffmann

Bryanne Baldwin helps young Rowan Baldwin with candle-making activities, with groups of children moving around in a circle, taking turns dipping their candle wicks into a temperature controlled pot of wax, and then cold water to harden the layers. Photo by Ian Hoffmann

Rylee Mandelstamm, 1, and big brother Connor Mandelstamm, 3, enjoy giant mouthfuls of juicy watermelon in the summer sun as they take a break from playing old-fashioned games — definitely a good way to beat the heat wave that hit Plumas County during the event. Photo by Lauren Westmoreland

The Portola Rotary Club keeps the grills hot and the pancakes flying onto plates during the pancake breakfast under the trees on Sunday morning, joking and laughing despite rapidly rising temperatures. Photo by Ian Hoffmann

Local musical group Code Bluegrass fills the air with the sweet sounds of days gone by during the annual Portola Rotary Club pancake breakfast on Sunday. Photo by Ian Hoffmann

Cathy Davies and Cliff Romig, both docents at Plumas Eureka State Park, show off their period clothing in the assay office, where Romig explained to waves of visitors the many ways to determine the amount of gold in samples of ore taken from the mines at Plumas-Eureka. Photo by Lauren Westmoreland

PESPA volunteer and man of all trades Dennis Black gives tips to young Nevada Jolle, 9, as she learns the art of woodworking with period hand tools. Photo by Lauren Westmoreland