Mount Ophir

The Mount Ophir Ruins

The Mount Ophir Ruins consist of a two-story structure, of which only parts from the side walls remain, and various and assorted foundations and wells which lay scattered about the site. The two-story ruin was built in 1853 of quarried slabs of locally mined schist set in mud mortar. It originally had a slate roof which made it almost fireproof, a valuable asset during the early years of the Gold Rush. The building was used as a trading post and was quite well established, being patronized by the miners of the area, as well as packers traveling through on their various routes through the Southern Mines.

Louis Trabucco left his home in Richmond, Virginia, in 1850 to make his fortune in the gold mines of California. Traveling aboard a wagon train, Trabucco arrived in California after a somewhat perilous journey, first settling down in nearby Hornitos where he tried his hand at mining with little success. In 1854 Trabucco purchased the well-established trading post at Mount Ophir, where he was able to make a much better living providing goods and services to the surrounding area.