San Diego's East County conjures up images of the Wild West when cowboys, pioneers and prospectors set their sights on this vast inviting frontier with its quaint rural towns nestled amongst rolling hills, alpine mountains and desolate desert expanse.

Visitors can experience this exciting chapter of San Diego's pastoral past at various historic sites and towns throughout East County, as well as at community events that celebrate the western days of yesteryear.

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GOLD RUSH

The historic town of Julian, located in the picturesque Cuyamaca Mountains, was founded after the Civil War when displaced Confederate veterans from Georgia headed West to seek their fortunes in this new, mostly unsettled land. Among these veterans were cousins Drury Bailey and Mike Julian, who found the lush meadow between Volcan Mountain and the Cuyamacas to their liking. In the winter of 1869, former slave and cattleman Fred Coleman discovered gold in a creek outside of town. This sparked San Diego County's first and only gold rush, and within a few weeks over 800 prospectors from around the country flocked to Julian in search of gold.

Julian's first gold producing mine, the Washington Mine, was discovered in 1870 and within days over 40 other claims were registered. Julian grew to become San Diego County's second largest town, and the Gold Rush lasted for about 30 years, producing almost $2 million in gold (worth about $150 million today).

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Today, guests can explore Julian's Gold Rush past at four area gold mines and the Julian Pioneer Museum, as well as on historic walking tours and much more.

• The historic Eagle and High Peak Gold Mines, located high atop downtown Julian on C Street, offer one-hour, guided walking tours of two of Julian's original gold mines. Passing through an intricate path of tunnels, guests learn tales of the arduous life of gold miners and the early residents of Julian; they can also go gold panning and visit the adjacent museum.
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• At the Smith Ranch Julian Train Ride & Gold Mine, guests can embark on a one-mile roundtrip train ride in an 18-inch narrow gauge gold mining train, explore an 1870 gold mine (keep an eye out for quartz veins with flecks of gold) and pan for gold. Venturesome guests can also ride into the mine in an authentic 1898 mine car.
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• The new Julian Mining Company features panning for gold and gem mining on Saturdays and Sunday, as well as fun interactive tours for families, including the Early American Farm-Life Tour where guests can work an authentic apple cider press and a Native American Tour to learn Native American cultures and customs such as grinding acorns, yucca weaving and shooting a bow and arrow.
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• The Washington Mine , owned by the Julian Historical Society, is located on Gold Hill north of town. Guests can view a variety of mining equipment outside the mine entrance and walk to the top of the claim for spectacular views of Julian and the surrounding countryside.
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• Stonewall Mine, located in Rancho Cuyamaca State Park, features a sealed-off mine shaft, interpretive signs and remnants of the vast mining operation that thrived between 1870 and 1891 in the boomtown of Cuyamaca City. There is also a small miners' cabin museum with photos and exhibits.
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• The Julian Pioneer Museum on Washington Street features an extensive array of mining equipment, pioneer photos, Native-American artifacts, animal and bird mountings, an original "Julian City" buggy and sleigh, Victorian-era clothing and one of the finest collections of lace in California.
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• For an insider's scoop on the pioneers and families who settled the town, guests can enjoy David Lewis' Historical Tours of Julian, which includes a fascinating walk through the Julian Haven of Rest cemetery where most of Julian's early pioneers are buried. Lewis also offers a general history tour and custom tours focusing on nearby mines and Julian's prominent African-American heritage.
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• The Julian Gold Rush Hotel, the oldest continuously operating hotel in Southern California, is not only a living monument to the glory days of the Gold Rush, but it is also the dream come true of former slave Albert Robinson and his wife, Margaret, who built the property in 1897. Today, the "Queen of the Backcountry," which is a nationally registered historic landmark, continues to delight guests with its Victorian-era décor, transporting them back to the days of the Old West.
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• Even Julian's outlaws and ne'er-do-wells had a place to rest their heads at night. The two-cell Julian Jail , located on the corner of C and Fourth Streets, was built in 1914 and is open to the public.
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• Nearly 100 years old, the Julian Town Hall on Main Street displays historic photos upstairs and is home to the Chamber of Commerce where visitors can find maps and brochures to local sights and attractions.

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Julian celebrates its rich storied past with some major annual community events.

• Julian Gold Rush Days on June 8-9, 2013 celebrates the discovery of gold with a number of fun-filled activities, including gold panning, gem mining, mock claim jumping, pioneer games and an old fashioned mining camp where guests can meet miners, mountain men and cowboys.
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• The annual Julian Fall Apple Harvest from September through October is a tradition begun in 1909. While other nearby gold mining towns disappeared over time, Julian's pioneers stayed, farmed the rich land and continued to thrive with the production of its newest asset: apples.
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  Occurring every October, the Julian Apple Days Festival at Menghini Winery features Julian's famous apple pies, apple-related contests, the coronation of Mr. and Mrs. Apple Days, music, dancing, children's games, gold panning demonstrations, food vendors and a wine and beer garden.
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• The Annual Julian Melodrama is an old-fashioned comedy-melodrama set in the 1870s with a hero, villain and damsel in distress. Occurring in October and celebrating the lively spirit and history of Julian, shows are presented every weekend at the Julian Town Hall; a variety show between acts features local talents, including a choral group and cancan dancers.

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GUNSLINGERS AND BATTLEFIELDS

East County puts the "wild" in Wild West with local sites of two major historic battles, plus a lesser-known gun fight.

• The San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park in the scenic San Pasqual Valley commemorates California's bloodiest battle of the U.S.-Mexican War which took place on Dec. 6, 1846. Guests can witness an annual reenactment of the Battle Day, along with a recreation of a military and mountain men encampment, craft demonstrations, period music and dancing and children's activities.
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• Located five miles from the San Pasqual Battlefield is the 1846 Battle of Mule Hill State Historic Landmark, where U.S. troops were held under siege by Mexican Californios. A portion of the adjacent Mule Hill Historic Trail follows the Butterfield Overland Stagecoach Route, a major cross-country route that carried mail and passengers to California from St. Louis, MO.
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  Guests can see how early settlers in the area lived at the nearby Sikes Family Adobe Historic Farmhouse, featuring free docent-led tours of the 1870s furnished house and grounds.
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• Located in Campo, the Gaskill Brothers' Stone Store and Museum, a California Historic Landmark and home of the Mountain Empire Historical Society, was the site of one of the bloodiest civilian gun battles in the history of the American West (second only to the gunfight at the OK Corral). The 1885 fortress-like store, with its two- to four-foot-thick stone walls, was built as a result of a furious gun fight with border bandits in 1875 and reminds guests of the more adventurous times of the Wild West.
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• The upper floor of the store is dedicated to nearby Camp Lockett, a military outpost created to protect the surrounding rocky and mountainous southern frontier and home of the U.S. Army's 10th Cavalry Regiment, better known as the Buffalo Soldiers. The lower level is focused on the history of East County's backcountry, from prehistoric times through the early part of the 20th century.

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STAGECOACHES AND PIONEER TRAILS

As pioneers moved west into the Golden State, there were many stagecoach stops in East County, some of which still exist today.

• Once a bustling crossroads through the Cuyamaca Mountains, Julian boasted two stage lines to San Diego, including a toll road connected to the Butterfield Overland Stagecoach Route.
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• Located between the well-traveled crossroads of Highways 78 and 79 near Julian, the historic Santa Ysabel General Store, a landmark since 1884, served as a traditional mercantile for early settlers and travelers for more than 80 years. After an extensive restoration, the general store reopened in October 2012 as a popular emporium brimming with heirloom and artisanal foodstuffs, gifts and wares for home and garden, and books and guides for naturalists and cultural tourists. The general store also doubles as the new Backcountry Visitor Center, providing information on area cultural heritage sites, public trails, birds, wildlife and recreational opportunities.
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• Located in Warner Springs, the Oak Grove Butterfield Stage Station is one of the few surviving stage stops on the Butterfield Overland stagecoach line. This well-preserved, one-story adobe building, along with the nearby 1857 Warner-Carrillo Ranch House Stage Station and Trading Post, were declared National Historic Landmarks in 1961.
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  The Warner-Carrillo Ranch House played a leading role in the history of the American West and represents the Frontier period of the westward migration, the regional Gold Rush and the local cattle ranching industry from the 19th century to today. After a three-year restoration, the house opened to visitors in fall 2012.
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• Nestled beside the Cleveland National Forest, the quiet little town of Alpine was a former stagecoach stop. Folks who started settling here in the 1870s were mostly farmers and ranchers, as land was cheap for homesteads. The Alpine Historical Society maintains three historic structures in town: the Adam and Caroline Beaty House, a traditional farmhouse built in 1899; Dr. Sophronia Nichols' House, built in 1896, and the old Alpine Schoolhouse, built in 1892.
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• Visitors can take a step back in time at the Potrero General Store in Potrero which dates back to the stagecoach era of the mid-1800s and offers a friendly, small-town feel. Café 94, a popular local diner connected to the general store, is famous for its home-cooked meals.
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• Vallecito Stage Station and County Park, a 71-acre oasis near the Anza-Borrego Desert, is built around a reconstructed historic Butterfield Overland stage station. Vallecito (Spanish for "little valley") has been a campsite for hundreds of years beginning with the native Kumeyaay Indians. In addition to the historic stage stop, the park features 44 campsites, 22 RV campsites and a large covered picnic area.
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  Frontier life during the 1850s and 1860s in Vallecito is celebrated during the annual Vallecito Days in March 2013 (dates TBA). The event features volunteers in period attire, folk singing, frontier cooking, soap making, archery, spinning and weaving demonstrations.
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• Two nearby RV resorts capture the classic stagecoach era while welcoming guests in a contemporary setting. The Stagecoach Trails RV Park & Resort features 200 hookup sites, a tent area, pool, horse corrals, picnic area, clubhouse, country store and nature trails; the Butterfield Ranch Resort features 200 campsites, cabins, two clubhouses, three pools/spas, a store, bike paths and hiking trails.

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COWBOYS AND INDIANS

Cowboys, cowgirls and Native-Americans in East County embody the spirit of the Wild West.

• The rustic town of Ramona is known for simple country living and popular horseback riding trails, including the equestrian trails and a staging area of the Ramona Grasslands Preserve. The natural habitat encompasses 3,500 acres and is open 8 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.
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  Guests can travel back to western days gone-by at the Guy B. Woodward Museum on Main Street in downtown Ramona. Housed in the 1886 adobe Verlaque House, the museum exhibits historic treasures of early Western culture, including antique furnishings, vintage clothing, cowboy artifacts and mining equipment. Resembling a small Old West town, the surrounding buildings include a cowboy bunk house, blacksmith shop, one-room schoolhouse, millinery shop and more.
     
  Ramona embraces its Wild West roots during the 33rd Annual Ramona Rodeo on May 18-20, 2013, featuring barrel racing, bull riding, saddle bronco riding, team roping and steer wrestling. Other activities include a cowgirl fashion show, cowboy and cowgirl mixer and a Kid's Day.
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• The 49th Annual Lakeside Rodeo on April 19-21, 2013 will draw thousands of spectators and competitors to the rural community of Lakeside. Competitive bareback and saddle bronco riding, bull riding, calf and team roping and steer wrestling will comprise the three-day event. A Miss Rodeo Lakeside contest will be held in March 2013.
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• To experience the old West through the eyes of local indigenous people who have lived in East County for more than 12,000 years, the Barona Band of Mission Indians presents its 43rd Annual Barona Pow Wow in September 2013 (date TBA). San Diego County's largest celebration of Native American tradition and culture draws over 10,000 Native Americans and visitors from across the nation and features more than 200 dancers.
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  Guests can also visit the Barona Cultural Center & Museum, San Diego's only museum on an Indian reservation dedicated to the perpetuation and presentation of the local Native-American culture. The unique educational museum displays handmade pottery, reed baskets, paintings, arrowheads and other artifacts dating as far back as 10,000 years.
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• The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation presents its 24th Annual Sycuan Pow Wow in September 2013 (date TBA). This traditional celebration features Indian song, dance, arts and crafts, games, food and a drum contest. Guests can also enjoy the weekend's festivities while camping on tribal land.

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WESTERN HERITAGE

The city of El Cajon celebrates the region's rich Wild West heritage at a museum dedicated to art of the American West.

• The Olaf Wieghorst Museum and Western Heritage Center pays tribute to nationally renowned artist Olaf Wieghorst, recognized as the "Dean of Western Painters," who lived in El Cajon for over 40 years. The museum exhibits dozens of Wieghorst's paintings portraying the 19th century American West, including cowboys, Native Americans and pioneer settlers. Guests can also tour Wieghorst's rustic historic home and studio located on the museum grounds.

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Happiness is calling in San Diego's East County. For more information on attractions and activities in East County, visit the San Diego Tourism Authority's website at www.sandiego.org/eastcounty or call (619) 236-1212.

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