In July 1848 Major Pierson B. Reading found gold on a sandbar in the Trinity River, and the following gold rush duplicated those in other parts of California. Though a few Chinese had probably come to California in 1840, there were only 54 Chinese men and one Chinese woman here by early 1848. But several thousand, most from the province of Kwangtung, arrived with the thousands of other gold seekers who came to the region. The miners spread out and quickly established claims on the creeks and cuts in the mountains, and large Chinese settlements grew up not only in Weaverville but in Douglas City, Lewiston, Junction City, Quinby on New River, and Don Juan Bar. 

About 1852 or 1853, the Chinese erected a place of Taoist worship at Chimney Point in Weaverville. The original temple building and most of its furnishings, some of which had come from China, were destroyed by fire in 1873, and local Chinese contributed generously to build a new temple (a record of the contributors' names, written in Chinese, still hangs in the conference room next to the temple). Construction of the new temple began in February 1874, and it was dedicated the following April. The temple has been in continuous use as a place of worship since its construction. 

Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park is located in Weaverville, CA. Amenities include a picnic area, and restrooms 

How to Get There: I-5 to Redding then Hwy 299 W to Weaverville.