This weekend the Empire Mine State Historic Park is hosting the Miner’s Picnic and the public is invited to bring the family to the event and re-live the days of gold grit and glory. The entertainment is provided by the Empire Mine Parks Association. Normal Admission Charges into the Park apply and there will be food available for purchase from vendors. Event organizer Jack Laird says  for $3 the public can also pan for some real gold.
click here to listen to Jack Laird

Living History will be acted out at the Bourn Cottage and in the Mine Yard where there will be a mock explosion and rescue.   Jean McKeen is a docent at the park and gets to play a variety of characters, including the maid of the Bourn Cottage, Katie.

click here to listen to Jean McKeen

It was said  “the Bourn’s owned the cottage but Katie ran it.”

Another influential woman at the Empire mine was Laura Wentworth, the bookkeeper.

click here to listen to Jean Mckeen 

Wentworth  was also one of the very few women ever invited to go down into the mine.
The Miners Picnic is one of the few events where people are allowed to bring their own picnic into the park. The 119th annual Miner’s picnic is this Saturday (Aug 23) at the Empire Mine State Historic Park from 11 a.m.  to 4 p.m. and the Park is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.   Admission is $7 adults over 16,  $3 for children t to 16, children under 6 are free.

 How to get to the Park: The Park is located on Empire Street which is a well marked exit on Route 49. Travelers from southern California or the Bay area should take route 80 and pick up route 49 north in Auburn. Travelers from Nevada and the east should take route 80 and exit on route 20 which becomes 20 / 49 in Nevada City. For visitors coming from Marysville via route 20, route 20 becomes Empire Street as it passes over route 49 (just continue straight on to the Park).