Iowa Hill, California

Culture

Locals are regularly spotted out and about the town and North Fork of the American River. Popular activities are hiking, cycling, swimming, whitewater rafting, kayaking, gold panning/mining, and fishing. About 50% of the town's homes are vacation homes. The community relies solely on solar panels and generators since Iowa Hill is not connected to the electrical grid. Mail service is three times per week. The Iowa Hill Store is a restaurant, bar, post office, and ultra mini-market.

Tourism

Iowa Hill enjoys a small but significant cult following of outdoor enthusiasts. Within five miles of town is the North Fork of the American River and the Mineral Bar Campground, Sugar Pine Reservoir recreation area, and numerous trails including the famous Stevens Trail between Colfax and Iowa Hill. The Mineral Bar Campground is part of the Auburn State Recreation Area, a State Park managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, which began charging for parking in 2013. Stevens Trailhead remains free to park. It begins adjacent to the Iowa Hill Store going to Colfax, and crossing the North Fork in between.

History

In 1851 or 1852, miners from Iowa discovered gold here. The town was producing about one hundred thousand dollars per week in gold in 1867. In 1901, the post office changed its name to Iowa Hill. In 1920 a fire took hold that virtually destroyed the town. What remains is an old Wells Fargo vault, the old firehouse, a couple of other old buildings, and two cemeteries.

Telephone service

In 1955, the first dial telephone service was installed running between Iowa Hill and Colfax, California, it was one line put in by local residents led by Robert F. Yonash. The single landline was in operation for over ten years, but eventually became nonoperational due to the lack of maintenance. The long line was suspended from the town of Colfax over the American River Canyon where it would occasionally snap apart.

The community did not have landline telephone service again until 2011, relying instead on radio communications and spotty mobile/cell phones. In October 2011, landline service again became available, paid for in part by a grant from the California Public Utilities Commission.{{cite news | access-date = November 8, 2010 | access-date = November 8, 2010 | access-date = November 8, 2010 This service uses microwave towers to the Foresthill Telephone Company in Foresthill, California.

Mining

There are dozens of famous gold mines in the area, including "Big Dipper" and "Gleeson"{{cite book |access-date=November 9, 2010

Frank Norris wrote a short story in 1903 titled The Wife of Chino about local miners who went into town to use the Iowa Hill Post Office.

Climate

This region experiences significant variation in weather. Winter generally produces as much as 1–2 feet of snow with temperatures as low as 15 degrees. Summers vary between 87-104 degrees. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Iowa Hill has a hot summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csa" on climate maps.

| Jan record high F = 72 | Feb record high F = 77 | Mar record high F = 79 | Apr record high F = 88 | May record high F = 98 | Jun record high F = 95 | Jul record high F = 104 | Aug record high F = 107 | Sep record high F = 98 | Oct record high F = 90 | Nov record high F = 82 | Dec record high F = 74 | year record high F = 107 | Jan record low F = 16 | Feb record low F = 18 | Mar record low F = 20 | Apr record low F = 23 | May record low F = 32 | Jun record low F = 34 | Jul record low F = 44 | Aug record low F = 46 | Sep record low F = 40 | Oct record low F = 30 | Nov record low F = 28 | Dec record low F = 21 | year record low F = 16 | precipitation colour = green

References

References

1. {{gnis. 1656094
2. is an [[Unincorporated area#United States. unincorporated community]] in [[Placer County, California. 503
3. Colfax Record Newspaper, Colfax, California
4. Personal memories of the daughter of Robert Yonash
5. Parker, Mary. (1995). "Iowa Hill: the town that refused to die". M. Parker.
6. Norris, Frank. (1903). "A deal in wheat : and other stories of the new and old West". Doubleday, Page & Company.