On July 4, 1848, John Bidwell discovered gold in a canyon of the Feather River. The town of Bidwell’s Bar was soon in business. As one of the first mining camps in California, life was difficult. Settlers relied on a ferry to transport people and supplies across the river. A bridge was erected but was destroyed during a flood. In 1854, approval was given to build a stronger, permanent solution to cross the canyon. Constructed in Troy, New York, this iron structure was shipped down the Hudson River to the…
