Weekend getaway: A Gold Rush-inspired jaunt to the Sierra foothills

Weekend getaway: A Gold Rush-inspired jaunt to the Sierra foothills

Visiting Jamestown and the surrounding Sierra foothill towns is like taking a step into the past, into a living snapshot of 19th century California at the height of the mining boom. There’s Railtown 1897, a state historic park that captures the golden age of steam trains and more than a few 20th century pop culture references. There’s Columbia State Historic Park, a living history park with the largest collection of Gold Rush-era buildings in Ca…