Hidden Gems Archive
Every Hidden Gem of the Week from Monica Franks, preserved by week. Lesser-known places in Merced County and the Central Valley: independent shops, scenic overlooks, historic spots, and small eateries most people have not discovered yet.
Hidden Gem of the Week: Coulterville, the Gold Rush Town on the Way to Yosemite
Coulterville is a hidden gem near Merced: a Gold Rush town in Mariposa County at the junction of Highways 49 and 132, named for the tent store George Coulter opened in 1850. Walk the National Register Main Street, tour the free Northern Mariposa County History Center with the Whistling Billy steam locomotive, and see the Hotel Jeffery where Theodore Roosevelt signed the ledger on the way to Yosemite. The Hidden Gem of the Week from Monica Franks, The Seller's Agent.
Hidden Gem of the Week: Snelling, Merced County's First County Seat on the Merced River
Snelling is a hidden gem near Merced: a Gold Rush-era river town about 17 miles north of Merced that served as Merced County's first county seat. See the restored 1857 Snelling Courthouse, California Landmark #409, plus 19th-century Main Street and Henderson Park on the Merced River. The Hidden Gem of the Week from Monica Franks, The Seller's Agent.
Hidden Gem of the Week: Great Valley Grasslands State Park, Merced County's Quiet Wild Side
Great Valley Grasslands State Park is a hidden gem near Merced: a free, 2,826-acre state park on the San Joaquin River near Stevinson, one of California's least-visited parks, with quiet levee trails, spring wildflowers, and sandhill cranes. The Hidden Gem of the Week from Monica Franks, The Seller's Agent.
Hidden Gem of the Week: Hornitos, the Gold Rush Town Where Ghirardelli Chocolate Began
Hornitos is a hidden gem near Merced: a Gold Rush-era near-ghost town in Mariposa County where the founder of Ghirardelli Chocolate ran a general store. Walk the plaza, see the ruins, and feel the Old West. The Hidden Gem of the Week from Monica Franks, The Seller's Agent.
Each week Monica Franks, The Seller's Agent, spotlights a lesser-known local favorite in her service area: an independent shop, a scenic overlook, a historic spot, or a small eatery most people have not discovered. Every feature describes only the place, its history, and what makes it worth visiting, and every pick is new, never repeated. If you know a hidden gem in Merced County worth sharing, get in touch.
Find your own favorite spot, Merced.
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