The most direct route here is to take Highway 49 from Auburn to here. Both cities are in what is known as the gold country, and they have rich histories in the discovery of gold in California back in 1849. Highway 49 cuts through the gold country of California, and is numbered to designate its assocation with 1849. The population of Nevada City is about 4,000 and that of Grass Valley about 12,000. The area above is roughly 1 mile by 1.5 miles.
Grass Valley is a few miles south of Nevada City.
Both cities originated in the 1850s and were instrumental in gold mining. Grass Valley is the site of the largest gold mine in the U.S., The Empire Gold Mine, and, it is now a museum open the year around. It was active until the mid 50s. Nevada City is particularly noted for the large number of Victorian buildings that are concentrated in and around the town center. A number of notable people have lived and worked in the area including Mark Twain, the infamous stage coach robber Black Bart, and the 'notorious' Lola Montez.