Groveland, CA is a town on California Highway 120 on the way to Yosemite. It sits at an elevation of 3132 ft and has a population 601 with a median income of $34,000 and a median age of 49. It was originally a Gold Rush town then after the gold rush it turned into a quiet farming community until the Hetch Hetchy project began. That project turned into a "boom town" from 1915 - 1935. Today it is just a stop on the way to Yosemite with some nice hotels, restaurants and shops. The Iron Door Saloon is a popular place in town and has a history all its own. It is the oldest liquor serving establishment in the state of California. It opened up in 1852, built out of granite with an iron door. It was a general mercantile store that also served liquor to the thirsty minors. In the 1860's the postmaster bought the store and made it into the post office as well as a store. It served as a post office for 25 years. It was then turned into a full time saloon which is still in operation today. It does have some character to it. It was named the Iron Door Saloon due to it's Iron Door. The original bar is still being used today. It has a unique ceiling that has dollar bills and other historical artifacts hanging from it.
Groveland is a nice little town that is a great place to visit on the week ends. It was a little quiet while we were there. Most of the shops were closed. We had lunch at the Pizza Factory where they make their own dough, toss it and bake it. The pizza is great! We walked around the town looking at the old buildings. It is a cute town.
Today we head further south towards Edwards Air Force Base; it is outside of Bakersfield, CA. We will be driving through Yosemite National Park as we head south. It will give us an opportunity to see the southern area of Yosemite. We were hoping to also visit the Sequoia National Park but our RV is too long to enter the park. It will be a long drive due to the fact that we will be on two lane, winding roads going down the mountains. Westward Ho!
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