| North Columbia | |
| Settlement Type: | Unincorporated community |
| Pushpin Map: | USA California#USA |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the state of California |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Population As Of: | 2000 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | Pacific (PST) |
| Utc Offset: | -8 |
| Timezone Dst: | PDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -7 |
| Elevation M: | 919 |
| Elevation Ft: | 3015 |
| Coordinates: | 39.3728°N -120.9872°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP codes |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
North Columbia was a California Gold Rush town on the San Juan Ridge in Nevada County, California. Originally known as Columbia, Columbia Hill, or The Hill because of its proximity to Columbia Hill, it started as a gold miners' camp around 1851.[1] When a Post Office was established on May 29, 1860, the word "North" was added in order to differentiate the settlement from Columbia, California, another gold rush town in Tuolumne County, California.[2]
In 1878, when miners discovered that the Pliocene gravel bed upon which the town was built contained rich gold deposits, North Columbia was moved to its present location.[3] But with the eventual curtailment of hydraulic mining,[4] miners moved away. The post office closed in 1931.[5]
Eventually, North Columbia became an unincorporated part of Nevada City, California.
The Columbia Hill Schoolhouse still stands, though it has been converted into a cultural center,[6] hosting events such as the North Columbia Folk Festival[7] and the Sierra Storytelling Festival.[8] It was registered as a historical landmark in 1971 [9]
Foote's Crossing Road, a National Historic Place, links North Columbia to Alleghany.[9]