Weaverville Joss House

The Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park, home to the Temple of the Forest Beneath the Clouds, is a jewel of Northern California history. It is small but well worth the time to stop and visit. 

The Temple of the Forest Beneath the Clouds is a the oldest continuously used Chinese temple in California. It is located in the heart of Weaverville on Highway 299. On display are art objects, pictures, mining tools, and weapons used in the 1854 Tong War.

This Taoist temple, built in 1874 as a replacement for another that had burned, is still a place of worship and a fascinating look into the role played by Chinese immigrants in early California history.  The Joss House a great way to experience the history of the Gold Rush days. There’s also a small museum across the parking lot that holds treasures and artifacts of the Gold Rush days.