and 1851 caused a shortage of water—indispensable in gold mining—which slowed down the town’s growth. By May, 1852, sufficient water had been brought to the settlement, however. A large business district was built, and stores, saloons, gambling rooms, hotels, restaurants, churches, livery stables, bakeries, social and fraternal halls, banks and a variety of other establishments soon flourished. During the 1850’s Columbia’s population, including environs, was probably several thousand people; and while it was one of the most important mining communities of that period, there seems to be no basis for the oft-repeated statement that it was seriously considered for the State’s capital. The Quest for Gold and Water The increasing demands of miners for water were met by the Tuolumne County Water Company, formed in 1851, which constructed a vast network of reservoirs, ditches and flumes many miles in length. That company’s rates were deemed excessive 2 The Wells Fargo Building, with adjacent structures, is one of the most interesting in Columbia