California (Gosaldo)

California was a frazione (672 m above sea level) of the comune of Gosaldo, in the province of Belluno, completely destroyed by the flood of 4 November 1966.

California grew in the mid-nineteenth century around a simple tavern called Alla California, after the American state and its gold rush: from then on this once wild and inhospitable area began to be visited because a mercury mine opened. When the mine ran out, this village too saw people emigrate abroad, but especially after the Second World War its economy recovered thanks to tourism, which made it a fairly popular place. The tavern became a hotel-restaurant, making it an ideal spot for a quiet holiday surrounded by greenery. From 1921 California was well connected by bus to nearby Tiser and Don and to the Valbelluna, which is still reached through the narrow, winding Canale del Mis (the road dates from 1938).

At that time the village had reached 150 inhabitants. As proof, in 1960 the church became a parish church.

Text: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · translated from Italian