Twain Harte

Twain Harte is currently one of the fastest growing areas in Tuolumne County. Since the close of World War II when it was summer retreat of a few hundred, the population has grown to 2,586. The Twain Harte golf course, with its banquet hall hosts popular events drawing residents from all over the county. Twain Harte is also a family oriented community with fun activities for all ages. Twain Harte Miniature Golf is a lot of fun! And don't forget the annual "Concerts in the Pines" or "Movies Under the Stars" at Eproson Park starting in June. (Organized by the Twain Harte Area Chamber of Commerce)

Before golf courses, summer homes and dinner houses were Twain Harte's landmarks, the Mi-Wuk Indians called Twain Harte Lake home. Now the lake is a gated private membership beach. Local residents can enjoy "The Rock" an impressive sweeping expanse of granite next to the Twain Harte Lake Dam.

The elevation is 3,648 feet- you better believe that they get a lot of snow in the winter! Our Map of Twain Harte The summer events mentioned above tend to run Memorial Day through Labor day. Keep an eye on Happenings and Calendar sections for local activities.

History of Twain Harte

Originally the Mi-Wuk Indians lived beside Twain Harte Lake. They built "oochums" made from tree limbs and bark. They also wove fine baskets from the willows that grew in the damp place.

In nearby in Columbia, Sonora, and Jamestown, the discovery of gold in 1849 brought non-native people to the foothills by the thousands. When the easy gold was exhausted, apple and pear orchards were planted; cattle ranches and later lumber mills began springing up around the Indian enclave at "The Rock". Twain Harte Dam next to "the Rock" had funding problems but was finished and dedicated on July 4, 1929. As part of the celebration, the Indians had their last Pow-Wow there.

Twain Harte came into its own when a road was constructed over Sonora Pass in 1861 between the bustling commercial town of Sonora and the very rich mining town of Aurora. Two toll gates were put in to defray expenses, one at Twain Harte and one at Sugar Pine. Keturah C. Wood subdivided the area in 1924 (there have been six more subdivisions) and he named the area after two famous Mother Lode authors, Mark Twain and Bret Harte.