Large fires in 1859, 1874, and 1893 destroyed much of Murphys, whose population crashed after gold ran out by the 1870s. It nevertheless survived, due to its presence at the important Ebbetts Pass and as the largest town close to Calaveras Big Trees. Murphys is now a popular tourist spot, known for the Big Trees, for the caves nearby, and for its rising wine industry.
Murphys, California
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