​Did you know that in 1907 Julian changed from largely gold mining to an apple town as well when twenty-one varieties of Julian-grown apples received the Bronze Wilder Medal from the American Pomological Society at the Tricentennial Exposition held in Jamestown, Virginia. This was a top honor. 
Julian then began celebrating its apple season with a parade in October – calling it “Apple Days”.  This celebration has grown from one day in October to the entire month….and more.
The Julian Historical Society has a wonderful collection of the Apple Days booklets that share not only stories of the past, melodrama, local business ads, and so much more.   Stop by to see for yourself. We are open the first full weekend of each month or by appointment. We’re always happy to have our locals visit.

What do you see in Julian?"  I've heard so many say,
Ah, there is so much, my der, I'll just tell part today.
I see the flaming pear trees, swollen mountain streams,
the gorgeous sunsets, moonlight nights, akin to fairy dreams.
A district school house, all night dance, ruffled skirts and peg top pants.
See a caller wave his hand, starting off a country band,
"Choose your partner, now let's go, Rye waltz, two-step, heel and toe.
Mr. Johnson do-se-do, the more you dance, the less you know".
Graduation fuss, oration, flowers, youngsters, decorations
Gathered by wagon load on hill by streams and dusty roads.
Forest fires, fear and dread, darkness, quiet, embers red,
Neighbors called from out their bed, women up to keep 'em fed.
Miners, gold, sudden rushes, claims and stamp mills, paying crushes, 
Weary travelers, stage and four, mail and freight, an oil lit door.
Thunder storms, a muddy street, old saloon and shoeless feet,
General store, a team and wagon, Indian squaw with kids a taggin'.
Weddings, brides and chivarees, pumpkins, cider, Christmas trees,
Hay rides, hikes, and fishing trips, crocheted shawls and unroughed lips.
Fiestas, lanterns, games of chance, birth and death and sweet romance.
Family albums, weekly tub, medicine to take or rub.
Measles, mumps, gout or flu, someone had a curing brew.
Snowy nights, toboggan spills, chilblains, mittens, sore throat pills.
All the beauty, all the pests, East wind, hoppers and the res.
A million things pass my eyes as I look back where memory lies.
                                      -Alice Price Hoskings

The first gold was discovered in what was to become Julian, in the winter of 1869. Flakes of gold spotted in a creek would soon spark a rush into the mountains around the high valleys above San Diego. The gold that was discovered was placer gold. It did not take long for the miners who worked the streams to conclude that the gold had to be washing into the streams from the hills and mountains higher up. This would be where the hard rock mines would soon be developed between 1870 and 1910.

The largest and highest producing mine in the mountains above San Diego was the Stonewall mine near Lake Cuyamaca. At it's peak it was a twenty stamp mill site. Gold in this area was found in rock known as Julian schist and quartzite.