This site was part of the 44,000 acre Las Mariposa Land Grant purchased in 1847 by Colonel John C. Fremont for $3,000. In 1850, Sonoran miners established the mining camp of La Mineta here. In 1854, La Mineta was renamed Princeton for Prince Steptoe, co-discoverer of the nearby Princeton Mine. In 1860, the Princeton Mine produced almost 4,500,000 of gold. Carlo Marre opened a general store. In 1862, Princeton was renamed Mount Bullion because a Princeton post office already existed in Colusa County. Fremont chose the new name to honor his father-in-law, Senator Thomas “Old Bullion” Benton, because of Benton’s advocacy of the gold standard. Fremont sold his Mariposa estate in 1863. In 1886, Andrew Zinkand ran the toll road, and Frank Trabucco operated a general store and served as postmaster for more than 50 years.