Founded nearby by French miners in 1849, the town of Morrowville was relocated to French Gulch and became the center of one of California's richest gold producing areas, with total production of over $20,000,000. One of California's first stamp mills operated at the nearby Franklin Mine. From 1856 to 1858, French Gulch was the trailhead on the western branch of the California-Oregon Trail. St. Rose Catholic Church was founded in 1856, and as a supply and stopping place the town rivaled Shasta.