The Ben Taylor Home was built in 1866 by Benjamin Franklin Taylor, originally a gold rush 49er. It was the first estate in the gold mining town of Grass Valley, home to the Empire Mine, the Idaho Maryland Mine, the North Star Mine, and the Cassidy (Linden) Mine. Adventurous miners lived in cabins and tents. Grass Valley was the richest gold mining area in California. Ben Taylor, a Kentucky native, stayed and made Grass Valley his home when most others returned to their origins. He was an outstanding horseman and got to know popular folks of his...