25/05/2019 · Mining, Gold, Salt and Limestone. . In 1859 and 1860 miners drifted into the area from the Kern River Valley. They found gold and silver in the hills and canyons of the Tehachapi Range. In 1876 the Tehachapi Mining District was formed. In 1877, Hendrickson made a small fortune east of Water Canyon, today known as the China Diggings.