Julian was founded following the Civil War, when displaced Confederate Veterans from Georgia headed West to seek their fortunes in a new, mostly unsettled land. Among these were cousins Drue Bailey and Mike Julian, who found a lush meadow between Volcan Mountain and the Cuyamacas to their liking. They were there in 1869 when cattleman Fred Coleman found the first flecks of gold in a creek. It was San Diego County's first and only gold rush.

Julian began as a California mining camp in 1869 when cattleman A.E. (Fred) Coleman discovered placer gold at Coleman Creek. It was San Diego County's first and only gold rush. At its heyday in 1874, Julian’s mines produced $500,000 in gold. Drue Bailey founded Julian City in 1870, naming it after his cousin Mike Julian. Bailey and Julian were cousins and ex-confederate soldiers who had left Georgia after the Civil War for the California gold fields.

By the summer of 1872, there were 50 houses, 3 hotels, 4 stores, 2 restaurants, 1 schoolhouse and the "usual number of saloons" to service an estimated 300 miners working in the area. Numerous hard rock mines were established in 1879 in the whole Julian and Banner mining area yielded an estimated $4 to $5 million dollars in gold ore.

The gold rush was short-lived, nearly over within a decade. But Julian survived after the mines played out because of its climate, rich soil and proximity to San Diego. While many crops were planted and animals pastured, Julian proved to be a fine place to grow apples. Apples continue to be produced in Julian. Their sweet, fresh flavor lures thousands to the mountains each fall, when visitors will find fruit stands overflowing with crisp fruit, homemade cider and other delicacies.

There are many great reasons to visit Julian, California. They include gold, apples, romantic getaways, unique shops and nature. Julian is located just over an hour from San Diego at the intersection of California highways 78 and 79, about 50 miles northeast of San Diego. Julian is famous for its apple pies, but be ready to visit this historic town which dates back to gold rush days, and witness old-time melodramas, shoot-outs, horse and carriage rides, pine/oak forests, wineries and the spirit of small-town America. It’s a great one day escape or a weekend getaway.

Julian is also unique among Southern California communities for its cold-winter climate, which is ideal for growing apples. All Julian apples are sold locally as apple pies, apple cider or whole fruit. In October, 10,000 apple pies a week are baked in Julian, when Southern California tourists flock here for the Fall colors, cool breezes and frontier atmosphere. Julian apple pie makers love to experiment away from the straight apple pie and have perfected combinations like apple-berry, apple-blueberry, apple-boysenberry and “mountain berry.”