Missing for Decades, Claude Chana Statue Returns to Placer County
The long-lost sculpture, which served as the model for Auburn’s famous 45-ton gold miner, has returned to the historic Colfax Hotel.
A statue of California Gold Rush pioneer Claude Chana has returned to Placer County after disappearing decades ago. The sculpture, created by Auburn dentist and artist Dr. Kenneth Fox during the 1960s, once stood outside the historic Colfax Hotel. Now it’s back, thanks to an unexpected discovery on Facebook.