"In Yuba County on Willow Creek, a tributary to the North Fork of Yuba River. Garden Valley is shown on Wescoatt' s map, 1861. According to a letter written by Clement Whitcomb, December 5, 1854, the entire Garden Valley was then being staked out for claims (Whitcomb family papers). The deposits were soon exhausted, and in 1879 only Chinese miners were left. There was extensive dredging in later years."

Erwin G. Gudde, 1975

"David Scott and two others settled in Garden Valley of Willow creek, in the 1850s. They then sold to the Atchison Brothers who kept a hotel called the Garden Valley Ranch.It was on the trail from the lower country to Downieville. In 1854, the Atchison Brothers cut a road from Foster Bar to Garden Valley and then to Camptonville. In 1857, the Nevada Mining Company commenced working in the valley, and it is now nearly exhausted, a few Chinamen only, working the ground shares."

"The Nevada Mining Company built a saw-mill on Willow creek in 1869 which they are still operating. John Clay settled near Garden Valley Ranch, on the west side of the creek, in 1853. That year he raised potatoes, paying $22 per pound for seed and selling his crop for ten cents per pound. He built a house and brought his family here in 1854. In 1855, he set out some fruit trees, a proceeding considered very foolish by his neighbors who had but little confidence in the permanency of the population in that region. He has a fine orchard now and raises great quantities of excellent fruit. In 1855, John Clay and John Atchison built a school house near Willow creek and engaged Miss Lord, now Mrs. Judge Wells, of Nevada, as teacher. There were seven scholars in attendance."

"In 1852, the school was moved nearer the river. In 1856, a Methodist minister held regular services in the school house. This little valley is now nearly destroyed by the mining debris. Twelve years ago Mr. Clay built dams across two ravines, and the ponds thus made are now stocked fine trout."

- Thompson & West, 1879