Roaring Camp was a real place . It was a goldmining settlement on the Mokelumne River in Amador County , California . It was home to forty-niners seeking gold in and around the river ; it is now a privately owned tourist attraction . The story 's flood theme may have been inspired by California 's Great Flood of 1862 , which Harte witnessed
Great Flood of 1862
Great Flood of 1862
The Luck of Roaring Camp