▁the ▁Es mer al da ▁M ining ▁District ▁after ▁Es mer al da ▁the ▁Gy ps y ▁dan cer ▁from ▁The ▁H unch back ▁of ▁Notre ▁D ame . ▁ ▁Just ▁after ▁the ▁organization ▁of ▁Es mer al da ▁County , ▁the ▁vast ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁land ▁area ▁had ▁yet ▁to ▁be ▁seen ▁by ▁Euro - American ▁society . ▁John ▁C . ▁Fr ém ont ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁few ▁people ▁who ▁had ▁expl ored ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁county . ▁He ▁had ▁crossed ▁Big ▁Sm ok y ▁Valley ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 5 . ▁Also , ▁Aur ora ▁and ▁its ▁northern ▁cor rid or ▁had ▁been ▁encountered . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 2 ▁and ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁the ▁area ▁along ▁the ▁Re ese ▁River ▁was ▁expl ored ▁during ▁the ▁Re ese ▁River ▁excitement . ▁The ▁event ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁three ▁min ing ▁districts ▁in ▁the ▁To iy abe ▁Range , ▁namely ▁Mary sv ille , ▁T win ▁River , ▁and ▁Washington , ▁and ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁settlement s ▁and ▁ran ches ▁in ▁Es mer al da ▁County . ▁Ex pl or ers ▁purs ued ▁south ▁and ▁expl ored ▁the ▁Sh osh one ▁Mountains . ▁The ▁min ing ▁district ▁Union ▁was ▁organized ▁after ▁silver ▁was ▁found ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 3 ▁and ▁the ▁settlement ▁of ▁I one ▁was ▁founded ▁there . ▁ ▁The ▁total ▁area ▁of ▁Es mer al da ▁County ▁more ▁than ▁hal ved ▁as ▁N ye ▁County ▁was ▁organized ▁on ▁February