Gold Is Discovered!
1848
On January 24th, 1848 James Wilson Marshall was working on General John Sutter’s sawmill in Coloma, California. He noticed something shiny in the creek. He gathered up this mysterious shiny stuff and tested it. After several tests, he said “Gold! I know it to be nothing else.”
John Sutter
John Sutter tried to keep the discovery secret. The discovery was mostly ignored for almost a year, but President James K. Polk finally confirmed that there was gold in California.
Young men from all over the country and the world started to come to California. Sutter and Marshall did not make a lot of money from the Gold Rush. Sutter’s fort was damaged by the miners, and his crops trampled and animals stolen. Marshall died without any money.
Gold Rush Sites
This map shows some of the most famous sites of the California Gold Rush. Click on the pins to get more information!
