Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park Hwy
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Our Mission The mission of California State Parks is “ onday 24th. Marshall Gold to provide for the health, inspiration and M education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological This day some kind of mettle Discovery diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities was found in the tail race State Historic Park for high-quality outdoor recreation. that looks like goald, first discovered by James Martial, the Boss of the Mill.” — from Henry Bigler’s Diary, January 1848 California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (530) 622-3470. If you need this publication in an alternate format, contact [email protected]. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 For information call: (800) 777-0369 (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. 711, TTY relay service www.parks.ca.gov Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park Hwy. 49/Coloma Road at Bridge Street PO Box 265, Coloma, CA 95613 (530) 622-3470 www.parks.ca.gov/marshallgold © 2004 California State Parks (Rev. 2017) A long California’s historic their home along the American River lumber business. They selected Coloma Highway 49, tucked neatly “Cullumah,” now known as Coloma. Valley, 45 miles east of Sutter’s fort, as a into a beautifully forested As “river people,” they enjoyed an mill site because it had a river for power valley in the Sierra foothills, abundance of freshwater fish as well as and stands of large ponderosa pine trees Marshall Gold Discovery State waterfowl, elk, deer, and small game and for lumber. As equal partners, Sutter Historic Park straddles the lived on a staple diet of acorns, seeds, would furnish the capital and Marshall South Fork of the American and fruits. The hollowed-out holes would oversee the mill’s construction River. Here, on January 24, in a large bedrock in the park — the and daily operation. 1848, James Marshall found last remaining evidence of the native In the fall of 1847, Marshall began gold flakes in the tailrace and people’s original presence here — show construction of the mill with a labor force sparked one of history’s largest how they processed the acorns that that included local Indians and members human migrations. Sutter’s Mill replica formed their main diet. of the U.S. Army Mormon Battalion. A low Until they met fur trappers in the late dam was built across the river to direct PARK HISTORY 1820s, the native people had little contact part of the stream into the diversion Native People with the outside world. By the late 1830s, channel that would carry it through the For thousands of years, the Nisenan and however, diseases introduced by the mill. By January of foothill Miwok people built their dome- newcomers had nearly decimated the next year, the shaped houses and cedar bark structures the native people. When gold was mill was ready to be in villages along the streams and discovered along the American River tested. However, the tributaries that drained into the in the Coloma Valley, hordes of gold- tailrace, which carried American, Cosumnes, Bear, seekers seized control of the California water away from the and Yuba rivers. They called Indians’ fishing and gathering sites. By mill, was too shallow, 1849, the remaining native people who backing up water and Watercolor of an Eastern had survived the combined hardships Photo courtesy of California preventing the mill Miwok woman fashioning a of disease and conflicts with settlers Sacramento, California State Library, wheel from turning seed-gathering basket, by Seth Eastman had dispersed to more remote foothills properly. To deepen and valleys. A few turned to mining, and John A. Sutter the tailrace, each day some went to work for John Sutter. the Indian laborers loosened the rock. At January 24, 1848 — GOLD DISCOVERY night, water was allowed to run through the ditch to wash away the loose debris John Sutter was founder of “New from that day’s diggings. Helvetia” — later named Sacramento — On the morning of January 24, 1848, and a vast agricultural empire in the while inspecting the millrace, Marshall Sacramento Valley. He partnered with spotted some shiny flecks in the tailrace. James W. Marshall to go into the Artwork courtesy of W. Duncan and Nevin MacMillan, and Afton Historical Society Press He scooped them up workers readily gave him a tithe fighting alongside the Americans during and pounded them with of the gold they had found. When their conquest of California in 1846, he a rock; he then placed Brannan visited San Francisco returned home to discover his cattle strayed them in the crown of in May, he paraded the streets or stolen. He met again with John Sutter, his hat and hurried to waving a quinine bottle full of who gave him the task of finding a site to announce his find to gold, shouting, “Gold! Gold! Gold build their new sawmill. the others. from the American River!” By the With Marshall’s gold discovery, the sawmill Marshall told the mill end of May, San Francisco was at Coloma quickly lost its sleepy, peaceful workers, “Boys, by God, reported to be “half empty” as aspect. In July 1848, the area’s population I believe I’ve found a its able-bodied men departed had jumped to 1,000. That December, gold mine.” When Mr. for the mines. The excitement flooding caused Sutter to sell his interest Scott — a carpenter grew when an army officer in the mill, and Marshall took on two working on the mill carried a tea caddy full new partners. Later, management wheel — disputed his of gold to Washington, problems entangled the mill in Early drawing of Sutter’s Mill, claim, Marshall replied Early drawing of Sutter’s Mill, D.C. Shortly after legal difficulties, and after 1850 it c. 1849 positively, “I know it ca. 1849 President James K. was abandoned. Marshall spent to be nothing else.” Polk confirmed the the next few years searching for Marshall again pounded it on a rock, and the rumors, thousands joined the more gold, with little success. In cook, Jenny Wimmer, boiled it in lye soap. It trek to the Gold Country. 1857 he bought fifteen acres of passed all their tests — it was pure gold. land in Coloma for $15 and built Four days later Marshall rode to the fort JAMES MARSHALL’S STORY a cabin near the Catholic church. with samples of the gold. Sutter consulted In the late 1830s, New Jersey Investing in new and exotic varieties his encyclopedia, tried various tests, and native James Marshall traveled of grapevines, he planted a vineyard confirmed Marshall’s conclusion. Mindful west to Missouri, where he James Wilson Marshall on the hillside above the cemetery, as drawn in 1849 of their investment in the mill, they agreed worked as a carpenter and dug a cellar, and began to make wine to keep the news secret until the mill was farmer along the Missouri River. for sale. By 1860 his vines were doing so in operation. After all, this was not the first When his doctor advised him to seek a well that his entry in the county fair received time gold had been discovered in California, healthier climate, Marshall joined a wagon an award, but in the late 1860s, a series of and no one assumed that this find was train bound for Oregon in 1844. In June setbacks sent him prospecting again. particularly important. 1845, he headed for California with a small During this time, Marshall became part But it was a secret that could not be party of settlers. owner of a quartz mine near Kelsey. Hoping kept. In a letter to General Mariano Vallejo, He arrived at Sutter’s fort in July and was to raise funds to develop the mine, he Sutter bragged about the discovery. immediately hired as a wheelwright and went on a lecture tour, only to find himself Mormon elder Sam Brannan, who operated carpenter. Craftsmen with his experience stranded, penniless, in Kansas City. In a a general store at the fort, went to the mill were scarce in California. Marshall philanthropic gesture, Leland Stanford to see for himself. Several Mormon mill purchased a ranch on Butte Creek, but after paid Marshall’s fare to New Jersey, where he visited his mother and sister. After a few early. By 1857 many miners had left, but a months, he returned to Kelsey and moved few Chinese miners remained to work the into the Union Hotel. placer sites. Two structures used by the For his role in the Gold Rush, in 1872 the Chinese remain in the park today — the State Legislature awarded Marshall a $200 Man Lee building, which housed a monthly pension for two years. He paid some Chinese trading and banking company debts and equipped a blacksmith shop in as well as a hardware store, and the Wah Kelsey. The pension was halved for the next Hop Store, once leased to a Chinese four years; it ended in 1878 amid criticism merchant of that name. They currently of Marshall’s personal habits — namely his house exhibits of gold mining techniques weakness for liquor. and the mercantile goods needed by the Marshall continued to work in his Chinese miners. blacksmith shop and in the small gold mines he owned near Kelsey. He died at age 75 on AFRICAN AMERICAN SETTLERS August 10, 1885; his grave sits on the hillside According to the Gooch-Monroe oral above the town. In 1890 a monumental The Monroe family: William, Grant, Pearley, history, Peter and Nancy Gooch came statue — California’s first State Historic Andrew Jr.