BGuthrie Photos: CA -- Coloma -- Marshall Gold Discovery SHP

CA -- Coloma -- Marshall Gold Discovery SHP:

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Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. GOLD_140719_016.JPG: Mountain Lion: Mountain lions are important members of the natural community and may be found in this area. Although these animals are seldom seen, they can be unpredictable and have been known, on rare occasion, to attack humans. It is best to hike with another person and keep children close. If you should encounter a mountain lion, wave your arms overhead and make plenty of noise to frighten it away. Report any wildlife that displays aggressive behavior of does not retreat when confronted by loud or assertive human actions to Park Headquarters or to the Department of Fish and Game. Your State Park is a natural environment, set aside for your enjoyment and for the preservation of native plants and animals. On occasion, you may be fortunate enough to experience a brief encounter with some wildlife. By exercising due caution, these encounters can be an exciting and memorable adventure.
2. GOLD_140719_038.JPG: Fate Picks Marshall New Jersey-born James Wilson Marshall came to John Sutter's fort at Sacramento in July 1845, just a year before the American conquest of California. Trained as a carpenter and wheelwright by his father, Marshall quickly found work at the Swiss pioneer's busy settlement. Following the US takeover, Marshall and Sutter became partners in building the famous sawmill at Coloma. For just a few moments after finding gold in the mill's tailrace on January 24, 1848, Marshall kept his exciting secret. But the urge to share the discovery proved too much, and he soon shouted the news to the Mormon workers building the mill. Marshall's words echoed across the Pacific to Hawaii and China, down to Mexico and South America, and to all parts of the United States. The gold rush, bringing thousands of restless young men, was on. California would never be the same.
3. GOLD_140719_047.JPG: Stampede to Coloma: For centuries only the bark houses and brush shelters of the Nisenan Indians dotted the quiet river valley they called "Cullumah." But with the rush of gold seekers in the summer of 1849, tents "whitened the plain" near Sutter's sawmill, and the mining population suddenly soared to over 400. Prospectors soon located richer diggings elsewhere, however, and Coloma, with its stores and saloons, became the major trading and recreation center for neighboring camps. In 1850, Coloma was named the seat of El Dorado County, but lost that honor to Placerville seven years later. As placer mining declined in importance. Coloma found new prosperity in fruit farming and wine making. I the 1860s, James Marshall helped to boost the town's agricultural reputation by growing more than 100 varieties of grapes on his 15-acre farm. The cabin he lived in is near St. John's Catholic Church, a short walk from here on the road leading from the monument.
4. GOLD_140719_051.JPG: Honored at Last Never a good businessman, James Marshall failed to profit from the many opportunities the gold rush offered. He ended his days as a carpenter and blacksmith in Kelsey, unrecognized officially for his unique role in history. After Marshall's death in 1885, local and state figures made plans to honor that role. Originating with the Placerville Parlor of Native Sons, the idea of a monument was suggested to the State Legislature, which appropriated a total of $9,000. On May 3, 1890, a crowd of 3,500 gathered at his hill-top gravesite for the unveiling ceremony, listening to poems, prayers, band music, and speeches praising Marshall and the forty-niners. The statue is constructed at "statuary bronze," an alloy of lead, tin, and zinc painted a bronze color. Marshall points to the place on the American River where he discovered gold. To find that place yourself, take the "Discovery Trail" that starts at the replica of Sutter's sawmill, opposite the visitor center.
5. GOLD_140719_064.JPG: 200th Anniversary of James W. Marshall's Birth On the occasion of James W. Marshall's 200th birthday, the Native Sons of the Golden West rededicate this monument erected in his honor. Born in Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey to Phillip and Sarah Wilson Marshall on October 8, 1810, he was the oldest of four children and the only male. He arrived in California via Oregon in 1845 where he worked for John Sutter before acquiring a small cattle ranch. In 1846 he served with John C. Fremont during the Bear Flag Revolt. Marshall partnered with Sutter to construct a sawmill where he made the discovery that would cause the cry of "GOLD" to reverberate around the world. After his discovery of gold in 1848 Marshall found some success operating a ferry, hotel and a vineyard but by the 1860s fell on hard times and relocated to Kelsey. At the time of his death August 10th, 1885 Marshall was penniless, living in a small cabin. His body was brought to Coloma for burial. Immediately thereafter, Placerville Parlor #9 of the Native Sons of the Golden West in 1887 successfully advocated for the construction of the monument you see here today, the first such monument erected in California. Re-dedicated October 8, 2010 By Grand Parlor Native Sons of the Golden West James L. Shadle, Grand President
6. GOLD_140719_072.JPG: Erected by the State of California in memory of James W. Marshall 1810-1885 whose discovery of gold January 24, 1848 in the tailrace of Sutter's Mill at Coloma started the great rush of argonauts. Monument unveiled May 3, 1890
7. GOLD_140719_192.JPG: Coloma's Cemeteries: Here rest men and women who saw the beauty and value of this land and chose to remain and build our community. We welcome your visit and request that you show respect by being quiet and orderly. Preserve these graves and markers. Take photographs only. Do not make rubbing transfers of tombstones. Desecration of a cemetery is a felony.
8. GOLD_140719_195.JPG: Saint John's Cemetery This is Coloma's Catholic Cemetery. There were probably some internments here early in the 1850's. Many of the early burials were marked by wooden markers that have long since disappeared. The oldest existing headstone is dated 1861. This cemetery contains an estimated 80 to 100 graves. Many of the burials are in large family plots, such as the Murphy's, Kane, Gallagher, Bayne, and Luneman families. Because the cemetery is on a hillside, eight plots are ringed with stone or concrete walls which help to stabilize the terraced ground.
9. GOLD_140719_243.JPG: Cabin of James Marshall This cabin was erected by Marshall and occupied by him from 1856 : 1870. Born in New Jersey October 8, 1810. Came to California in 1845 – Died at Kelsey, this state, August 10, 1885. The discovery of gold by Marshall in the tailrace of John A. Sutter's Mill at Coloma on January 24, 1848 started the historic migration to California by land and sea. The original sawmill, the building of which Marshall superintended was located 2190 feet north of this cabin on the American River. On an eminence of 410 feet to the west stands a monument erected by the State of California – The heroic figure of Marshall pointing to the site of his gold discovery. Preserved by the State of California under the direction of the State Park Commission, Department of Natural Resources.
10. GOLD_140719_254.JPG: Mining Ditches Mining ditches were dug by ditch companies to carry vast amounts of water needed for placer mining. Thousands of miles of ditches and flumes were built in the gold country; some brought immense profits to their owners. As mining declined in the 1860s, the same ditches were used for irrigating orchards, vineyards and pastures in the foothills. This ditch is seven miles long, and now carries irrigation water to local farmers. The hillside terraces you see here were used to grow fruit trees and grape vines. Some of them were dug by James Marshall.
11. GOLD_140719_263.JPG: St. John's Catholic Church: Religion played an important role in Coloma's development, and at one time the community supported eight different churches. This building was erected in 1858 to replace a log church constructed two years earlier. In 1920 the church was extensively repaired, giving new life to the old wood-frame structure. Services were held here until about 1925.
12. GOLD_140719_286.JPG: The Miller House One of the oldest surviving structures in Coloma, this house was built in 1852 for Hugh Miller, proprietor of the Fashion Billiard Saloon on Main Street. Miller House has been renovated several times since then. From 1964 to 1983 it was the home of noted artist George Mathis and known as the "Friday House." The building has been a bed and breakfast inn since 1983.
13. GOLD_140719_295.JPG: Noteware-Thomas House: This restored home is typical of a moderately well-to-do merchant's house of the 1860s. It represents the economic stability of Coloma, based on agriculture and lumber, after the initial rush for gold had waned. CN Noteware, the original house owner, was elected county recorder in 1855. He was also Coloma's Wells Fargo agent during the 1850s.
14. GOLD_140719_316.JPG: Site of the Home of Joe Seeley Watchmaker: Joseph Seeley pioneered Coloma's jewelry and watch repair trade in 1849. He advertised himself as "Watchmaker and Jeweler," selling gold and silver watches from "the best watch-makers in the world." He manufactured watches, vest chains, lockets and breastpins, often using gold brought in by the miners. All of Seeley's work was "made to order" with neatness and dispatch. In 1856 he closed his successful shop on Main Street and continued his craft from his "retirement" home here on High Street.
15. GOLD_140719_340.JPG: El Dorado County Jails Coloma's first jail was made of logs and was located around the corner on High Street. The second jail, built in 1855, quickly proved to be too small, and this stone-block prison was erected. It was used from 1857 until 1862. The metal cell that stands nearby came from the county courthouse in Placerville.
16. GOLD_140719_353.JPG: Site of Coloma Livery Stables: Livery stables were the service stations of the 19th century. They provided hay and grain, stables for the animals, and vehicle maintenance. They also kept horses, mules, carriages and wagons to rent, trade or sell. One of several liveries stood here. The Stephens, Brower and Company was reputed to have the best saddle horses in the country. The company had brought the old US Hotel building and remodeled it into a spacious stables and wagon shop.
17. GOLD_140719_433.JPG: Monroe Gold Rush Family 1889 Homestead 80 acres, now road through Coloma State Park. The Baby is Jim Monroe, father Andrew & Sara.
18. GOLD_140719_452.JPG: Site of Wells Fargo Express and Banking Company: The Wells Fargo Company was organized in 1851 in San Francisco, amid the frenzied stampede for California's gold. Branch offices were quickly opened in the major island towns; Coloma's office was opened in 1852 in Bill McConnell's general store. An express wagon ran daily from here to Sacramento. When the competing Adams Express Company folded in 1855, Wells Fargo moved quickly and soon became the dominant banking and express company in the west. Each shipment, usually carried on a Concord stagecraft, was guarded by a rider well armed with a double-barrelled shotgun.
19. GOLD_140719_459.JPG: Site of Sierra Nevada House The Sierra Nevada House was a handsome two-story building with many windows and a broad balcony. Here guests could always expect fine hospitality, suburb food, excellent ballroom music, fine carriages and comfortable beds. It was opened by Robert Chalmers from 1852 until 1869, when he sold it to begin building the Vineyard House. The fading old hotel continued to serve travelers and boarders until it was destroyed by fire in 1902. A new hotel was built. It burned in 1925. A replica now stands at the intersection 1 mile north of here. All that remains of the once-grand hotel is the well, visible below.
20. GOLD_140719_469.JPG: Robert Bell's Store Most of Coloma's buildings were wooden, but some were were made of brick or stone to resist fire. This one, known as "Bells Brick Store," was a general merchandise store that also sold feed and grain. The U.S. Post Office was located in this building for many years.
21. GOLD_140719_472.JPG: Coloma An Artists View "The principle street of Coloma was alive with crowds of moving men, passing and repassing, laughing, talking, and all appearing in the best of humor. It was a scene that no other country could ever imitate." -- from "A California Journal" by Charles Gillespie Look over your left shoulder and you will see the view this artist saw in 1853
22. GOLD_140719_480.JPG: Coloma Schoolhouse In 1885 Coloma's three private school schools enrolled 187 pupils; two years later one large public school held 234 children. That school was housed in the original El Dorado County Courthouse on this site. The courthouse burned in 1915, and this school building was moved here from Slatington, near Kelsy. The second schoolhouse was restored in 1995 through the efforts of Park staff, the Gold Discovery Park Association and El Dorado County citizens.
23. GOLD_140719_489.JPG: Odd Fellows Hall Built in 1854 by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, this hall was also shared with religious organizations of the Coloma community. The I.O.O.F. was only one of the many fraternal lodges that were active during the 1850s in Coloma and in most mining towns. Today, Coloma Lodge No.27, is the second oldest Odd Fellows lodge operating in El Dorado County. Rebekah Lodge No.114 shares in the operation of the hall for community events and weekly meetings.
24. GOLD_140719_503.JPG: Site of Dukehart's Barbershop and Bathhouse In the 1850s a black man known only as "Dukehart" operated a barbershop that straddled the creek at this location. Typical of many barbershops of this period, Dukehart's establishment also provided hot baths for his customers. The water was carried through a trough or pipe into the building and heated. Then the water was poured over the bather, and the used water returned to the creek.
25. GOLD_140719_506.JPG: Papini House This home is located near the site of an 1853-1864 bakery and confectionery store and owned and operated by Luther Davis. The impressive Davis home was located on the hill, some 100 feet behind the bakery. Both were dismantled after 1885. This structure was built after 1891 as a home for Davis' granddaughter, Dorcus Hooper Papini, and her husband, Joseph Papini. It is believed that materials from the original bakery building were used to construct it. The Papinis lived on this site until 1903. The residence was then used as a rental.
26. GOLD_140719_519.JPG: Kane House Tom Kane was born in Coloma of Irish parents. He built this house for his bride, Julia, in 1886. He died 5 years later, and Julia lived here for many years afterward. In 1934 Ralph Hikens owned the house and operated a store and post office in one room.
27. GOLD_140719_525.JPG: Monroe House Perly Monroe was the grandson of Peter and Nancy Gooch, who were freed from slavery here when California became a state in 1850. The Monroe family became successful fruit farmers and prominent property holders in Coloma. Built in 1925, this house is tangible evidence of their success. The Monroe orchard, located elsewhere in the park, still produces pears and apples.
28. GOLD_140719_541.JPG: Schulze House This house was built in 1916 by Charles Schulze for his daughter Daisy, who visited Coloma occasionally. Schulze had been a miner, blacksmith, teamster and mason. In 1886 he fell heir to the Sierra Nevada House and became a hotelkeeper. He died in 1921. After Daisy Schulze's death, this house was used as a residence by her heirs.
29. GOLD_140719_548.JPG: Doctor Taylor's Store: Doctor William Taylor ran a "hospital" in Coloma as early as 1849, and later opened a drug store and pharmacy here. While continuing to practice medicine, Doc Taylor sold a complete line of drugs, plus extracts, acids and other chemicals. Later, under other proprietors, this store held a very busy post office, a book store with 3000 titles, and a "bazaar" that sold everything from "ladies' fancy goods" to school books.
30. GOLD_140719_556.JPG: Beer Garden This beer garden, a recent addition to Coloma, was built by Jim Bridgham in the mid 1950s. Jim and his sister Margaret operated a business called the "Hitching Rack" and built the beer garden so the "locals" could sit around, drink a few beers, and discuss the world situation. Today the site is used as a group picnic area, available by reservation.
31. GOLD_140719_562.JPG: Site of Winters' Hotel The Winters' Hotel was the most ornate building in town. It was one of the earliest hotels here and the best known. A forty-niner later described it as "the hotel par excellence of the town; one could easily perceive that by its long white colonnade in front, and its too numerous windows in the upper story. A large saloon occupied the whole front of the building." In 1850 the Winters' was known as a gambling hotel, and later it became the stagecoach stop for the community.
32. GOLD_140719_570.JPG: What Happened to All the Buildings?
33. GOLD_140719_573.JPG: Site of Coloma's Law Offices In the 1850s, the law offices of Thomas Robertson and the firm of Sanderson and Hews were at this site. The town alcalde also had his office here. Borrowed from Mexican government, the position of alcalde combined the roles of mayor, justice of the peace, and as needed, sheriff.
34. GOLD_140719_580.JPG: Site of Metropolitan Saloon and Bowling Alley At this site was one of California's first bowling alleys. It was actually three buildings, with single-lane bowling alleys in each of the side buildings. The establishment, also known as the Metropolitan Saloon and Sporting Hall, featured gambling and related activities. In 1860, the largest building, which fronted on Main Street, housed the exhibits for the El Dorado County Fair.
35. GOLD_140719_587.JPG: Weller House Probably the first structure on this site was Littner's Exchange, which was later purchased and remodeled by the Bramer brothers. They operated the Orleans Hotel, Restaurant and Oyster Saloon until 1856 when Elias Weller bought the property and converted it to his residence. Portions of the old Orleans Hotel may still be left at the Weller house.
36. GOLD_140719_601.JPG: Coloma Post Office Coloma's first post office opened in 1849 when, against his wishes, John T. Little was appointed postmaster. In 1851 Coloma received tri-weekly mail service from Sacramento City. The post office, first designated as Culloma, California Territory, was changed to Coloma in January 1851. This tiny building, constructed in the early 1930s, was perhaps the sixth structure in town to house the post office. The seventh post office was opened across the street in 1949.
37. GOLD_140719_604.JPG: Coloma Greys This building, perhaps originally a livery stable, was the armory for the Coloma Greys, a local volunteer militia company. After the Greys disbanded in 1862, the building was used as a carriage house by Elias Weller, who lived in the large white house to your left.
38. GOLD_140719_614.JPG: Studebaker Spring Wagon: The Studebaker Company of South Bend, Indiana, was founded on capital raised by John Studebaker who built wheel barrows in Placerville during the gold rush. The company became one of the world's leading carriage manufacturers during the late 19th century, and an automobile manufacturer in the 20th. This spring wagon, an all-purpose light duty vehicle made for fast comfortable travel, was made in Indiana in the late 1870s.
39. GOLD_140719_617.JPG: Concord Mountain Wagon: This vehicle was designed for use on rugged terrain. The narrow track and high clearance allowed it's [sic] use in rocky or forested areas where larger vehicles couldn't go. It was used to take supplies to remote mining camps. It was made by the Abbot-Downing Company, the famous stagecoach manufacturer of Concord, New Hampshire, in about 1875.
40. GOLD_140719_627.JPG: Site of The Crescent City Hotel and Hall: The Crescent City Hotel was one of Coloma's finest. HT Plant purchased the hotel in 1854 and turned it into a popular theater which helped the miners relax and forget their hard work in the "diggins." Many well-known performers of the day entertained here. Today a local theater group calls itself the "Coloma Crescent Players" in memory of the historic theater.
41. GOLD_140719_641.JPG: The Diggins
42. GOLD_140719_648.JPG: Placer Mining at Coloma
43. GOLD_140719_662.JPG: Miner's Cabin This cabin is an example of he quarters used by miners during the gold rush. The earliest structures were canvas tents, made from recycled sailcloth taken from abandoned ships in San Francisco Bay. In 1849 Coloma had hundreds of "tent" cabins. When the miners found they would be here for longer periods, they began building more permanent homes, such as this log cabin.
44. GOLD_140719_669.JPG: The Chile Mill
45. GOLD_140719_675.JPG: The Arrastre
46. GOLD_140719_683.JPG: Hydraulic Mining As miners moved from Sierra streams to gulches and hills, they found rich gold deposits in ancient river beds, some far from water. By 1853 they had begun working these gravels with water delivered through hoses and nozzles. Ultimately, this major California mining development created a vast system of flumes to satisfy its need for water. Brought from higher elevations in riveted pipes, the water was directed through iron nozzles called monitors. The powerful spray leveled hills and washed gold deposits into a series of sluices. Hydraulicking also swept large amount of silt and gravel into the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, causing frequent flooding. Valley farmers organized, and an 1884 court decision made hydraulic mining operators liable for downstream damage. Required to impound mining run-off, most companies found former hydraulicking unprofitable, and the industry virtually came to an end.
47. GOLD_140719_708.JPG: The California Stamp: Soon after miners discovered gold in underground quartz veins, mills were brought in to process ore. Dating back to at least the 1500s, the mills used heavy iron pounders called stamps to crush the rock. Each mill had a series of stamps equipped with iron "shoes." Partially broken quartz was fed into bins behind the stamps and then into mortars holding dies on which the shoes fell. Each stamp rose and dropped separately. California quartz miners improved stamp mills by changing from soft iron to cast-iron shoes, dies, and mortars. They also introduced stamps that rotated on their vertical axis with each rise and fall. The result was the "California stamp," a machine so efficient it was used in gold mining throughout the world.
48. GOLD_140719_710.JPG: Sapling Stamp: Miners easily made a primitive one-stamp mill from a young tree. With the help of the sapling's spring, they raised a crusher and pounded gold ore in an iron kettle or stone mortar. The crushed rock was then panned to remove the gold.
49. GOLD_140719_718.JPG: James W. Marshall Discoverer of Gold "Boys I believe I have found a gold mine" so said James W. Marshall to his millworkers on January 24, 1848, after he discovered gold in the tail race of Captain John A. Sutter's sawmill at Coloma. This discovery started the great Gold Rush to California which resulted in its admission to the Union as the thirty first state on September 9, 1850. This plaque dedicated in his honor by E Clampus Vitus, January 27, 1957
50. GOLD_140719_721.JPG: Chinese Stores: Between 1850 and 1883, Colona was home to a sizeable Chinese community. These stone buildings, known as the Man Lee and Wah Hop stores, are all that remain. Chinese merchants supplied their countrymen with mining necessities and items from their homeland. Their stores served as places to gather. After a fire destroyed Coloma's Chinese quarter in 1883, most of the Chinese miners and merchants left town.
51. GOLD_140719_724.JPG: A Place to Gather and Work
52. GOLD_140719_727.JPG: We ask visitors to please stay off the rock out of respect for its importance to the Nisenan people's heritage. Grandmother Rock: "Our people say this rock is as old as time, and if you knew how to listen, she would speak of how the Earth was formed. She might reminisce of the thousands of years the women would father at this very site and grind their acorns. They would sit atop and fill the chaw-se, the mortar holes, with whole acorns. Then they would start to pound and grind the nutmeat into a fine powder. Al the while, they would sing songs to the rhythm of the pounding. "She would tell of the babies that were held in cradleboards while the women worked, of the laughter and energy of the children playing just below, and of the men setting their nets across the river to catch fish. These were the Nisenan and Miwok, meaning, 'The People.' " -- Kimberly ShiningStar Petree, El Dorado Miwok
53. GOLD_140719_729.JPG: A Staple of Nisenan Life: The Nisenan enjoyed a varied diet of foods that included roots, tubers, fish, game, berries, and nuts. However, the center of their diet was the nutritious and storable acorn. Preparing acorns was a long process. Acorns had to be gathered, stored, shelled, ground, and sifted multiple times, and then leached for several hours to remove the bitter tannins. The acorn meal was then dried and stored until it was needed for mush, soup, or bread. Such a long task was made easier when done by a group at places like this large community chaw-se.
54. GOLD_140719_731.JPG: If you stood here before 1847, you would have seen a Nisenan village of bark structures and people busy with the tasks of daily life. The chaw-se, or grinding rock, was a key part of village life. We know from the many deep holds pounded into it, that this chaw-se was used for hundreds if not thousands of years to grind acorns. It reminds us of the generations of women and children who gathered here to talk, laugh, and sing while they prepared food for their families.
55. GOLD_140719_745.JPG: The Nisenan Village: The Nisenan village, Cullumah, stood here for thousands of years. Nisenan villages were near rivers or creeks, above the flood plain. They consisted of dozens to hundreds of people and multiple structures including family dwellings, granaries, shade shelters, and ceremonial buildings. Natural features, like this rock, were also a part of village life. We ask visitors to stay off the rock out of respect for its importance to the Nisenan people's heritage.
56. GOLD_140719_748.JPG: The Nisenan: Originally the Southern Maidu, or Nisenan, Iidnans inhabited the Coloma Valley. They lived here peacefully until 1847 where John Sutter's men built a sawmill. The discovery of gold the following year and the resulting gold rush destroyed the Indians' lives, homes, and culture. The well-worn bedrock mortar is one of the surviving relics of the Nisenan culture. Try to imagine women busily pounding acorns here, and children playing nearby.
57. GOLD_140719_760.JPG: Mormon WOrkers Cabin: In 1846, President James K. Polk authorized the Army to enlist Mormons to fight in the Mexican War. 496 men joined the Mormon Battalion in Council Bluffs, Iowa on July 16, 1846. They marched over 2,000 miles, building a wagon road from Sante Fe to the West Coast. After discharge from the Army, a group of the Battalion came borth by land to Sutter's Fort. Sutter wanted a saw mill to be built in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, but had problems finding skilled labor. With the arrival of the Mormon Battalion, his problem was solved. He contracted with 106 battalion members to build mills as well as work in the fort. Sutter sent 6 men from the Mormon Battalion into the foothills to an area known as Coloma to commence work on the mill on September 29, 1847. They built this cabin, completing it on January 23, 1848. Because of two of the battalion mens' journals, we know the actual date that gold was discovered -- January 24, 1848. Today, the cabin is maintained and staffed by Mormon volunteers.
58. GOLD_140719_803.JPG: Sutter Mill Timbers John Sutter's mill was not used after 1850 and it deteriorated rapidly. The flood of 1862 destroyed the above ground remains of the structure. In 1924 the original mill site was located and the mill monument was built. Major excavations in 1947 found these handhewn timbers still in place. From the mill timbers it was possible to measure the size of the original sawmill, 60 feet long and 20 feet wide. The nearby mill replica was built in 1967 based upon this information and upon James Marshall's sketches and description.
59. GOLD_140719_818.JPG: Site of Wintermantel's Miner's Hotel A large pentagon-shaped structure was built here in 1849. In 1850 it became the Roger's Hotel, one of Coloma's first major hotels. Ownership changed hands several times until 1852 when it became known as Wintermantel's Miner's Hotel. A sign on the balcony advertised in three languages: Miner's Hotel Deuches Gasthaus Pensionate Francaise Wintermantel moved his Miner's Hotel further south on Main Street in 1861. The fate of the original structure here is unknown.
60. GOLD_140719_827.JPG: Patrick Obein Murphy: Brought this cannon from Ft. Ross to his namesake Mt. Murphy located behind this site. It's been said that he fired it to announce the arrival of the mail.
61. GOLD_140719_836.JPG: Panning for gold
62. GOLD_140719_856.JPG: Site of Weller's Store Like many ‘49ers, Samuel and Elias Weller soon quit mining and turned to less exhausting work. The Weller brothers operated two stores in town; one was primarily a tin shop. The brick buildings were called Coloma's first fireproof structures. Their first store was known as "The Old Stand" with the "Sign of the large Coffee Pot." Both of the Weller's Stores supplied the town with hardware, firearms, and cooking utensils. By 1855 the Wellers had added stoves, furniture, crockery, china and glassware. All items were advertised to be sold at small profits, and home deliveries were made at no charge.
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Wikipedia Description: Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park is a state park of California, United States, marking the discovery of gold by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in 1848, sparking the California Gold Rush. The park grounds include much of the historic town of Coloma, California, which is now considered a ghost town as well as a National Historic Landmark District. The park contains two California Historical Landmarks: a monument to commemorate James Marshall (#143) and the actual spot where he first discovered gold in 1848 (#530). Established in 1942, the park now comprises 576 acres (233 ha).

Features

The entire route of California State Route 153 lies within the park, and allows visitors to drive to the top of the hill where the monument to James W. Marshall stands. The Gold Discovery Museum features gold-rush-era exhibits including mining equipment, horse-drawn vehicles, household implements and other memorabilia. The American River Nature Center, operated by the American River Conservancy, features murals of local wildlife, hands-on exhibits, animal mounts and live small animals.

History

In 1886 the members of the Native Sons of the Golden West, Placerville Parlor #9, felt that the Marshall deserved a monument to mark the grave of the "Discoverer of Gold". In May 1890, five years after Marshall's death, Placerville Parlor #9 successfully advocated the idea of a monument to the State Legislature, which appropriated a total of $9,000 for the construction of the monument and tomb, the first such monument erected in California. A statue of Marshall stands on top of the monument, pointing to the spot where he made his discovery in 1848. The monument was rededicated October 8, 2010 by the Native Sons of the Golden West, Georgetown Parlor #91, in honor of the 200th Anniversary of James W. Marshall's birth.

On May 1, 2012, park employee Suzie Matin discovered two pieces of t ...More...
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2014 photos: Equipment this year: I mostly used my Fuji XS-1 camera but, depending on the event, I also used a Nikon D7000. Trips this year: three Civil War Trust conferences (Winchester, VA, Nashville, TN, and Atlanta, GA), Michigan to visit mom in the hospice before she died and then a return trip after she died, and my 9th consecutive San Diego Comic-Con trip (including Las Vegas, Reno, Carson City, Sacramento, Oakland, and Los Angeles). Ego strokes: Paul Dickson used one of my photos as the author photo in his book "Aphorisms: Words Wrought by Writers". Number of photos taken this year: just over 470,000.
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