Home » categories » rare book library » Jackson. California Gold Rush Album.
This chapter is tagged (labeled) with: 

Ch. 1: Sleepy Utopia

Ch. 1: Sleepy Utopia Page of 246 Ch. 1: Sleepy Utopia Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
8 Gold Rush Album
The work was almost completed at Coloma (above) late in January, 1848, but the tail-race was too shallow. Marshall was trying to deepen it by flooding water through it each night. On the morning of January 24, after turning off the water, he stepped down into the ditch to see what progress had been made. There was something shiny on the bedrock under the standing water. It looked like gold. He picked up a nugget.
The camp housekeeper, Mrs. Elizabeth Wimmer, had a kettle of lye boiling for soap-making (left). According to her story, she boiled the shiny bit of metal all day and when it did not tarnish, Marshall was sure he had found gold.. At Sutter's Fort, Marshall and Sutter made further tests and were convinced. Complete secrecy was sworn, but the word soon got out. Gold-Gold on the American River!
The discoverers had no luck. The erstwhile Baron of the Sacra­mento spent his old age in futile petitions to Congress for return of his lost acres. Marshall advertised his fame on the printed card shown below. He died a poor man; but he and Sutter had started something.
Ch. 1: Sleepy Utopia Page of 246 Ch. 1: Sleepy Utopia
Suggested Illustrations
Other Chapters you may find useful
Other Books on this topic
bullet Tag
This Page