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On January 24, 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill, located on the South Fork of the American River near Coloma, California. This monumental event occurred about 50 miles northeast of Sacramento and marked the beginning of the California Gold Rush. Captain John A. Sutter owned the mill, where the first placer gold was found, igniting a massive influx of fortune seekers to California. The discovery is not only pivotal in America's westward expansion but also shaped the future of the state and the nation. Sources include the Bureau of Land Management and historical accounts from The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco.
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When and Where • January 24, 1848 • On the American River • South Fork where it flows into the Sacramento River • Near Coloma, CA, about 50 miles northeast of Sacramento, CA • At Sutter’s Mill owned by Capt. John A. Sutter
Sources • Photo of placer mine, Bureau of Land Management/BLM Library, http://www.photos.blm.gov/Preview_hislo.asp (accessed May 17, 2006). • “Capt. Sutter’s Account of the First Discovery of the Gold,” The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco, http://www.sfmuseum.net/hist2/gold2.html (accessed May 17, 2006).
Sources • James S. Brown, “California Gold: An Authentic History of the First Find With the Names of Those Interested in the Discovery,” The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco, http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist6/grush.html (accessed May 17, 2006).
Sources • Photo of gold, California Geological Survey, http://www.consrv.ca.gov/cgs/geologic_resources/gold/index.htm (accessed May 17, 2006).
