El Dorado - Where California’s Gold Rush Began!

It was in 1847 when John Sutter asked James Marshall to build a sawmill along the banks of the American River. Sutter needed lumber for his expanding agricultural enterprises in California’s Sacramento Valley.

Marshall and Sutter chose Coloma as the site for the sawmill. Until this time, the Coloma Valley was home primarily to the Nisenan Indians. They called it Cullumah.

On the morning of January 24, 1848, James Marshall reached into a shallow pool of water at the side of the tailrace. He scooped up a handful of sand, gravel, and mud. And a few flakes of golden metal. It was a moment that was to change the course of history. And so California’s Gold Rush story began.

Many of the old dirt roads the gold seekers traveled still exist and the county is sprinkled with historic buildings that are still in use today yet conjure up visions of a by gone era. The lure of finding gold in the riverbeds still excites the visitors as they enjoy perfectly preserved gold discovery locations.

Skiers’ challenge the mountain not far from where Snowshoe Thompson carried the mail and whitewater rafters float near the original gold discovery at Sutter’s Mill. Shoppers pass by the famed Hangman’s Tree saloon and they can dine at the location of the Round Tent that was once a canvas building.

Several museums throughout the county have glimpses of this history recorded and many artifacts on display. Historical enactments are a common scene at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park.