On January 24th, 1848, California changed forever. Gold nuggets were found in the icy waters of the American river, and the Gold Rush of ‘49 quickly followed. Towns mushroomed during the Gold Rush days, including the State Capitol pictured above. In the gold country discover authentic gold mining towns of the wild west, complete with historic hotels, antique shops, restored gold mines, and wineries. Take advantage of the regions’ state parks where gold panning, boating, white water rafting, camping, and a wide variety of other recreational activities are bound to keep you busy.
On January 24th, 1848, just nine days before California was formally handed over to the United States, gold was discovered on the land of John Sutter, a European immigrant of the Mexican era, 50 miles east of his Sutter’s Fort headquarters (the future site of Sacramento). Washed down from the Sierra Nevada mountains, flakes of gold had accumulated in California’s rivers over countless centuries and, to all intents and purposes, were there for the taking.
Within a week the secret was out. Through the spring and summer of 1848 the rumor raced around the world. The sailors of the coastal trade deserted, as did the new American garrison at Monterey. In December, when President Polk told Congress that even the most fanciful rumors fell short of the fact, the trickle of immigrants of the previous decade became a flood, thus the Gold Rush of ‘49.
