The Spirit of the Gold Rush

The Spirit of the Gold Rush. . , Even in 1849, Sutter’s Mill had become a beacon that called people to Coloma. People continue to visit Sutter’s Mill today to experience the sense of discovery and connection to the Gold Rush., A Historic Destination , Curious tourists flocked to Coloma as early as 1849, clamoring to see the famed sawmill. Artists commemorated the discovery spot in watercolors and pencil sketches, while others scavenged wood from the mill as souvenirs. One enterprising merchant whittled canoes from the mill’s wood, he sold them in San Francisco as gold rush mementos!, Inset Image: , Sutter’s Mill by John Henry Durrel, about 1850, Protecting Our History , As tourists arrived, Coloma residents advocated for preserving the gold discovery site. One local reporter argued, “It would be well to preserve some vestige of the past – a relic to open the pages of our early history: and what more fitting emblem could be preserved than Sutter’s Mill.” These efforts eventually led to the creation of Marshall Monument – the state’s first historic landmark., Inset Image: , Marshall monument before installation., Preserving the Past , Thanks to early preservation efforts of others and California State Parks, we can see where James Marshall found gold. We can…[remainder is illegible in the current photo].