Uncovering History

Uncovering History. . Archaeologists have helped bring Sutter’s Mill back to life!, Ghost of the Gold Rush , For decades, Sutter’s Mill was lost in time and the river. Then in 1924, waster levels dropped, revealing the mill’s foundation, saw blades, and other relics. The discovery was especially poignant for Phil Bekeart, whose father, Frank, had come to Coloma in 1849 to set up a gun shop – one of the oldest buildings in town., A Link to the Past , Imagine discovering the birthplace of the gold rush, uncovering your ancestor’s dreams beneath the waters of the American River. You would want to mark that place forever. After the 1924 excavation, Coloma leaders erected the stone monument that stands before you to mark the spot where Sutter’s Mill was built – and changed history., Digging Deeper , The river level was low in 1947, and there was a short window of time for archaeologists to learn more about Sutter’s Mill before another storm hit. Rushing against the clock, archaeologists uncovered the mill’s foundations, some timbers, and the tailrace location – where James Marshall accidentally discovered gold.