Fate Picks Marshall

Fate Picks Marshall. . Panel One: , New Jersey-born James Wilson Marshall came to John Sutter’s fort at Sacramento in July 1845, just a year before the American conquest of California. Trained as a carpenter and wheelwright by his father, Marshall quickly found work at the Swiss pioneer’s busy settlement. Following the U.S. takeover, Marshall and Sutter became partners in building the famous sawmill at Coloma. , For just a few moments after finding gold in the mill’s tailrace on January 24, 1848, Marshall kept his exciting secret. But the urge to share the discovery proved too much, and he soon shouted the new to the Mormon workers building the mill. Marshall’s words echoed across the Pacific to Hawaii and China, down to Mexico and South America, and to all parts of the United States. The gold rush, brining thousands of restless young men, was on. California would never be the same., Panel Two: , Stampede to Coloma , For centuries only the bark houses and brush shelters of the Nisenan Indians dotted the quiet river valley they called “Cullumah.” But with the rush of gold seekers in the summer of 1849, tents “whitened the plain” near Sutter’s sawmill, and the mining population suddenly soared to over 400. Prospectors soon located richer diggings elsewhere, however, and Coloma, with its stores and saloons, became the major trading and recreation center for neighboring camps., In 1850 Coloma was named the seat of El Dorado County, but lost that honor to Placerville seven years later. As placer mining declined in importance, Coloma found new prosperity in fruit farming and wine making. In the 1860’s, James Marshall helped to boost the town’s agricultural reputation by growing more then 100 varieties of grapes on his 15-acre farm. The cabin he lived in is near St. John’s Catholic Church, a short walk from here on the road leading from the monument., Panel Three: , Honored at Last , Never a good businessman, James Marshall failed to profit from the many opportunities the gold rush offered. He ended his days as a carpenter and blacksmith in Kelsey, unrecognized officially for his unique role in history., After Marshall’s death in 1885, local and state figures made plans to honor that role. Originating with the Placerville Parlor of Native Sons, the idea of a monument was suggested to the State Legislature, which appropriated a total of $9.000. On May 3, 1890, a crown of 3,500 gathered at his hill-top gravesite for the unveiling ceremony, listening to poems, prayers, band music, and speeches praising Marshall and the forty-niners., Panel Four , California’s Mother Lode , Map of the area on an animal hide, Panel Five: , Coloma – Queen of the Mines , Coloma was the scene of the discovery of gold by James W. Marshall on January 24, 1848, and event which heralded a new era for California and the nation., The resulting gold rush brought the world to California and in 1850, it was admitted into the union as the 31st state. Sutter’s Sawmill soon grew into the town of Coloma., Panel Six: , Coloma - The Golden Stepping Stone , With the discovery of gold, Coloma became the first permanent town of the Mother Lode., Here were the first mountain sawmill, first gold rocker, first mining ditch, and first county seat of El Dorado County., Coloma’s population reached several thousand, and it became a supply center for miners working the hills and canyons in all directions. From it were founded other gold camps to the north, south, east and west.