Coloma - Where the Gold Rush Began

Stop on Goldrush!, a free self-guided tour.

You're standing in the valley that changed California almost overnight. On January 24, 1848, a carpenter named James Marshall was checking the tailrace of a sawmill he was building here for John Sutter on the South Fork of the American River. He noticed shiny flakes in the water and soon realized they were gold.

The news spread within months, and by 1849 tens of thousands of fortune seekers from around the world were pouring into these foothills. Coloma boomed, then faded as miners moved on to richer ground. Much of the old town now sits inside this 576-acre state historic park.

Start at the Gold Discovery Museum, then walk down to the river to see the full-size replica of Sutter's Mill near the discovery site. On the hill above town, a statue of Marshall points toward the spot where he found gold. Paid for by the state and approved in 1890, it was the first monument of its kind in California.

Nearby: Restrooms and water at the Gold Discovery Museum and the park picnic areas. The park charges a day-use fee per vehicle.