Go West with Miners, Prospectors, and Loggers

Go West with Miners, Prospectors, and Loggers — page 3
Lure of Gold The United States acquired California from Mexico on February 2 1848 At that time no one knew that gold had been discovered in California just nine days earlier James Marshall stands where he found gold next to his new sawmill µ Carpenter strikes it lucky µ Discovery kept under wraps In January 1848 an accidental discovery led to an international frenzy John Sutter a landowner in California had hired James Marshall to build a sawmill on the American River near present-day Sacramento While inspecting the site Marshall spotted some shining flakes in the water Tests confirmed it was gold Sutter and Marshall agreed to keep the discovery secret but word soon spread The California Gold Rush had begun Both Sutter and Marshall later lost their rights to the land They both died penniless µ Rockies gold discoveries ignite new fever µ Miners brave rugged landscape In 1858 prospectors found gold along Cherry Creek in the Rocky Mountains near what is now Denver Colorado Other mineral discoveries in Montana and Idaho followed Thousands of miners set up camps in the mountain valleys slopes and surrounding plateaus Early settlers endured harsh winters and often found little gold When they gave up their mining camps became ghost towns Other camps such as Denver Colorado Springs and Boulder became cities 6