The Story

James Marshall came to California from New Jersey. He was a carpenter and he was building a mill for John Sutter at Coloma, CA.

Then he (James Marshall) discovered gold in January 1848. He was just doing his work, but he saw something shiny in the American River. He picked up the piece of shiny stuff and thought it was gold. He did all the tests that the Encyclopedia Brittanica said to do. It turned out to be gold.

After John Sutter found out, he wanted everyone to keep quiet, because he didn't want everybody trashing his property. But then John Sutter actually told one of his neighbors, in a letter, two weeks later. The workers also couldn't stay quiet.

They told all their friends and neighbors and the Gold Rush started later that year.