Adventure 051, Site 181 – Sutter's Mill

 Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 051, Site 181 – Sutter's Mill

California Landmark Number: 530

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  June 29, 2012

Location:

Latitude: 38° 48.209′ N

Longitude: 120° 53.537′ W

Address: Marshall Gold Discovery State Historical Park

Description:

We all know that James Marshall discovered gold along the South Fork of the American River in 1849 while constructing Sutter's Mill. But sometimes it is good to come back and think about how different life would have been if gold had not been discovered. That is the opportunity which Thing One and Thing Two had when they did Adventure 52 at this historic place.

NO. 530 GOLD DISCOVERY SITE - This monument marks the site of John A. Sutter's sawmill. In its tail-race, on January 24, 1848, James W. Marshall discovered gold and started great rush of Argonauts to California. The Society of California Pioneers definitely located and marked the site in 1924 - additional timbers and relics, including the original tailrace unearthed in 1947, were discovered after the property became a state park. The State erected the Marshall Monument overlooking this spot in 1890 through efforts begun in 1886 by the Native Sons of the Golden West.
Location: Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, follow trail from Gold Discovery parking lot to American River, State Hwy 49 (P.M. 23.3), Coloma



Inscription as found on HMDB:
This rock monument marks site of John A. Sutter's saw mill in the tailrace of which James W. Marshall discovered gold, January 24, 1848, starting the great rush of argonauts to California. The Society of California Pioneers definitely located and marked site in 1924. Additional timbers and relics, including original tailrace unearthed in 1947, were discovered after property became state park. Marshall Monument overlooking this spot was erected following movement inaugurated in 1886 by Native Sons of the Golden West.

Tablet placed by Historic Landmarks Committees Native Sons and Native Daughters of the Golden West January 24, 1948 on centennial of gold discovery.



References:

• Wikipedia
  
• Historical Marker Database (HMDB.org) – Timbers from original mill and its replica
  
• Waymarking
  

Overall Landmark References:

• David Schmitt's California State Historical Landmark (Schmitt)
  
• Wikipedia: California's National Landmarks (WCNL)
  
• State of California's California Historical Landmarks (CHL)
  
• Wikipedia: California State Landmarks (WCSL)
  
• State of California Historical Resources (CHR)
  
• Historical Marker Database (HMDB)
  
• WayMarking (WAY)