Semicentennial Discovery of Gold -- January 28, 2023

San Francisco Call, 12-December-1897

In January 1898 San Francisco's California's Golden Jubilee and Mining Fair celebrated the 50th anniversary of James Marshall's discovery of gold in the American River. "Mining and Outfitting Practically Illustrated," for the benefit of people heading for the Yukon Gold Rush.

The First Nugget -- January 24, 2023

San Francisco Examiner, 23-January-1898

175 years ago today, on 24-January-1848, John Marshall, a veteran Captain John C. Frémont's California Battalion during the Bear Flag Revolt, was leading a crew which was building a sawmill for Colonel John Sutter. The sawmill was on the American River, near Coloma. Marshall found shiny objects in the tailrace that turned out to be gold. This was the beginning of the California Gold Rush. Neither Marshall nor Sutter prospered.

The image is based on a painting by Charles Christian Nahl.