Did the Area of Sutter's Mill Look Like This Old Photo?

The Start of the '49er Gold Rush

     The gold nugget above is the exact size of one of several that James W. Marshall found at Sutter's Mill that began the California Gold Rush. He found it in 1848. It took awhile for the news to travel east that gold was to be had with little effort. It wasn't long before a stream of gold prospectors lined the banks of several California rivers.

Those that got richest from the discovery were the ones that lived nearby or arrived in the area in 1848. It could take by ship as long as a year to get from New York to California.  (One ship that took a year was "the little steam packet Hartford.")

(This information, including photo of nugget, from the book, THE FORTY-NINERS by the editors of TIME-LIFE BOOKS with text by William Weber Johnson)

Interesting Fact

According to the book above and several books consulted for information for this site Rob and Allan most likely would not have been '49ers. Most men were much younger than these two (late forties). Although there were some that lived in the area and some made the trip from the east that were as old and older than Rob and Allan, but most found the work much too hard. If they stayed in the area, they found work other than prospecting.

IF I WERE A FORTY-NINER

If I were a '49er, I'd work my hands to the bone.
Why? So I could get back home!
... don't like working, working the river alone.
If I were a '49er, my fingers bled red
I'd dream of wife and bed
And children at my knee,
Waiting for California stories and California gold to see.

Written for THE GOLD ANGLE by
Linda Newton-Perry

A Youtube Video You May Enjoy

 FINDING GOLD-How to Open and work a crevice by Two Toes, 20 plus minutes
 Click link to go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm5nx1Q4nEQ

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT GOLD

 
1. The two countries producing the most gold are South Africa and the United States.

2.  One ounce of gold can be drawn out to 43 miles. 

Hard to believe right?

BACK TO THE PAST

     Let's say you are a California '49er. You managed to make your pile of gold. You're set for life.  Do you keep that rugged beard, or do you shave it off and begin again the routine of shaving every day. No need  to decide until you get within a day of home and family. But rumor has it that those that leave the whiskers are thought of, for a time anyway, as a hero. 

THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE DIFFICULT DECISION TO MAKE, OR IS IT!

Picker

This picker just fell into Allan's highbanker. Allan and Rob were setting up when Allan caught the glint of gold on the black mat. We can only guess how excited they were to start their morning's work this way. "What will the rest of the day be like?" They must have been saying. To see their reaction when finding it click on the first Youtube link below.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED!

Humor

Above reads, CAR IN THE RIVER? DIDN'T HAPPEN!  JUST TRYING TO BE FUNNY!

FOUND A PICKER

Click link to take you to a new Youtube Video
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQGrqhPwP28

WHERE DO WE FILM?

ON THE RIVER ...

This guy has all the 'GOLD MOVES'!

What Site Are You ON?

THE GOLD ANGLE

New Link

CASCADE MOUNTAINS GOLD
A site you may enjoy. Click link to
go...
 
http://www.goldpannersguide.com/

GOLD HUNTING

Best to search for gold where it has been found in the past. THIS IS WHAT MANY EXPERTS TELL US! PLEASE COMMENT

Gold Rush

Tell us about your gold adventures. COMMENT

New Friend

http://armadillomining.com/

CLICK ABOVE LINK TO TAKE YOU TO THE SHOP

Great place to order or buy whatever you need for gold mining. Rob and Allan spent a few hours this last weekend at the shop. It gets a thumbs up from both guys.

About Illustration

 
ABOVE illustration is an abstracted photo of Rob's and Allan's gold in a blue gold pan. JUST SHARING BEAUTY. ... Comment Please

Video CHECKING OUT THEIR GOLD

CLICK LINK TO GO TO LATEST YOUTUBE VIDEO OF ROB AND ALLAN 'SHOWING YOU THEIR GOLD.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTz55RLwgVs