The California Gold Rush started on January 24, 1848. James Marshall discovered gold while working on a sawmill for John Sutter. This happened on the American River. At first, Sutter and Marshall tried to keep the discovery secret, but news spread quickly. People in San Francisco and nearby towns dropped their work and hurried to the gold fields. Stores and businesses closed as men left to search for riches.
Soon, people arrived from nearby places, such as Oregon and Hawaii. Word also spread quickly along the Pacific, bringing immigrants from Mexico, Chile, and Peru. By the end of 1848, news had reached the eastern United States. When President James K. Polk confirmed the discovery in December, thousands of Americans were eager to join the journey. In later years, even more people came from China and Europe.
By 1849, tens of thousands of people traveled to California by wagon or ship, hoping to strike it rich. These gold seekers were called forty-niners. Mining was hard and tiring work, but the promise of wealth drew even more people each year. Small camps popped up near streams and rivers where gold was found. These camps quickly grew into boomtowns with shops, saloons, and hotels. San Francisco grew from a small port to a busy city almost overnight. By the end of 1849, California’s non-Native population had grown to nearly 100,000, all chasing the dream of gold.
The Gold Rush marked a turning point in California’s history. A quiet region with few settlers suddenly became a busy and crowded place. The search for gold forever changed the land and the people in the area.
