California Gold Rush for Kids

On January 24, 1848, James W. Marshall discovered gold in the American River, on the property of his employer John A. Sutter. Despite their efforts to keep this discovery quiet, news soon got out that there was gold in the hills of the River and by August of that year the hillside was covered with tents as men from around the globe, made their way to California to strike it rich.

This was no planned event. The Mexican War had only just been won and the Eastern Seaboard was in a state of financial depression. California Governor Richard Barnes Mason declared, "I have no hesitation now in saying, that there is more gold in the country drained by the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers than will pay the cost of the present war with Mexico a hundred times over." It seemed that the promise of gold was too good to pass up.

To begin with, men came from the West. They were already close by, and they were hard working honest and trusting men. Soon however, settlers began to make their way across the country from the East.

The gold attracted many outlaws with little respect for the law. Robbery, murder, and conflict with Indians and bandits became common. With the inability of local law enforcement to manage this influx of crime, vigilante groups and lynching became a common form of mob justice.

The journey from the East was a hazardous one, more men died of cholera than the feared Indians on that trek across the country. The hard journey however, prepared the men for the harsh conditions of working for the gold. Although there was good money to be made, the cost of living was also high. Few of the prospectors struck it rich, the wise ones become farmers or storekeepers.

The largest influx of settlers was in 1849 and hence the settlers were often referred to as "forty-niners". $10 million dollars worth of gold was found in 1849. This rose to a peak of $81 million in 1852. All in all, over $2 billion dollars worth of gold was taken from the earth before mining became almost dormant.

eBay Gold: Old California License Plates Selling For $300

Do you have any old California license plates tucked away in the corner of your garage or attic? If you do, you might want to bring them out into the daylight, dust them off, and list them on eBay. California license plate pairs from the 1930s through the 1960s routinely fetch over $300.00 on eBay, and it is not uncommon for them to sell for an even higher price when in very good condition.

Of course, there is a catch. Not every pair of old license plates from the Golden State will sell for such a lofty price, and I'm going to show you how to tell the difference between a real nugget and fool's gold.

You see, California, like a number of other states, has on its books what is referred to as a Year of Manufacture Law, or Y.O.M. for short. The intent of this law is to allow owners of classic cars to use on their vehicles the actual style of license plate that was issued during the year the automobile was manufactured. California restricts this law to vehicles manufactured in 1972 or earlier.

So in other words, the owner of a 1951 Chevy could put a set of 1951 California plates on his vehicle if he so desired. Simple, right? Well, it's not quite that easy. First of all, California did not issue a license plate every year. For example, if you owned a 1958 Ford, you would need 1956 plates with 1958 stickers on them. Owners of 1949 vehicles would need a set of 1947 plates with 1949 metal tabs to affix to those plates. Those metal tabs can sometimes be hard to come by as well, and open up another great opportunity for eBay sellers. A tiny set of California metal tabs sell easily for $50.00.

Of course, the year dilemma doesn't really matter to you as a license plate seller. You have what you have. But for a classic car owner, it makes finding authentic plates for his beloved automobile all the more challenging and costly.

And if all this wasn't enough, there is one more, huge obstacle that must be cleared... literally. The number on the license plates must not be currently in use by another motorist. If you have a set of plates to sell with a number that is currently registered to a vehicle, you've got fool's gold, my friend. They are useless to a classic car owner.

To determine if you have the real deal, you can go to the California DMV website and check the number on the personalized plate page. In the vehicle information section, select "Auto" for type of vehicle and check "No" to indicate that you are not going to put the plate on a leased or company owned vehicle. Check the first plate example shown, which is a standard-issue California license plate, and then click "Next" at the bottom of the page. When the new page opens up, you put in your plate number using the "Plate Message" drop down menu. Click "Next" at the bottom of the page, and you will be told instantly if the number is cleared for use on any vehicle.

If the response you receive, is a positive one, congratulations. You've just struck gold! Take a photo of the license plates, and post them on eBay. Be sure to include the words "DMV Clear" in your listing title. For a nice set of plates, I suggest a Buy It Now listing with a Best Offer option. Make your starting price $395.00 and refuse any offer less than $325.00. You're in the driver's seat... and soon to be in the money.

The California Gold Rush

American history is a deeply woven story of new discoveries, seemingly endless frontiers and dogged perseverance. Stories of events and movements that shaped our world and helped build our country can be heard from coast to coast and everywhere in between: the Industrial Revolution that sprouted in the northeast and moved outward, tales of revolution and martyrdom in the South. However, it is to the west that we find one the most colorful and truly American sagas of sacrifice and adventure. The California gold rush holds a special place in history as being responsible for the some of the most widespread migration from across the country.

The gold rush began in 1848 when James Marshall first discovered gold at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. Rumors of the find quickly spread, and within months, the search was on. The earliest treasure seekers would become known as the "49ers", dubbed so for the influx of people drawn to the hunt in 1849. These first 49ers were made up, for the most part, of local farmers and agriculturalists, Native Americans and Hispanic natives. This local atmosphere didn't last long, however, once President Taft announced the find in an address to congress.

Hundreds of thousands of men, women and children flocked to the hills of California is search of the precious metal. Many of the pioneers faced a dangerous journey by sea, in hopes of traveling faster than their counterpart crossing land. The ocean voyage around the tip of South America was arduous, and many did not survive to seek their fortunes. The overland voyage faced its own hardships, with cholera and typhoid fever claiming many travelers.

The city of San Francisco owes its livelihood to the gold rush. Once a tiny, insignificant waypoint, the massive migration brought settlers to the small town. The demand for goods brought traders to port in San Francisco, with countless crews abandoning ship to start their own search for wealth in the mountains of California. Similar situations arose all over California, especially in northern California where gold reserves where greater and much easier to reach.

Much of our view on the "Wild West" came about as a result of the gold rush of 1849. Being so far removed from the seat of government on the east coast, California was a notoriously lawless frontier. Since California was technically still under Mexican control until the end of the Mexican-American War, establishing law and government was particularly challenging. The lack of a local government made it open season for claiming property, and taxes in the West were non-existent.

The gold rush is responsible not only for a cultural surge in on the west coast, but also for a dramatic increase in the development of technology necessary to mine the gold locked away in the mountains. Methods varied greatly, from simple panning to dredging and advanced hydraulic mining. Prospectors were faced with new challenges as the amount of easily accessible gold began to dry up. New methods had to be developed to bring the gold up from deep within the hills.

Gold Country, California

Gold Country is a region that spans more than 100 miles along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. In 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter's sawmill along the American River. Word quickly spread to the east with tales of easy riches just waiting to be plucked off the ground. This prompted a massive and expedient migration to the west in what is now known as the '1849 Gold Rush'. Very few gained the wealth that was expected and instead found hardship and struggle in the many shanty towns that popped up along the Sierra foothills. After most of the gold was panned, sluiced, mined and stripped from the hills, many of these '49ers' either returned back home or headed to San Francisco for city life and stable income. Today, Gold Country follows Highway 49 from Nevada City in the north all the way down south of Yosemite. Many of the original mining camps remain as historic towns like Grass Valley, Auburn, Placerville, Jackson, Angels Camp, Jamestown and many more. All of these towns feature original Victorian homes, historic hotels and a plethora of historic sites. In addition, not only does Gold Country retain a rich gold-mining past, but it also offers many other attractions including recreational lakes, natural caverns, giant sequoias, Native-American sites, wineries and much more.

The northernmost towns include Grass Valley, Nevada City and Auburn. All three are accessible from Interstate 80 between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. Visit what was once the largest and richest gold mine at Empire Mine State Historic Park. Visitors can join a tour and actually enter the mine for an eye-opening glimpse into the life of an 1800's miner. Visit Cousin Jack's Pasties in Grass Valley for a taste of traditional miner fare. The Holbrooke Hotel is one of the oldest hotels in the region and is a Registered Historic Landmark. Directly off Interstate 80 is the town of Auburn where you'll find a quaint, historic portion of town and the county courthouse that today serves as the County Museum. Just a short distant south on Highway 49 lands you at Auburn State Recreation Area where there is a picturesque bridge along the American River and great opportunities for hiking, swimming, whitewater rafting, gold panning, fishing, camping and much more.

Heading south on Highway 49 through Cool, California you'll find Coloma, perhaps the most historic point in all of California. Marshall's Gold Discovery State Historic Park is in Coloma where, in 1848, James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's sawmill. There you'll find a museum of historic artifacts, portions of the original town and a reproduction of Sutter's mill situated in the original location along the American River. Further south where Highway 49 intersects Highway 50 is Placerville. Originally known as 'Hangtown', it was renamed Placerville to honor the gold panners that were referred to as 'placer miners' back in the day. Peruse the shops and historic buildings of downtown Placerville. Stay in the historic Carey House Hotel on Main Street and enjoy a gourmet pot pie at Z-Pie. Step into an original Gold Country gold mine at Gold Bug Historic Park and try your hand at gold panning. Visit a local winery or head up Highway 50 to Apple Hill for some country-fresh produce and homemade apple pie.

Continuing south on Highway 49, there are several small towns worth stopping at to explore including Plymouth, Drytown and Sutter Creek. At the intersection of Highways 49 and 88 is Jackson where there are multiple sites to visit. Visit the Kennedy Mine for a view of a large-scale mining operation. Several recreational lakes are just west of Jackson and offer opportunities for boating, swimming, water skiing, fishing, camping and more. Head up Highway 88 to Indian Grinding Rocks State Historic Park to see the largest Indian mortar rock in all of North America. Join a tour that heads deep inside a gold mine at Sutter Gold Mine. Visit one of several local caverns including Black Chasm and Masonic Caves. Black Chasm features an underground lake worth seeing. Every year beginning in March, Daffodil Hill opens to the public for one month and offers viewing of over 4 acres of blooming daffodils. Feeling lucky? - try your hand at the Jackson Rancheria Indian Casino.

Further south on Highway 49 lands you at our favorite Gold Country region. If you only plan to visit Gold Country once in your life, the region encompassing Angels Camp, Murphys, Sonora and Jamestown is where you should go. Angels Camp lays claim to the only movie theatre in Gold Country, which was once used to entertain miners with dancing girls and theatrical plays. Every year the Calaveras County Fair hosts their frog jump contest at the fairgrounds just outside of Angels Camp. This contest was made famous when Mark Twain wrote a short story about the event called, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County". Main Street has a 'Walk of Fame' where winning frogs are forever memorialized with brass plaques, similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The nearby town of Murphys has a historic hotel and bar where bullet holes can still be found in the walls and ceiling dating back to the 49er days. Murphys is the hub for Sierra Foothill wineries and has tasting rooms along Main Street for just about every local winery. Nearby is Calaveras Big Trees State Park, which features a protected grove of giant sequoias and campgrounds. Several caverns await adventurous explorers including California Cavern, Mercer Caverns and Moaning Cavern. Moaning Cavern offers a rope repel of 165 feet to the cave floor. To the west of Angels Camp, New Melones Lake offers opportunities for boating, swimming, water skiing, fishing, camping and more.

Between Angels Camp and Sonora is Columbia State Historic Park. Columbia represents a gold town as it would've been during the 49er era. Park employees dress in period clothing and perform duties like candlestick making, blacksmith and stagecoach driving. Visitors are welcome to try their hand at many trades of the period. Stagecoach rides are available and two historic hotels offer stay within the park for definitely the most authentic 1800's experience in Gold Country. Just a few more miles down the road is Jamestown where you'll discovery Railtown 1849 State Historic Park. Original steam trains are on display along with an authentic station. Take a ride on an original steam engine train that once supplied timber to the local gold mines. Jamestown also has two historic hotels worth considering for your stay, the National or Jamestown Hotels. One even claims to have a resident ghost.

Gold Country is our favorite region in California for its history, beauty, accessibility and endless recreational activities. With an average altitude of 1,500 feet, it has a temperate climate where snow is a rarity. It is centrally located between big cities like Sacramento and Fresno and vacation hotspots like Lake Tahoe and Yosemite. Because of their locations off of major highways connecting Sacramento to Lake Tahoe, Auburn and Placerville can become extremely congested during the summer months and on weekends. Planning around these times may benefit your overall experience in these towns. The residents of Gold Country are welcoming and eager share their knowledge. You think all the gold was mined out of here in the 1800s? Think again - gold panning is still available throughout the region and plenty of gold is still being found. Be sure to converse with the local shop owners to get details and tips if you plan on trying your luck.

California Revealed is comprised of Californians who have spent a lifetime traveling and exploring California. We can give you local insight on popular destinations, but also let you know about the obscure, less traveled destinations that only locals of this state would know about. This is not the most extensive listing of California destinations but instead, an extensive listing of places and adventures that are sure to please you. Simply put, we want you to have a fantastic, unforgettable time in California.

29e. Gold in California

In January of 1848, a man namedJAMES MARSHALL innocently noticed a few shiny flecks in a California stream at SUTTER'S MILL. Word spread of gold and soon people from all over California flocked inland seeking instant fortune. By autumn, word had reached the east, and once again Americans earned their reputation as a migratory people. During the year that followed, over 80,000 "FORTY-NINERS" flocked to California to share in the glory. Some would actually strike it rich, but most would not. gold in california

Life in a mining town was not easy. Often the towns consisted of one main street. It is in these towns that the mythical "OLD AMERICAN WEST" was born. The social center of these new communities was the saloon. Here, miners might spend some of their meager earnings after a hard day's work. Gambling, drinking, and fighting were widespread, and justice was often determined by the hardest punch or the fastest draw. About 95% of the mining population was young and male. Female companionship was in high demand. Sometimes the saloon doubled as a brothel, and as many as 20% of the female population earned their living as prostitutes. Many other women were shopkeepers and businesswomen, and some werePANNING FOR GOLD side by side with the men. gold in california

This photograph of Sutter's Mill was taken in 1852, four years after the discovery that began the gold rush.

If a nearby mine became exhausted or turned out to be a hoax, there was no reason for the town to exist. The abandoned GHOST TOWNS began to dot the region. gold in california

Although predominantly young and male, the population of California was very diverse. In addition to the white American settlers who comprised the majority of the mining populace, free African-Americans could also be found among their ranks. More numerous were Mexicans who were hoping to strike it rich. Word reached European shores and immigrants headed to America's west. German-Jewish immigrant LEVI STRAUSS invented trousers for the miners — his blue jeans became an American mainstay. Another significant segment of the diversity was the CHINESE, who hoped to find gold and return to their homeland. Over 45,000 immigrants swelled the population between 1849 and 1854. Diversity did not bring harmony. The white majority often attacked the Mexican and Chinese minorities. The miners ruthlessly forced the California Native Americans off their lands. Laws were passed to restrict new land claims to white Americans. gold in california

Gold in California

Our Gold in California panning map shows there are currently 17,911 active gold mining claims and 17,332 abandoned claims located throughout the state. Of those active claims, 9,467 are lode claims and 8,444 are placer claims. Of those abandoned claims, 10,091 are lode and 7,241 are placer. Gold in california's active gold mining claims represent about 5% of all gold claims in America.

	When you first open the Gold in California map you will see a satellite view of the state with little yellow clusters throughout. Those yellow clusters represent areas where you’ll find high concentrations of active gold mining claims. This view of these yellow clusters gives us an incredibly precise view of where most of Gold in california is being found. This near real-time look at these gold bearing areas is simply not possible with traditional fold-out paper maps.
	Now zoom in about 90 miles NE of Sacramento to a little resort town called Bucks Lake. You can clearly see the active (yellow) and abandoned (blue) gold mining claims boundaries throughout the area. You are now on public land in the Plumas National Forest. That means you can find dozens of non-claimed public gold in California panning sites for you and your family to try your luck at. The boundaries shown are accurate to within feet of what you’ll see at ground level.
	Zoom in further still and you can click on any active or abandoned gold claim for ownership and other information about the claim. This information is to help those prospectors wanting to establish their own claims. Recreational gold panners should not try to contact claim holders and always stay away from claimed property. Use the claims to guide you to where the action is but always respect the property rights of others.
	Still looking at the Bucks Lake area, turn on the Google Earth™ overlay entitled Places of Interest. Now you can see Plumas National Forest campgrounds, ranger stations, hiking trails, hotels and stores. You can zoom in further still to get a birds-eye view of roads, creeks and other points of interest. Using Google Earth™ satellite imagery, altitude and distance measuring tools will eliminate most surprises like, “I didn’t know that hill was so steep.”

California Gold Panning Notes: None of the Gold in California images above show just how close you can zoom in to see gold in California panning sites. You’ll be amazed at how crisp the satellite imagery is and how much exploring and planning you can do from the comfort of your home. And Google Earth™ is a free download.