Coloma, California: The site of Sutter's Mill on the South Fork of the American River

Good morning. Tina here. I am going to show you some photos from 1947 which I found on ebay. They show the old mill race in Coloma.  Sutter's Mill on the South Fork of the American River was the site where James Marshall discovered the gold nuggets which set off the Gold Rush of 1949. 

The State Park erected a Mill in the 1960's, which is near the original site, and it is getting tired and worn, so they are building a new one, which, although not in the exact spot where it once was, is very much closer.

These photos below are old press photos from 1947. The old mill race was being explored. They found artifacts and perhaps some gold.

The rock monument has been in and out of the river, through several large floods, has had its top knocked off and replaced. At the present time you can walk up to it. I plan a post one of these days showing the many postcards I have of the monument and the changes to it over the years.

 Digging for treasure in suits.

 Looks like they found something.

Across the river there is an old farmhouse where we have visited before. It has been added on to, but is still very much a piece of history.

 I am sure they must have found some gold during this enterprise.

I enjoy living so near a place with such important history. I drive over the bridge in the background of this photo quite often.

Hope you enjoyed our visit to a bit of Coloma's past.