Gold Rush

In 1848, the first prospectors began gathering gold in considerable quantities, and the California Gold Rush took hold. News of the strike reached distant parts of the world quickly, and thousands of hopeful miners poured into the region. Many of these men, known as forty-niners, took out loans, put up their homes as security, and sank their life savings into the hunt for gold.

Back home, many women stayed behind to raise children and manage farms. By the close of the rush, the region held 30,000 men and several hundred women. The boom also brought rapid economic growth. New towns sprang up, and merchants and entrepreneurs found fresh jobs and opportunities. The rush was so profitable that it gave rise to entirely new industries. Blue jeans first appeared in the 1850s and proved popular with women. In 1849, women enjoyed more freedom than men and could command higher wages. One woman made $18,000 from baking pies.

The discovery that started it all came from James Wilson Marshall, a sawmill operator who found gold in the American River in 1848. Once the find was made, his sawmill shut down. Marshall himself never profited from the rush and died penniless in 1885.

Although Americans made up most of the gold seekers, people from Latin America, China, Australia, and other countries also made their way to the region. Because of the American military presence there, numerous gold seekers ended up being Canadians.