PBS
New Perspectives on the West: James Wilson Marshall (1810 1885)
A brief biography of James Marshall who discovered gold at Sutter's Mill in 1848, which led to the California Gold Rush.
Other
Ailello Studios: The Land of Glittering Dreams
Learn some interesting facts about the California Gold Rush through images, personal stories and other writings.
Other
Sierra Foothill Magazine: Gold Rush Women
This article discusses the varied roles of women during the Gold Rush.
Other
Gold Rush Players: Joaquin Murieta
Information about the notorious Joaquin Murieta, Mexican miner who became a legend after a book was written about him in 1854.
Other
Gold Rush Players: James Wilson Marshall
This article provides a brief overview of the life of James Marshall, who discovered gold at Sutter's Mill in 1848.
Other
California Gold Country: James W. Marshall's Account of First Discovery of Gold
James W. Marshall's own words about discovering gold at Sutter's Mill in California in 1848.
Other
Gold Rush Players: Johann Augustus Sutter
Chronicles the life of John Sutter who immigrated to America to find his fortune and then saw it crumble away after the discovery of gold at his mill.
Other
The Gold Rush: Despair
This page discusses what happened to many of the gold miners when the gold ran out in California.
Other
The Gold Rush: Changes
Read about the environmental impact the changing technology of gold mining inflicted on California and the economic impact on the miners.
Other
The Gold Rush: Fever
This resource provides information about the Gold Rush, and fever that took place during westward expansion.
Other
The Gold Rush: Gold Country
A great look at the people who made money providing services for the miners in the California Gold Rush.
Other
The Gold Rush: The Journey
Read about the routes followed by those seeking the riches of California. Find out the advantages and hazards of each route.
Ducksters
Ducksters: History: California Gold Rush for Kids
Kids learn about the California Gold Rush from the Old West on this site. Thousands of people move to the west to search for gold and strike it rich.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: Treasures of Am. History: Western Expansion
Shown are images and descriptions of artifacts that express the challenges that the migrants, Mexicans, and Indians shared in their quest for westward expansion in the United States during the 1800s.
Library of Congress
Loc: California History Collection: The Discovery of Gold
Contains an article on the discovery of gold in California at Sutter's Mill that resulted in the California Gold Rush.
Museum of the City of San Francisco
Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco: Johann Augustus Sutter
This page contains a brief biography of gold rusher, John Sutter, from the book "Life in California before the Gold Discovery" by John Bidwell.
Museum of the City of San Francisco
Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco: Ulysses S. Grant and the Gold Rush
From Ulysses S. Grant's memoirs is this description of his 1852 trip to California across Panama and his stay in San Francisco.
Museum of the City of San Francisco
Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco: Samuel Brannan's Bank
This site contains a poster of a new bank started by Sam Brannen in San Francisco during the gold rush.
Museum of the City of San Francisco
Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco: The Miners' Ten Commandments
Written by James Hutchings in 1853, the ten commandments of miners show the life of the miner.
Museum of the City of San Francisco
Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco: The Miner's Song
Published in "Hutching's California Magazine" in 1857 was a song expressing the hopes and dreams of those suffering from gold fever.
Museum of the City of San Francisco
Virtual Museum of San Francisco: Alvin Coffey, African American '49Er
Provides biography of an African American 49er with first hand accounts.
Other
Yuba City: John Augustus Sutter
This article traces the career of the Swiss American pioneer, John Sutter. The discovery of gold in 1848 at his lumber mill led to the California Gold Rush.
Oakland Museum of California
Gold Rush: Entertainment
Many individuals made money during the gold rush without finding any gold. This resource dicusses how many actors and musicians made money entertaining lonely miners. There is also an audio version.
Oakland Museum of California
Giant Gold Machines Gold Dredges
This page gives a brief explanation of extracting minerals by the use of gold dredges. This was a process that sped up the process of finding gold.