The central character of the state park in Coloma is James W. Marshall. He's the guy who was the saw mill operator. He's the guy who found the gold. And he's the guy after whom the park is named. You'd think that John Sutter was just chopped liver for all the recognition he gets. I suspect that this is because Sutter was just the money behind the project. Marshall was the boots on the ground making it all go.
The WPA erected this statue of Marshall to commemorate the discovery of gold here. Certainly something to celebrate since this finding totally altered the course of California history.
Interestingly, Marshall's house still stands.
And on a nearby stone is this plaque giving a summary of his life and times.
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