James Marshall

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.

Pioneer Cemetery, Coloma

It'll be no surprise that there is a pioneer cemetery in Coloma. What did surprise us is that it is perhaps the best one we've visited. Lots of great stones here.

Sutter's Mill

While Coloma does have a post office, it is missing most of the other trapping of a modern city, such as a grocery or pharmacy. 

The Blacksmith at Coloma

About an hour and a half north of us along hwy 49 is the small town of Coloma. This is the place that grew around the water powered sawmill that John Sutter built here on the bank of the American River. While many sources tell that gold was discovered here 24 January, 1848, I struggle to find one that clearly states when the mill was constructed. The Britannica states that James Marshall found the gold flakes while the mill was being built, so let's go with that.