California’s most famous Gold Rush dates back to the morning of January 24, 1848, when James Marshall was making his customary inspection of the sawmill he was building for John Sutter. He was more interested in finishing the sawmill than the “shining flecks of metal” found in the running water. His discovery though, set an immediate “rush to the mines” and by the Spring of 1849, the largest gold rush in American History was under way. The people who really benefited from the large influx of people were the shipyard and lumber yard owners, since the population grew from 14,000 in 1848 to 250,000 by 1852. Other gold rushes include the Georgia Rush of 1829, Klondike Gold Rush of 1898 and the Porcupine Gold Rush of 1909. Come in and check out information on this great adventure in our country’s history.