This film depicts the California Gold Rush in 1848-1855. This propelled California into statehood as 300,000 flocked to the area in search of gold. The influx of gold reinvigorated the American economy. The first piece of gold was found by a carpenter named Jim Marshall (:46) at lumber mill in Coloma, California. A picture of the lumber mill is zoomed in on to show the tail race (:57) where he located gold in 1848. This first lump he had found is now held in the Bancroft library in the University of California (1:14). Marshall took the piece to the camp cook to have it boiled in soap in order to test it’s validity (1:34). Jennie Wimmer’s diary is shown which details the event as it had proven to be gold (1:55). Marshall headed to Fort Sutter to inform Captain Sutter of his find (2:04). The fort he constructed by the Sacramento River had been restored to it’s original condition (2:15). A cannon is seen outside (2:20) and the room where Marshall and Sutter spoke about the gold follows (2:25). Though they attempted to keep the gold a secret, news traveled rapidly (2:51). A piece in the San Francisco paper is shown (2:51) as well as in the Weekly Gazette (2:59). Books were printed on how to get to California to discover gold (3:07). France held a lottery with a main prize of a trip to California (3:20). Shots of pictures from these books follow (3:26). Each boasted that the effort would be easy (3:32). The rush began in 1849 (3:47). Miners arrived from the east coast, Europe and China and the three routes which they had taken are pointed to on a map (3:55). Poster’s promoting the journey to California follows (4:19). A span of some of the diaries kept by those on the ships making their way to California (4:44) tell of the journey. Details include many getting sick from rotten food, inhabitants having to sleep on the open deck as they were crowded and of expensive drinks fresh water as the ships made stop overs (4:57). Many arrived to tents for housing (5:16). Sacramento had become a landing place for the influx of miners (5:40) on their way to Coloma. A sign shows the location of where the first piece of gold had been found (6:02). Mining spread from Mariposa and Columbia to Deer Creek (6:23). A sign is shown reading ‘Deer Creek dry diggings 1841-50’ (6:26). One man is seen using a chisel, pick ax and gold pan to search for gold (6:35). The panning bowel is zoomed in on (6:49). Jets of water were directed against the river bank and this washed out surface rock and dirt rapidly (7:11). Hydraulic mining structures follow (7:22). Whole mountainsides were washed down, farmlands were buried and forests were ruined (7:39). Footage of barren hydraulic mining sites (7:43) lead to a law which had been passed prohibiting the activity. River banks were used up and miners moved to the high Sierras (8:00). Samples were brought to Nevada city to be tested (8:06). A few of the miners are shown in photograph including Leland Stanford (8:26), Collis Huntington (8:30), Mark Hopkins (8:31) and Charles Crocker (8:34) whom later became chief investors in the Central Pacific Railroad. A stamping mill is viewed (9:03). Mount Davidson and Gold Hill were mined until barren (9:13). Virginia City is seen empty (9:18) which had once been populated with 50,000 (9:18). Miners often attended Piper’s Opera House (9:37). A show girl poster is viewed (9:42). Many of the girls had gold nuggets tossed at them (9:42). Mountain sources of gold were exhausted (10:00). Mining cars and ore wagons were left were they stood (10:05). A span of a deserted mining town follows with a caved in roof (10:12) as much of the areas became ghost towns. This rush enabled the first continental railroad link (10:49). Yerba Buena village grew into San Francisco (10:56). Fort Sutter grew into Sacramento (11:08). A Wells Fargo Express office in Columbia is now a state historical monument (11:33). In a fiddle town, only the post office and a few homes remained (11:42). A sign in the middle of nowhere points to mining sites and towns which are long gone (11:53). Old Hangtown grew into Placerville (12:03). The headframe of a deep rock mine is shown (12:30) which were still in operation. Modern mining is considered to be expensive and very difficult to get rich from (12:59). A monument where Sutter’s Mill had once stood follows (13:31). Sutter’s grave (13:38) as well as Jim Marshal’s with his statue atop (13:41) are shown. Marshall’s hand on the statue points down to the place where he had first found gold (13:51). This film was distributed by Oxford Films (14:18).

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com