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This book tells the saga of the California Gold Rush through scores of fascinating stories and anecdotes. All the essentials are here: how the rush for gold began; where the gold seekers came from; how they lived, worked, brawled, and played; and how they changed the course of California history. But readers will also discover a rich store of tales about personalities both famous and little-known: Francisco Lopez, astonished to find bits of gold clinging to the roots of wild onions; Sam Brannan, spreading the news of the gold discovery to bring customers to his store; and notorious outlaws like Joaquin Murrieta and Black Bart, to name just a few. These stories, and many more, paint a vivid picture of one of the most colorful and significant episodes in California history.
112 pages, illustrated Be sure to check out the exciting Hands-On History projects and activities book for this title! |
But who really started the Gold Rush? Was it Marshall, who may have found the yellow metal? Was it Sutter, the man he worked for? Or was it a third man, somebody many people have never heard of? The man I’m thinking of was named Samuel Brannan. Brannan arrived in California in 1846. Marshall’s find was still two years in the future, and there was little talk of gold when Brannan settled in the small village of Yerba Buena, on San Francisco Bay. While he was there, he acquired land and started businesses. Among his businesses was a newspaper called the California Star. Brannan used the paper for advertising and to report newsworthy events. At that time Sutter’s Fort was a popular stopping-off place for overland settlers arriving in California. Brannan and a partner decided to open a store outside the walls of Sutter’s complex. The store stocked such things as hardware, dry goods, liquor, and general merchandise. One day in 1848, a wagon driver tried to pay for some liquor at the store with a gold nugget. The nugget had come from the site of Marshall’s sawmill. It was in this way that Brannan learned about the gold discovery. Sutter and Marshall wanted to keep the find a secret, but the excited Brannan had other ideas. He knew that once the word got out, people from far and near would flock to the area. He would never again have to worry about having enough customers for his store! Cleverly, Brannan stocked up on merchandise that the miners would need. The next step was to make sure that people heard about the riches waiting to be found near Sutter’s Fort. . . . |
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