Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
The actual spot where James W. Marshall discovered gold in 1848
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park Location in California Show map of California Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Coloma, California, U.S.
Nearest city	Placerville, California
Area	576 acres (233 ha)
Established	1942
Governing body	California Department of Parks and Recreation

California Historical Landmark
Official name: Marshall Monument
Reference #:	143
California Historical Landmark
Official name: Gold Discovery Site
Reference #:	530
California Historical Landmark
Official name: Coloma Road
Reference #:	748

Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park is a special state park in California, United States. It marks the exact place where James W. Marshall found gold in 1848. This amazing discovery at Sutter's Mill started the famous California Gold Rush!

The park covers a big part of the old town of Coloma, California. Today, Coloma is mostly a ghost town, which means many of its old buildings are still there, but not many people live there anymore. It's also a National Historic Landmark District, recognized for its important history.

Inside the park, you can find several important California Historical Landmarks. These include a monument honoring James Marshall, the exact spot where he first found gold, and the historic Coloma Road. The park was created in 1942 and now covers about 576 acres in El Dorado County.

Exploring Marshall Gold Discovery Park
The Story of Gold Discovery
- How the Marshall Monument Was Built
- The Historic Coloma Road
Images for kids
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Exploring Marshall Gold Discovery Park

This park offers many cool things to see and do. You can learn all about the exciting time of the Gold Rush.

Driving to the Marshall Monument

You can drive along California State Route 153, which is entirely inside the park. This road takes you to the top of a hill. There, you'll find a monument dedicated to James W. Marshall, the person who started it all!

Discovering Gold Rush History at the Museum

The Gold Discovery Museum is a great place to learn about the past. It has many exhibits from the Gold Rush era. You can see old mining tools, wagons pulled by horses, and household items from long ago. It's like stepping back in time to see how people lived and worked during the search for gold.

Connecting with Nature at the American River Center

The American River Nature Center is another fun spot. It has colorful pictures of local wildlife and exhibits you can touch. You can also see animal displays and even some small live animals. It's a perfect place to learn about the nature around the park.

The Story of Gold Discovery

The history of this park is all about the moment gold was found and what happened next.

How the Marshall Monument Was Built

In 1886, a group called the Native Sons of the Golden West wanted to honor James Marshall. They felt he deserved a monument at his grave. This group worked to preserve California's history. In May 1890, five years after Marshall passed away, their efforts paid off. The state government agreed to spend $9,000 to build a monument and a tomb for him. This was the first monument of its kind in California.

A statue of Marshall stands proudly on top of the monument. It points to the exact spot where he found gold in 1848. On October 8, 2010, the monument was rededicated. This special event celebrated the 200th anniversary of James W. Marshall's birth. The monument is a California Historical Landmark, number 143.

The Historic Coloma Road

The old Coloma Road was first used in 1847. It connected Sutter's Fort to the town of Coloma. James Marshall himself traveled this road to tell Captain John A. Sutter about his gold discovery. During the 1849 Gold Rush, thousands of miners used this road. They were all heading out to find gold and claim their own mining spots.

California's first stagecoach line, the California Stage Company, started using this road in 1849. It was founded by James E. Birch. The Coloma Road is also a California Historical Landmark, number 748. You can find a marker for it in the Gold Discovery parking area. There is another Coloma Road landmark, number 747, in Rescue, California.