Monday, June 22, 2026

Question: In 1848, the gold discovery that set off the California Gold Rush took place at Sutter’s Mill, in which Gold Country town along the American River?

Answer: Coloma. On January 24, 1848, James W. Marshall spotted gold in a water channel at Sutter’s Mill on the South Fork of the American River in Coloma, El Dorado County, the find that touched off the California Gold Rush. The site is now Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, where visitors can still pan for gold.