California

John Sutter left Switzerland to make his fortune in America. In 1839, Sutter acquired eleven square leagues of land from California’s Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado and was on his way to building an empire. His many successful ventures required the voracious use of timber. Sutter entered into partnership with James W. Marshall to build a sawmill on the South Fork of the American River near Coloma. During the construction of the mill in January of 1848, Marshall discovered gold on the site.

Nestled in the foothills between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, Placerville has a colorful history beginning in July of 1848 when gold was discovered there. The town was first known as Dry Diggings, but was later nicknamed of Old Hangtown because three robbers were hanged here on October 17, 1849. The placer mines are estimated to have yielded at least $25 million.

By 1854, Hangtown was the third largest town in California. Today its Main Street hosts the Wagon Train Parade, Dixieland Jazz Festival and Art and Wine Festival among its many annual events.

Perhaps this collection should be called more explicitly “the Gold Country” series because these drawings are the treasure that artist Bette Jones brought back from her trip to re-discover the country that gave us the California Gold Rush.

The Mother Lode is a hundred mile long stretch of gold-bearing quartz which runs roughly north-south along part of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California right through El Dorado County. There you will find Coloma and Placerville, two towns that played starring roles in one of the most exciting dramas of American history known today as the California Gold Rush.