California Gold Discovery Site: John Marshall Memorial
This monument was erected to memorialize John Marshall, the miller who found gold in the tail-chase of Sutter's Mill.
John Marshall was a miller who partnered with John Sutter to build a mill. Shortly after Sutter's Mill was operational, gold was discovered in the tail-chase of the mill, sparking the California Gold Rush.
This memorial is a tall marble pedestal topped with a bronze statue of John Marshall.
A bronze plaque reads: In 1887 the State of California purchased the site for a monument to commemorate James Marshall, who in 1848 discovered gold near Coloma. Marshall's discovery started the 'gold rush,' that westward trek of Argonauts that marked a turning point in California history. The figure of Marshall atop the monument is pointing to the place of discovery on the South Fork of the American River.
