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columbiastatehistoricpark

California State Parks
Primary (5 to 8 years old), Elementary (9 to 12 years old), Middle School (13 to 15 years old), High School (16 to 18 years old), Adults, Post-Secondary
Language Arts And English, Cultures, Nonfiction Informational Reading, Science, Economics, Social Studies, Visual Arts, US History, Arts, World History, Other : Gold Rush History of California

This online resource helps teachers and visitors prepare for an educational exploration of the largest collection of gold rush era brick buildings in California at Columbia State Historic Park. Teachers may want to use these photo collections as visual aids for teaching while studying the California Gold Rush.

Columbia State Historic Park is historically known as "The Gem of the Southern Mines." In spring of 1850, gold was famously discovered here. Gold mining techniques evolved with the availability of water and advances in equipment.

The abundance of placer gold in this area helped Columbia become a town of 150 businesses; once the fifth largest city in California. The strong merchant economy is known for being culturally diverse. This collection highlights some of the cultural diversity of early California.

columbiastatehistoricpark's collections

 

The California Gold Rush: A Journey to the Goldfields

<p>James Marshall's famous discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in Colma forever changed the landscape, economy and culture of California due to the mass migrations of 300,000 people. Rumors of gold's discovery spread quickly, and was confirmed by President Polk in an address to Congress. The news spread to countries around the world. </p><p>The journey to California was long and dangerous. The three major routes were: around Cape Horn by ship (six to eight months), the Isthmus of Panama (two to three months), and the Overland trail (three to five months). By ship, dangers included: ship wrecks, lack of food and water, seasickness and disease. Ships that survived the long journeys arrived to the ports of San Francisco, where migrants had to continue their journey to the Sierra Nevada foothills.   </p> <p>Traveling 2,000 miles on the Overland Trail by foot and wagon exposed travelers to other dangers such as misinformed trails, and a lack of food and water. Travelers were exposed to inclimate weather while crossing deadly rivers, deserts, and high mountain passes. Only the very basic necessities including food, water, wagons, stock, hunting tools, blacksmithing tools, clothing, blankets, sewing kits, medical supplies would be taken for the journey.    </p> <p>On the Overland Trail, many miners joined companies. These companies were made up of people with various skills; such as, carpentry, medicine, navigation, hunting, blacksmithing and wheelwrights. The likelihood of surviving these long and dangerous journeys increased significantly for those individuals who joined companies. If a company survived the journey to California on the Overland Trail, the company also had a higher likelihood of success in gold mining. Individuals within the company could stake multiple gold mining claims and the gold would then be divided among the people of the company. During the gold rush, individuals were only allowed to own one claim.  </p> <p><br /></p>
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Historical Chinese Apothecary Exhibit of California Gold Rush Mining Town, at Columbia State Historic Park.

<p></p><p>The population of California grew from 14,000 to 223,000 between the years of 1848 to 1852. During the California Gold Rush, people from different cultures migrated from all over the world, all sharing the same hopes of creating better lives for themselves and their families. The rich cultural diversity we find in California today can be traced back to many families from the earliest days of the State of California, through cultural artifacts. Columbia State Historic Park has the largest collection of gold rush brick buildings in California. This collection of 1850s gold rush era brick buildings is a living museum of cultural artifacts dated back to the diverse merchant economy that once thrived in Columbia, CA. During the gold rush, Columbia became one of the fifth largest cities in California, with one hundred and fifty businesses during the peak of Columbia's success. The Chinese population in Columbia owned a variety of different businesses; such as dry goods, boarding houses, laundry services, restaurants, and more. Originally, the Chinese population was located on the Western edge of town. In the late 1850s and 1860s, the Chinese began purchasing buildings from French merchants. The town's history of destructive fires and the rise and fall of the merchant economy shaped the reduction of the architectural landscape visitors find today, at Columbia State Historic Park. Many of the brick buildings survived it all and have been restored for visitors to enjoy today. Visitors of Columbia State Historic Park may view the Chinese Store exhibit through windows that display a large collection of Chinese artifacts. This collection of photos provides a closer look at the inside of the Chinese exhibit. Fong Yue Po, from the Yee Phong Herb Company, Sacramento, CA, donated many artifacts used in this exhibit. </p>
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Gold Specimens of the Mother Lode

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California Gold Rush Introduction

<p>A collection complied to assist students and educators with visual aids for educational programs pertaining to the introduction of California Gold Rush History. James Marshall discovered gold in the year of 1848, along the American River, at Sutter's Mill (present day Coloma, California). President Polk, the 11th President of the United States made a landmark announcement to the world of Marshall's discovery. The news from President Polk started one of the largest mass migration of individuals to one place ever in recorded history. Between 1848 and 1852, California's population grew from 14,000 to 223,000. The gold rush was an opportunity for migrants to make a better life for themselves and families. By ship around Cape Horn, by foot through the Isthmus of Panama, or the overland trails by wagon, travels to the Territory of California were long and deadly. Those who survived the journeys fulfilled the dream of Westward migration. These migrations connected cultures from all over the world to develop the diverse population and abundance in opportunity that lives on, in California today. </p>
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California Gold Rush History: Columbia California's Culture Expressed Through Historic Photos

<p>The culture of Columbia expressed through a collection of historic photos. </p>
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California Gold Rush: Gold Coins of the 1850s

<p><br /></p> <p>Paper money did not exist and was prohibited by California's constitution, in 1849. During the California Gold Rush, there were different forms of currency, such as: coins from other countries, gold dust, gold nuggets and gold slugs casted by individuals.</p>
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