Vintage photography of the heritage of the gold rush

The irony of the California gold rush that first person who found gold in the region, James W. Marshall, died alone and without a penny in his pocket. Moreover, near the site of his discovery. A hundred years later, in 1948, LIFE magazine ran the story about Marshall, but faced with the fact that this story became national. Therefore, the project complements the descendants of those who did not give up, believed in the dream and looking for gold.

Grocery store in Volcano. The veterans spend time at poker in the twilight between the search for gold.

On the river Stanislaus in Melonse these structures are still standing. To the left of the bridge in 1850, the enterprising ferryman collected $ 10,000 in gold for six weeks.

Sign on California state route 49.

The countryside in California.

69-year-old Hubert Brady sits on the Sunny street of Colombia and tells tourists stories about the days of the gold rush. His father sold groceries to the "sorokdevyatoyi".

Albert Truebody, 75 years old, looking for gold in the silica defunct mine near Sierra. His father traveled West in 1847 and earned $ 50,000.

Two elderly California resident with sump and trough for washing the gravel is collected on a gold mine on the Yuba river, where even in a hundred years still left on Golden sand.

Modern "Golden" city of Jackson retains an old atmosphere — for example, here the lowest prices on gold and prohibited gambling. In 1849 the town was called Bottles because of the huge mountains of bottles on the streets.

The assay office is still testing samples of ore. First she tested the ore from the Comstock Lode in 1858. Today's office runs a 78-year-old Emil George. N. Ott, a veteran of the gold rush.

The modern gold mine is not like that, like the miners in 1849.

Howard Hartsell, age 79, namyvaet gold on the river to "just exercise". Two months of production in the summer he won gold at 35 dollars.

Tom Purdy, 87 years, engaged in mining in the mine in Morgan, where was found the largest gold nuggets in the history of the United States. In 1854 there was discovered a lump in 88 pounds cost 43 534 USD.

A gold mine in California.

A neon sign outside a bar in Jackson, CA, 1948.

Old barn in the area with a gold mine.

Canyons near Nevada, formed between 1860 and the 1880s as the result of the washing of entire slopes of hydraulic machines.