Project
The Gold Rush
Division of Public Programs
Photo caption
Watch The Gold Rush on PBS' American Experience.
Courtesy of PBS
Photo caption
Watch The Gold Rush on PBS' American Experience.
Courtesy of PBS
The discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in 1848 transformed California and America, sparking massive migration, breakneck development, and a national strike-it-rich fever. Explore the stories of the 49ers who prospered or foundered, the international immigrants who sought their fortunes in the American West, and the Native Americans displaced by the influx of prospectors.