Many people in California figured gold was there, but it was James W. Marshall on January 24, 1848, who saw something shiny in Sutter Creek near Coloma, California. He had discovered gold unexpectedly while overseeing construction of a sawmill on the American River.
Gold gets its name from the Anglo-Saxon word "geolo" for yellow. The symbol Au comes from the Latin word for gold, "aurum."
Gold gets its name from the Anglo-Saxon word "geolo" for yellow. The symbol Au comes from the Latin word for gold, "aurum."
Map of California during Gold Rush