Sutter's Mill

Sutter 's Mill ( English abbreviation for " Sutter's sawmill " ) was a sawmill near Coloma on the American River in California. On January 24, 1848 there was the carpenter, James W. Marshall several flakes of gold. The discovery triggered the California gold rush of 1848.

Marshall worked as a foreman in the construction of a sawmill by Johann August Sutter. Sutter wanted to power the sawmill in the valley of the southern branches of the American River with hydropower and produce building material for the development of his farm New Helvetia. The gold rush increased the demand for lumber enormous. Since Sutter constantly changed his plans, the sawmill never reached the maximum performance.

Sutter 's Mill is now under the name of Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park as a state park under the administration of the California State Parks. There are in addition a small museum on the history of the place and the gold rush, a functional replica of the sawmill and several historic buildings the opportunity for visitors, even to wash gold.

After the sawmill the meteorite Sutter's - Mill -powered car was named, was observed on April 22, 2012 on Nevada and California. Fragments of the meteorite were found near the sawmill in Coloma and nearby Henningsen Lotus Park.

More images

Today's view of the reconstructed sawmill