Wednesday, 2nd July 2008 (386 views)

The area that inspired the original gold-rush is still a popular tourist attraction, according to Newsweek.

Holidaymakers visit towns around the site in Coloma, where business owners can still make a living on the area's gold history. Tourists can fill their buckets with fool's gold, as well as buy 'how to find gold' books and tools for the job.

In Sonora shops from the gold rush days are still in business and a ten minute drive takes you to Columbia, where the population grew to 6,000 within six weeks of gold being found, according to the report.

The gold rush began in 1848, when James Marshall found gold at a mill in Coloma.

After news of the find spread, 300,000 people came to the region. They included Americans, Europeans and Asians.

Gold seekers were able to find gold in rivers and streams with some finding their fortune and others returning home with little.

 

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