Sutter's Mill
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Sutter's Mill was a sawmill owned by 19th century pioneer John Sutter. It was located in Coloma, California, USA at the bank of the American River. Sutter's Mill is most famous for its association with the California Gold Rush. It was here that an employee/partner of Sutter's, James Marshall, on January 24, 1848, found several flakes of gold that would begin the transformation of California from a sleepy outpost to a bustling center of activity.[1] Originally, John Sutter and James Marshall tried to keep the gold secret but eventually the word got out, bringing people from many different cultures to the "Golden" state. The first to document the discovery of the gold were Henry Bigler and Azariah Smith, in their respective diaries. They and several other people working at the mill were discharged veterans of the Mormon Battalion.
The site of the mill is located on the South Fork of the American River. Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park is registered as California Historical Landmark #530. Sutter's Mill is a copy of the original building and looks much like it. It was built with Marshall's own drawings and an early day photo as reference for the recreation of the mill.
The mill was also the namesake and inspiration for a popular song by singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg.
Modern reconstruction in 2008
monument marking the actual site of the original mill, near the reconstruction
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