Today in History

December 31, 1852

The Richest Year Of The Gold Rush

At the end of the year 1852, the California Gold Rush had produced over $81 million in wealth from prospecting claims. The Rush began on January 24, 1848, when James W. Marshall discovered gold on his land. News spread quickly, and soon prospectors from Oregon, Hawaii, and even Latin America were rushing to California to buy land and stake their claims. In 1849, hopeful immigrants began pouring in from the rest of the United States, China, Europe, and Australia, coining the term "forty-niners". Thanks to the rapid development of mining areas for the huge influx of gold-seekers, California was able to quickly gain entry into the United States, becoming a state in 1850.

You are free to use this content in your own newsletters and emails with your clients. Travel Research Online is a free service to all professional travel agents offering more than 650 destination guides, epostcards and other marketing and research tools