Towering Grave of California's Gold Discoverer
Coloma, California
James Marshall found gold here on January 24, 1848, and it launched the California gold rush. Despite his early good fortune, Marshall died penniless. The state of California, perhaps feeling a little guilty, dug up Marshall's remains five years later, in May 1890, and reburied them on a hilltop, next to an impressive 31-foot-tall monument and bronze statue. The figure clutches a gold nugget and points down to the spot where it was found.
The surrounding park has rebuilt the sawmill and tailrace where Marshall made his discovery, and visitors are welcome to try their luck at finding their own flecks of gold.