Go for the Gold!

Go for the Gold!

Mining is intricately intertwined with many aspects of modern life. From the rare earth elements used to make our iPhones and iPads, to the assortment of metals and minerals that make modern transportation possible, the face of modern society would look drastically different, in more ways than one, without mining. However, while mining’s impact on modern culture is readily visible, we often overlook the ways it has shaped our history. For instance, did you know mining was the impetus for one of the largest migrations in human history?

The discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill, California in 1848 sparked a massive scramble westward in search of the highly coveted metal. Towns and cities earned the moniker of “boomtown” as they sprang up literally overnight to accommodate the prospector’s and immigrants flooding into California and the surrounding territories looking to strike it rich. While many did find gold, few actually made it big. As the gold dried up, many boomtowns were abandoned as quickly as they appeared. Nevertheless, the Gold Rush, and the mining that sparked and sustained it, irrevocably altered our country. Thanks to exponential population, California attained statehood a mere two years after the U.S. purchased it from Mexico in 1848, while several major cities, including San Francisco, got their start as boomtowns during the Gold Rush’s heyday.

Today it’s almost impossible not to feel the impact of the Gold Rush. You can still find ghost towns left over from the era, Denver and Sacramento have both risen from boomtown beginnings to become state capitals, and the San Francisco 49ers football team bears the name given to the prospectors who first arrived in California in search of gold. California’s rise, America’s westward expansion, and the rich history both have left behind owe a great debt to the Gold Rush and the mining that started it all.