Gold Discovery Park Association
Celebrating and preserving the history of the Gold Rush era at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park.
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Coloma Gold Rush Live!

making batter biscuits the old-fashioned wayEvery October the 1850s come to life at the site where the Gold Rush started. Join us again in 2008, for Coloma Gold Rush Live at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in Coloma. (Formerly called the "'49er Family Festival.")

For two days Coloma is packed with images, sounds, and hands-on experiences that bring the 1850s back to life. Rub shoulders with adventurers and historical figures such as James Marshall, who found that first nugget that started the rush to Sutter's Mill. Live history tent encampments recreate the Gold Rush in this authentic setting. Watch as volunteers portraying townspeople in historically accurate dress cook over open fires, show visitors how to pan for gold, make candles and rope, and demonstrate trades such as blacksmithing, spinning, weaving, basket making and more. Children are entertained with games from the 19th century. Musicians play period instruments and encourage visitors to join them in singing songs of those early emigrants.

We know you will agree: Coloma Gold Rush Live is a lively and colorful way to learn and enjoy the history that is uniquely California — and Coloma.

Living History Photographs

Enjoy these images from previous events, and then join us this October of 2008!

Junior docents from Placerville's Gold Trail School portray townspeople in historically accurate dress.
Junior docents

Junior docents dancing at Coloma Gold Rush Live
Young dancers

Docent Bill Arsenith portraying an 1850s gold miner roasting his dinner over an open campfire.
Live history tent encampment

A '49er Festival volunteer brings to life the famed Gold Rush artist Charles Christopher Nahl, recreating for park visitors some of the painted and drawn images typical of Nahl's work in the 1850s.
Gold Rush artist in historic Tent Town

Docent and master blacksmith Bill Fisher skillfully hammers out a glowing-hot horseshoe.
Demonstrating the blacksmith trade

Playing favorite folk tunes once popular with the early immigrants, this fiddler would have brought sweet, musical relief to weary and homesick miners.
Period instruments and songs from days gone by

A docent barefoot in the river, demonstrates a traditional mining method that became common by 1850 during the Gold Rush.
Gold mining demonstration at the South Fork of the American River

California's colorful Mexican heritage is brought vividly to life by this volunteer with her vibrant fabrics and grinding stone demonstration.
Celebrating Mexican culture and way of life

A docent in traditional dress brings the story of the early Californio rancher to the '49er Festival.
Honoring California's Spanish heritage

Long-time park volunteer and docent Fritz Erhardt teaches visitors about wood-working tools from the Gold Rush period.
1850s carpenter

This map of the grounds shows all the vendors and demonstrations available for visitors to the 2004 [em]49er Family Festival[/em]. Also available in a [url=/projects/img/49er-fest-map.jpg]larger screen version[/url] (104k) and [url=/projects/img/49er-fest-map-print.jpg]a version that's big enough to print nicely[/url] (268k).
Site plan

  

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All photographs are ©copyright 2004-2008 by Betty Sederquist, and may not be reprinted without her permission.