Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-28
and their descendants have been laid away

and their descendants have been laid AWAY
In their last long sleep.
There are many "reminiscences connected
with this abandoned mining camp which
If collated would make an interesting vol
ume. 1t was here that Senator Stanford
hrst commenced business upon this coast.
Two miles beyond Cold Springs we
passed through another almost deserted
village, Granite Hill. This also was in
early days prosperous town, the mines
tabulously rich, but when the placers gave
out the miners moved on and the town, al
though built up with handsome stone
buildings, was depopulated As fruit sec
uon, however, like Cold Springs, it cannot
be excelled, and although the holticult-
wrists are not so numerous as were the
miners. they are thrifty, prosperous and
contented people.
From Granite Hill to Coloma, a distance
OF three miles, it is all down hill, although
an easy grade. The soil is light and gray
ely, well adapted to fruit culture, and nu-
merous orchards and vineyards are seen
all along the route.
Coloma was reached at o'clock. 1t is
the one historic spot in California which
was immortalized by MarshalPs discovery
of gold in the race of Suffers mill January
10, lS4S In 1S49 Coloma was the Mecca of
all who came around the Horn, of those
who came by way of the isthmus, and OF
the hardy pioneer who crossed the trackless
pralrles. In few months il became a
hvely mining camp, people of all stations
IN life and OF every nationality making up
its population.
Coloma is derived from the Indian word
Cu-lo-ma, meaning beautiful vale" 1t is
little valley mile and half long by
three quarters of mile in width,
surrounded by high and steep hills on
the north and east, and low and Stop.
ing hills to the south and west
Through the center of this valley flows
the South Fork, or main branch, of the
American river.
Originally the valley and side hills were
heavily covered with excellent pine tim.
Der, and it was for the purpose of cutting
lumber and floating il TO Suffers Fort that
the mill was erected in the tail-raCe al
which Marshall found the nugget that sci
his little camp in Juror of excitement and
electrified the civilized world
For some years Coloma was the best
town in the State, had the largest popula,
ton and was the county-seat of Ell Dorado
the then banner county of California
The town was built on both sides of the
river and had one of the first newspapers
published on the coast
As years rolled by Coloma, like all min.
ing camps, lost her population. As the
mines ceased to pay, the county seat was
removed to Placerville and to-day naught
is left of her former granduer except the re,
mains of brick and granite blocks that once
were filled with wholesale houses and
banking institutions.
From roaring mining camp it has be.
come quiet agricultural town and orchards
and vineyards ill all her wales and sunny
slopes, and her people live the quiet lives
of honest farmers.
We were going to Coloma to see the Mar.
shall monument, and it was the first object
that hove in sight as we turned around the
brow of the hill.
This monument was erected by an Act OF
the Legislature at cost of 5000 1t is
located on the summit of Marshall Hill
overlooking the town of Coloma and the
site of Suffers Mill.
The monument is Of granite, beautifully
designed, thirty-one feet in hight, on tor
of which is bronze statue of Marshall ten
feet six inches in hight, making the struct-
ure forty-one feet six inches high, and one
of the most imposing in the State. The
designer and sculptor was j. Marion Wells
The inscriptions on the panels are as fol-
lows:
Front panel" Marshsll."
East panel" Commissioners of the
State: A. Caminetti, J. H. Miller, George
Hottmeister and H. q. Gessford."
South neutrality-suspicious. of Sutter's
mill.
North panel" Erected by the State OF
California in memory of James w. Mar
shall, the discoverer of gold Born Octo.
Der s, 1910. Died august 10, 1885, The
nugget was found in the race of Suffers
mill, in Coloma, January 10, 1S4S' NJ.