In 1849 gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill, about 18 miles from Sacramento; read the amazing true pioneering story behind Sutter's Mill.

John Sutter had in 1847 a large ranch and fort at the present site of Sacramento in California. He owned large fields of grain, many herds of cattle and horses, and was very hospitable to all Americans coming to California. A flour-mill was needed on his great ranch to grind up the wheat harvested yearly but there was no lumber at hand with which to build it. In the latter part of August, 1847, Captain Sutter and Mr. James Marshall of New Jersey signed an agreement by which a sawmill was to be set to work at Coloma, in a small valley forty-five miles from Sutter's fort, up the Sierra Nevada mountains fifteen hundred feet above the sea. The mountain sides at Coloma were thickly covered with yellow pine, which was to be brought to the mill and sawed into lumber for use at Sutter's fort.

Mr. Marshall, who was a skilful wheelwright, with nine white men and about a dozen Indians, went up the valley of the American River to Coloma to erect this mill. This is the familiar introduction to the story of how gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill.

But what has been long obscured by the story of the historic discovery of gold is the remarkable life story of the pioneer behind Sutter's Mill--John Sutter.

Thomas J. Schoonover in his 1895 book "The Life and Times of General John A. Sutter" brings to life the remarkable hidden story of one of the most important pioneers of early California.