Top of page

The Rush for Gold

Share this post:

The January 1848 chance discovery of gold in northern California rapidly altered the course of America. On this day, August 19, in 1848, word finally reached the East Coast, when the New York Herald published a report of the discovery. By 1849, the rush was on in earnest, leading to the well-known term for gold seekers: ’49ers. Hundreds of thousands of people poured into the American West, looking to strike it rich. Scenes like the one seen below became commonplace, as able-bodied people sought their fortune:

Gold miners, El Dorado, California. Photo, between circa 1848 and 1853. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ds.04487
Gold miners, El Dorado, California. Photo, between circa 1848 and 1853. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ds.04487

A unique view of the journey west was captured by Rhode Island native Daniel Jenks. A decade after the initial rush, Jenks set out to cross the country in February 1859 to find gold in Pike’s Peak, Colorado. (Upon hearing reports along the way, he changed course and went to California instead.) He documented his six month journey full of mountain passes, water crossings, snowstorms and desert heat through diaries and drawings. Imagine the arduous trip through a few of his drawings below:

Chavis Creek, Camp 14th. Drawing by Daniel Jenks, 1859. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsc.04807
Chavis Creek, Camp 14th. Drawing by Daniel Jenks, 1859. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsc.04807
Cache la Poudre Creek. Drawing by Daniel Jenks, 1859. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsc.04814
Cache la Poudre Creek. Drawing by Daniel Jenks, 1859. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsc.04814
Cherokee Pass, Rocky Mountains. Drawing by Daniel Jenks, 1859. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsc.04813
Cherokee Pass, Rocky Mountains. Drawing by Daniel Jenks, 1859. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsc.04813

 

The dessert [i.e., desert]. Drawing by Daniel Jenks, 1859. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsc.04817
The dessert [i.e., desert]. Drawing by Daniel Jenks, 1859. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsc.04817
After making it to California, Jenks later bought a mining claim in Long Gulch. In this view of the mine and cabins, you can see Jenks’ cabin in the lower right corner.

View of the mine at Long Gulch. Drawing by Daniel Jenks, 1860. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsc.04825
View of the mine at Long Gulch. Drawing by Daniel Jenks, 1860. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsc.04825

[Unidentified man with gold mining equipment and wearing a U.S. beltplate]. Tintype, circa 1865. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsca.34503
[Unidentified man with gold mining equipment and wearing a U.S. beltplate]. Tintype, circa 1865. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsca.34503
 Learn More:

Comments (12)

  1. This 1/4 plate tintype is of a Union veteran who still proudly wears his U S belt plate. Notice the nuggets in the bottom of his mining pan which the photographer has tinted gold.

  2. How did Jenks fare? Did he strike it rich?

  3. Alas, Daniel Jenks did not strike it rich. He worked as a grocer and drover before returning home to Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where he died in 1869 at the age of 42. (Both of his parents survived him.) What Kristi did not know, is that a couple of years ago we acquired two of his diaries, including the one that he wrote for his 1859 journey west to Yreka, California via Pueblo, Colorado, as well as a Civil War-era diary recording his work as a drover between Yreka and Idaho territory, http://lccn.loc.gov/mm2012085772. The diaries and a few letters are housed in the Manuscript Division.

  4. that was good

  5. Very useful for school!

  6. I love the pictures they help so much

  7. more cooler than I thought is was going to be more boring but no.

  8. pretty nice article

  9. I like this

  10. Great source! I’m currently using this on my National History Day project.

  11. In the photo, are the dogs working dogs? It looks like they have harnesses on.

  12. Thank you for this! I love it!

Add a Comment

This blog is governed by the general rules of respectful civil discourse. You are fully responsible for everything that you post. The content of all comments is released into the public domain unless clearly stated otherwise. The Library of Congress does not control the content posted. Nevertheless, the Library of Congress may monitor any user-generated content as it chooses and reserves the right to remove content for any reason whatever, without consent. Gratuitous links to sites are viewed as spam and may result in removed comments. We further reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to remove a user's privilege to post content on the Library site. Read our Comment and Posting Policy.


Required fields are indicated with an * asterisk.