The site commonly known as Sutter’s
Mill is formally Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park. According to the
official park history, James W. Marshall
discovered gold on the South Fork of the
American River in the valley the Nisenan
Indians knew as Cullumah. “This event led
to the greatest mass movement of people
in the Western Hemisphere and was the
spark that ignited the spectacular growth of
the West during the ensuing decades.” The
tailrace of Sutter’s sawmill is still visible.
Marshall was building the mill for John
Sutter, a Swiss who had permission from
Mexican authorities to build a settlement
and trading post, Nuevo He