[Sings]: There’s gold in the valley, there’s gold in the hills.
There’s gold in the river, there’s gold in the …
James Marshall was an ordinary guy who came to California to start a new life and found
work building a small sawmill on the American River.
He wasn't looking to get rich, but sometimes the moments that forever change the world
are nothing more than accidents.
[Chorus sings]: Gold!
Gold!
On January 24, 1848, James Marshall became the first man to find gold in California.
Oh, ah!
It’s gold!
Gold!
Hoorah!
Gold!
I’ve found gold!
Gold!
Hee-hee-hee!
I’ve found gold!
You’ve discovered gold!
Gold?
It’s gold!
That’s what it is!
I’ve discovered gold!
Gold!
I’ve discovered gold!
Gold!
Yee-hee-hee!
There’s gold at Sutter’s Mill!
They’ve found gold at Sutter’s Mill!
Gold!
Whoopee!
They’ve found gold in the hills!
I’ve found gold in the gulch, boys!
Gold in the gulch!
Gold?!
Hey, everybody!
Gold’s been discovered!
There’s plenty for everybody!
News of gold in California took the country by storm.
Headlines flashed across the front pages of newspapers from California all the way to
New York City.
Gold?
Discovered in California?
Eurek … Eurek … Eurekee!
Fill ‘er up!
And so began the gold rush and the race to California.
And they’re off!
The pioneers headed west to stake their claims.
[Sings]: Who’s gonna help me file my claim?
I gotta file my claim!
While thousands go west in one of the most frantic mass migrations of people in history,
the real money is made by those who mined the miners by charging outrageous prices for
simple services, even sending laundry as far away as Hawaii!
Here you are, folks, get your utensils for panning gold!
Pots and pans, all prices, all sizes!
That one there will cost you two bags of gold dust, partner!
Why that price is outrageous!
There the cheapest in Sacramento.
There's a run on pans same as there is on gold!
When word of the discovery spread in 1849, it's launched California on the road to becoming
a state.