1949 Map of Coloma

About this map

Gold Discovery Site State Park anchors this portion of the Sierra Nevada foothills, marking the 1848 discovery that triggered the California Gold Rush. The South Fork American River winds through the center of the sheet, where the Sutters Mill (Site) and the James W Marshall State Historical Monument preserve the foundational history of the region. Surrounding the town of Coloma and nearby Lotus, the landscape remains heavily scarred by its mining heritage, evidenced by the Lilyama Mine, Boulder Mine, and Dolores Mine. Beyond the river valley, the terrain rises toward Mt Ararat and Clark Mtn, with local life at mid-century centered on small outposts like Four Corners and the Springvale School. The map's detail reveals the transition from a frenetic gold-production era to a landscape of historical preservation and rural settlement.