Pre-Gold Rush Mining

Picacho SP

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Placerita Canyon SP
(Placer gold discovered by Francisco López, majordomo of Mission San Gabriel, in 1842, first commercially significant gold discovery in California).

Gold was discovered here by Francisco Lopez, majordomo of Mission San Gabriel, under the "Oak of the Golden Dream" in 1842. It became the first commercial placer gold mine in California, six years before James Marshall's discovery on the American River at Coloma!