On January 24, 1848, James Marshall found gold at Sutter’s Mill, near Sacramento, California, and unleashed a massive migration from around the world to what had been a forgotten backwater.

By the end of 1853, San Francisco was a city on the fast track. It had twelve daily newspapers, nine insurance companies, consulates of twenty-seven foreign governments, and six-story buildings where sand dunes once stood.

Told though the stories of a small group of diverse characters and incorporating rare photographs and original recreations, this film offers a vivid portrait of a seminal event in American history.

The Hoover Library presents free screenings of classic and contemporary documentary films (typically on the second Monday of the month). Rated TV-PG. 120 minutes. Free admission and refreshments!