What is the significance of the California Gold Discovery Site in Coloma?

The California Gold Discovery Site in Coloma holds historic significance primarily because it is the location where gold was first discovered in 1848 by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill. This pivotal event marked the beginning of the California Gold Rush, which attracted hundreds of thousands of people seeking fortune and opportunity in the following years. The discovery not only transformed California's economy and population but also had profound effects on the development of the American West and the overall history of the United States. The influx of prospectors and settlers changed the demographics of California, leading to its eventual admission as a state in 1850. The site stands as a monument to this transformative period and is often visited for its historical importance.

Other options present significant events or milestones in California's history, but they do not relate to the foundational moment of gold discovery that characterized the Gold Rush era.