Marshall Book Reprint
January 2007
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The Gold Discovery;
James Marshall and the California Gold Rush
by William C. Dillinger, Retired DPR
THE GOLD DISCOVERY - James Marshall and
the California Gold Rush has just
been reissued by the Gold Discovery Parks Association and the
California Department of Parks and Recreation. The 48-page book,
by William C. (Bill) Dillinger, retired Parks Department Information
Chief, tells the story of Marshall's great Discovery and the
Gold Rush it set off. It tells how those events changed the world,
as American westward migration exploded from a trickle to a flood
and young men raced in from all over the globe, abandoning farms
and families.
It also burnishes Marshall's reputation a
bit, pointing out that he was not always the bitter, impoverished
man of his last years, but earlier had been a man of considerable
capability. Much relied upon by Sutter, he also played a small
but significant role in the war with Mexico. And he didn't just
stumble on his great discovery, he had a pretty good idea of
what he would find.
The book was first published in 1990. Popular
with teachers and others seeking a concise overview of the Gold
Rush story, it sold out rapidly. But because of publishing problems,
it has long been out of print. The new version, printed digitally,
is in slightly larger type, with more color illustrations. The
section on the current park and its facilities has been updated,
and Dillinger has also made some minor revisions in the text.
Dillinger is a past Sheriff (presiding officer)
of the Sacramento Corral of Westerners, a national organization
of western history buffs, and has written and edited an number
of publications on western history. His family history goes back
to the Gold Rush, for his great grandfather, Simon Alter, came
across Panama in 1851 and mined at Chili Bar on the American
River before finally settling in Placerville. In addition, his
father, H.E. Dillinger, as an assemblyman and later senator,
was instrumental in establishing the Coloma Park.
The price of the book is $13.99 - $15.00 with
tax. It may be ordered from Janet Koutnik at the Gold Rush Mercantile
by telephone 530-344-1895, Mon - Fri. 10:00 - 4:30PM or by email
at goldrush@marshallgold.org.
They carry the book in the museum store at Marshall Gold Discovery
S.H.P. in Coloma -- drop in if you are nearby.
|
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A Pathway Through Parks
King and Queen of the River: The
Legendary Paddle-Wheel Steamboats Delta King and Delta Queen
from Roaring Twenties to New Millennium. by
Stan Garvey
Missing in the Minarets: The Search
for Walter A. Starr, Jr.
