Living History Day at Marshall Gold Discovery SHP

Date: 2/10/2018
Time: 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM

310 Back Street
Coloma, CA 95613

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Event Description: On Saturday, February 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in Coloma, California will celebrate the contributions made by settlers of African American descent in the Coloma Valley. A portion of those who came to California during the gold rush were African American; some came as slaves, some came as freeman hoping to earn enough to purchase the freedom of family members, some came as runaway “fugitive” slaves. For these people, mining offered the possibility of swiftly purchasing freedom for themselves and their families. Coloma’s rich history includes two prominent families of African American descent--the Monroe and Burgess families--whose stories are still being told at the park today. Members of the Burgess family will be at the park sharing family artifacts and stories. At 11 a.m. join author Shirley Moore in the theater in the Gold Discovery Museum for a lecture and Powerpoint presentation covering Blacks on the Overland Trail and Black Families that Settled in the Gold Country. At 1 p.m. children of all ages are invited to join Ms. Moore in the museum as she reads excerpts from her new, yet unpublished, children’s book about the voyage of the Sitka. The Sitka sailed her maiden voyage up the Sacramento River in 1847 from San Francisco to Sutter’s Fort. This event continues the park’s exploration of the diverse peoples and cultures found in Coloma before, during and after the Gold Rush. On the second Saturday of each month during the park’s monthly Living History event, a different cultural group will be highlighted. In October, all cultures will come together in the melting pot of Coloma Gold Rush Live, the park’s annual 4-day living history event.


Directions:
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, Coloma, CA. 8 miles north of Placerville on Hwy. 49.

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