What did John Sutter do at the fort?

He built “Sutter’s Fort” (1841), set up frontier industries, and, in spite of his enormous debts, provided lavish hospitality, and often employment, to traders, trappers, and immigrants who came to his fort.

Why did Sutter build Sutter’s fort?

Sutter set out with a band of settlers in late 1839. Finding a favorable spot where the American and Sacramento Rivers came together, on the site of present-day Sacramento, Sutter began building a fort.

Who helped build Sutter’s fort?

builder John Sutter
The site of the fort was established in 1839 and originally called New Helvetia (New Switzerland) by its builder John Sutter, though construction of the fort proper would not begin until 1841. The fort was the first non-indigenous community in the California Central Valley.

Why was Sutter and his fort so important in California history?

Mexico & Sutter’s Fort Sutter had convinced the Mexican government that allowing him to purchase the land would prevent Americans from invading. He established the colony of New Helvetia (New Switzerland). It was an incredible success. The main building of the fort was completed in 1844.

Who discovered gold at Sutter’s fort?

James W. Marshall
In 1848, James W. Marshall found shining flecks of gold in the tailrace of the sawmill he was building in partnership with John Sutter. This discovery changed the course of California’s and the nation’s history.

Why did Sutter keep his discovery of gold a secret?

John Sutter had a few reaasons to keep the news of gold quiet. One reason was that John feared that if the news got out, that his mill would never be finshed. The other reasons were that he thought with all the people, cattle would stampede and crops would be trampled.

Where did Sutter discover gold?

Coloma
Sutter – 1848. THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN CALIFORNIA. It was in the first part of January, 1848, when the gold was discovered at Coloma, where I was then building a saw-mill.

Why is Sutter’s fort a landmark?

Set in 1846, Sutter’s Fort preserves important California history and tells the story of the many cultures that inhabited Sutter’s Fort and the surrounding areas during the 1840’s — including Mexican citizens of Alta California, the emigrating European and American pioneers, and Native Americans.

How did Sutter find gold?

James W. Marshall was building a sawmill for Captain John Sutter, using water from the South Fork of the American River. He noticed several flakes of metal in the tailrace water and recognized them to be gold. Though he tried to keep it a secret, the word spread quickly and triggered the California Gold Rush of 1849.

Is there still gold in Sutter’s Mill?

The mill was later reconstructed in the original design and today forms part of the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in Coloma, California. A meteorite fall in 2012 landed close to the mill; the recovered fragments were named the Sutter’s Mill meteorite….

Sutter’s Mill
Reference no.	530

Why did Sutter want gold a secret?