Coloma
National Historic Landmark

Coloma

Placerville, El Dorado County, California
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
District
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
66000207

About this property

Coloma (Nisenan: Cullumah, meaning "beautiful") is a census-designated place (CDP) in El Dorado County, California, United States. It is approximately 36 miles (58 km) northeast of Sacramento. Coloma is most noted for being the site where James W. Marshall found gold in the Sierra Nevada foothills, at Sutter's Mill on January 24, 1848, leading to the California gold rush. As of the 2020 census, Coloma had a population of 521. The settlement is a tourist attraction known for its ghost town and the centerpiece of the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park. Coloma was designated a National Historic Landmark District on July 4, 1961.

Location

Placerville, El Dorado County, California
38.80056, -120.89174

Categories

INDUSTRYEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Coloma

This page lists Coloma. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony Farm
Listed
2.3 mi
Hattie (Gold Bug), Priest and Silver Pine Mines and Stampmill
Listed
6.3 mi
Episcopal Church of Our Saviour
Modern
6.8 mi
Confidence Hall
Civil War
7 mi
Fountain-Tallman Soda Works
Civil War
7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Coloma listed on the National Register?

Coloma was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Coloma?

Coloma is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Coloma a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Coloma has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Coloma?

The period of significance for Coloma is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1848.

Can I research the history near Coloma?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Coloma will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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