As early as the 1840's, a trickle of humanity began the arduous journey toward the great Pacific and the freedom they foresaw in settling there. In 1849, the cry of "Gold" from the foothills of the California territory rocked the world! Instant riches was a lure too strong to ignore, and that little trickle of settlers swelled into a mighty flood of gold seekers and adventurers, bound for California and the "Mother Lode". Leaving property and families behind, hordes of men and a few women traveled West, following the setting sun, seeing only the glint of "Gold" in their eyes. Today, the glint is of preserving the memory of those who made the passage.

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