Clash of Cultures & the Discovery of Gold      123456

Many religious groups sought a promised land in the American West. Although Catholic missionaries from Spain were the first group to establish a presence in California, it was perhaps the Mormons who most profoundly impacted and were shaped by their connection the region.

Although most pioneers traveling west on the Mormon Trail ended their journey in Utah, many travelers continued on to California. Their goal was to spread the teachings of the Mormon Church, but they were not immune to the lure of gold. In fact, Mormon settlers in Utah were some of the first to hear of the  discovery and head for the mines when the gold rush began.

Mormon prospectors found a rich deposit of gold not far from the spot in Coloma where James Marshall first made his discovery. The site of the successful Mormon gold camp soon became known as Mormon Island. Between 1848 and 1851 Mormon prospectors deposited about $80,000 in gold in the Salt Lake City Mormon mint.