If you could somehow participate in any famous gold rush (or silver/diamond/etc.), which one would you choose, and why?
I would choose the Pikes Peak Rush of 1859. That rush started what became Denver.
I like history in general, and Colorado history in particular. It would be fascinating to see the early days of Colorado history. There are several people from that time period that I would love to meet. And ideally, take a whole bunch of pictures of how Denver developed.
Important note for participants–if your goal is to get rich, you’ll probably be better off on the sidelines–selling supplies to miners, or buying real estate, or something like that. Actually looking for gold is too hit-and-miss to be reliable.
I’m with Shakester. The gold-rushes in Victoria basically led to the colonisation of this state, and many historical artefacts (architectural and otherwise) are still evident today. Towns like Bendigo, Ballarat, Clunes, Beechworth and Walhalla are in many ways living fossils of their previous gold-fueled grandeur.
When I was a younger kid, my mum would do the ‘Sunday Drive’ to the old gold-fields for a bit of historic exploration. Back then there was not a great deal of public interest in claiming the history, so a lot of old colonial buildings had just been boarded up and left to rot, complete with all the 19th century stuff inside. Without admitting to theft or vandalism, lets just say that a lot of antiques and public records were saved from being destroyed by the elements through our efforts.
Me, too! I would love to meet my great-great-grandmother who finally had enough of the gold fields, hitched up the wagon, and drove herself and her daughters from Drytown to Sacramento and settled down at W and 5th Streets. According to my grandmother she told her husband (my grandmother’s grandfather) he was welcome to visit any time he wanted to come down from those godforsaken hills. My grandmother and her mother both grew up in that house off W Street.
Whichever Gold Rush it was I’d be one of those guys selling stuff to the miners instead of out mining myself. I’ll end up with the most of the gold they find.
The Dahlonega, Ga gold rush. It’s close enough to me that I could pop by the claim after work and still get home in time for bed! Or do I have to go back in time, too? In that case, forget it. My AC is worth more than all the gold in them 1828 hills!
