Marshall Gold Museum

When mom and dad were serving in Nauvoo, mom found some desendants of Logan had lived there.  One was Wilford Hudson, Logan's Great Great Great Grandfather, who also served in the Mormon Battalion, after the battalion had reached the end of their march, the war with Mexico had ended and these men went north to help build the mill at Sutter's Fort.   This inscription in this preserved tree trunk was inscribed by Wilford Hudon, upon leaving Mormon Island and returning to Winters Quarters to his family. 

 Tyler and Chase somewhat bored but trying to soak in some of their history.

That could have been Chase's GGGGG Grandpa. 

We shared the day with Alan and Deb.  We were delighted to have them come and spend a few days with us before heading to the Bay Area.  

Part of the museum, the boys had fun running through and in and out of this make-shift mine.

Chase found a lizard inside and was mezmorized watching it.

After doing some online research I found this site: http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=17637 which shows a plaque that is located at Folsom Lake, only a mile from our house...which says;

Early in 1848 W. Sidney S. Willis (ES) and Wilford Hudson, members of the Mormon Battalion, set out from Sutter’s Fort to hunt deer. Stopping on the South Fork of the American River, they found gold. They told their story on returning to the Fort and soon about 150 Mormons and other miners flocked to the site, which was named “Mormon Island”. This was the first major gold strike in California after James W. Marshall’s discovery at Coloma. The population of the town in 1853 was more than 2500. It had four hotels, three dry goods stores, five general merchandise stores, an express office and many small shops. The first ball in Sacramento County was held here, December 25, 1849. A fire destroyed the town in 1856 and it was never rebuilt. It’s site, one-half mile east of here, was inundated by Folsom Lake in 1955.

So close to home, yet we weren't even aware...