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| Landmark #569 | El Dorado County | Visited: August 14, 2016 | Plaque? NO. 🙁 |
| What is it? | The last vestige of this landmark is the Mormon Island Relocation Cemetery! |
| What makes it historical? | THE GUIDE SAYS: Early in March 1848, W. Sidney, S. Willis, 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 2,500. 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 on December 25, 1849. A fire destroyed the town in 1856, and it was never rebuilt. Its site was inundated by Folsom Lake in 1955.
OTHER TIDBITS: That pretty well sums it up! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? | HERE’S HOW:
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| Where is this place? | LISTED DIRECTIONS: Folsom Lake State Recreation Area N side, Folsom Point picnic area Near the Mormon Island Dam 3 mi NE of Folsom, CA 95762 ANNOTATIONS: From Los Angeles: ~411mi (662km) — 6.9hrs |
| When should I go? | Whenever the mood strikes you! |
