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by Robert LeRoy Santos
California State University, Stanislaus
Librarian
University Archivist
blsantos@csustan.edu

REVISED EDITION 2002

Alley-Cass Publications
2240 Nordic Way
Turlock, CA 95382

for
California State University, Stanislaus
Library/University Archive
Turlock, CA

Preface

While beginning research on the California Gold Rush for the sesquicentennial, much to my surprise I could not locate a bibliography of any kind that listed periodical articles. Seeing this unfortunate oversight, I set out to compile one of my own and disseminate it to libraries, historical societies, and interested researchers.

I have done very lengthy bibliographies in the past and know the rigors of the effort; thus, I was not anxious to begin yet another one. But I too knew that one learns much about the topic while doing the research, and yes, it does provide a certain degree of enjoyment and satisfaction which most sane people don't understand, besides how can anyone turn away from such article titles as "The Grave of Ephraim Brown" or "Goodbye God: We're Going to Bodie!"; how about settlement names such as Happy Camp, Poverty Hill, or Hangtown?; and yes, characters such as Joaquin Murieta, James Marshall, and Sam Brannan? No, it is not easy to ignore such a defining moment in western American history.

The Gold Rush has really never lost its attraction, its excitement. It was truly a spectacular event where thousands of men, women, and children swarmed California seeking instant wealth. Think of the logistics, the sheer energy, and certainly the insanity of it all where the discovery of a flake of an earthly element caused humanity to lose control for a moment, pack belongings, and trudge thousands of miles into an unknown future. And to extend that thought further, to me, 150 years later, who is attracted by the same adventure, but in a milder form, through its literature. So, with this bibliography, I invite you, my dear reader, to join me, and embark on a treasure hunt of the celebrated and notorious California Gold Rush.

This bibliography consists primarily of articles from scholarly journals and local history periodicals. There are no magazine articles per se, except for those written last century and early this century which have been included to give a sense of the historical treatment of the topic. This compiler sifted through every issue of the below listed periodicals looking for articles "surrounding" the California Gold Rush. Included are articles directly on the Gold Rush, and also on relevant California topics of the era, such as law, mail service, politics, law, race relations, transportation, water, and others. The articles cover events from January 1848 through December 1855 which is generally acknowledged as the "Gold Rush moment." After 1855, California gold mining changed and is outside the "rush" era.

These are many of the periodicals that have been indexed:

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