Gold Prospecting Then and Now

The California gold rush attracted a breed of man known as the forty-niners. These men lived to make their fortunes in the gold mines that surrounded San Francisco and Sacramento. Today, gold prospecting still occurs in California and other areas that may still contain the ?mother lode,? but there are not nearly as many people interesting in spending long grueling days with a pick, pan or shovel.

Gold Prospecting In The Gold Rush

In the days of the rush, gold prospecting meant finding and staking your claim in an area. Once you found your stream or rock bed, then it was necessary to remain in that spot or risk losing it. Upwards of three hundred thousand people flocked to California during the days of that gold rush and another one hundred thousand went to Alaska.

These numbers, however, may well be modest estimations, which implies that once a gold prospector staked his claim, he would risk losing it to another should he leave. This meant that no matter what the weather or his lack of equipment, he had to remain at his stake. For the men who traveled up to the Klondike gold rush, this often meant weathering harsh winters without adequate blankets to stay warm.

Gold Prospecting Today

Unlike in the days of the gold rush, gold prospecting today is much less worrisome. The number of people who actually take pan, pick and shovel out into the great outdoors to hunt for elusive gold are few. Today, there are few laws restricting a gold prospector from panning in a stream providing, of course, he is not doing so on private property. However, there are laws governing the use of a pick and shovel, particularly if the mining is done on government or publicly owned lands.

Those who are seriously seeking to find their fortune rarely do gold prospecting today. Instead, it is often a hobby for people who enjoy being outside searching for something beautiful and rare. While the motives for gold prospecting have changed moderately, the equipment still looks amazingly similar to that used more than 100 years ago.

All the gold prospector needs is his pick, shovel and pan to begin searching for that which set California on the path to being one of the most populated states in America?gold. Today, the same lure draws the hobbyist and outdoorsmen alike. With pan in hand, they search streams and little rocky ledges for that telltale glitter that hints at a better life, or perhaps a wonderful charm to hang on a pendant.