The first discovery of gold, at Rancho San Francisco in the mountains north of present-day Los Angeles, had been in 1842, six years before Marshall's discovery, while California was still part of Mexico.
Det første guldfund ved Rancho San Francisco i bjergene nord for vore dages Los Angeles, var blevet gjort i 1842, seks år inden Marshalls fund, mens Californien stadig var en del af Mexico.