Welcome to French Gold, a virtual library of historical documents and visuals about California’s French Heritage.

“Millions for a penny!”

The cry became familiar in strife-torn France when news of Marshall’s gold discovery reached the country in December of 1848. As revolutionary fever turned to gold fever, up to ninety immigration companies hastily formed in Paris between 1849 and 1852; investors bought stock in these companies which chartered ships, booked passages, and secured French miners who were contracted for a percentage of their prospecting profits.

No less than 25,000 and perhaps more fled their nation’s political turmoil, to seek the riches of the gold fields between 1849 and 1854. You can discover more about their stories within the French Gold website.