John Sutter and the California Gold Rush

In a graphic-novel format, the story follows John Sutter, a Swiss immigrant who built a settlement in California, as he discovers gold at his mill in 1848. That single find triggers a massive gold rush that draws thousands of miners, reshaping the region's economy, population, and landscape. The narrative also explores the ensuing conflict with Native communities and the rapid transformation of California into a bustling frontier. The panels show how one glittering nugget forever altered the territory's future.