In the years that followed the discovery of gold near the town of Coloma in California, tens of thousands of fortune seekers from all over the world flocked to the area, desperate to get In this month’s Essential Guide, we’ve enlisted the help of Dr Stephen Tuffnell to examine the myths and realities of the gold rush era - from conditions in the goldfields, to the impact that gold mining had on the environment and indigenous populations. Turn to page 27 to get started.
