John Bidwel and Life in California Before The Gold Discovery

Life in California Before The Gold Discovery

John Bidwell talk about how they were the first "white" to cross the Sierra Nevada, Dr Marsh's ranch was the was the only settlement in that area when they reach the valley. It was just as seen as pretty much as new as when "Columbus discovered America". They also comment how there were random wild horse of elk and antelope. They said it was the driest years.
They talked about how Dr Marsh come to California set up his ranch before moving on towards new Mexico. This highlights how everyones moving forward. This is all about how quite and untouched and pretty much empty the land was before the Gold Rush. He talks about how he's happy to find an "America" how he also killed to pigs for Bidwell party of 32 as to be a good host. Also they learnt skill from the host like where to go and what they could do to help out. Showed the way they worked together to help to get father, also the fact that party need to do something for the exchange for food and broad. John Bidwell discuss that actually Dr Marsh wasn't alway for coming with helping the group, with advice.
The land round them was different from were they come from  with no streets or not very trustworthy paths and the land space was very bare. It contacts to the modern California we know today and also how quickly it was built up due to the gold rush.


http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist2/bidwell1.html