Information & history on rear of plaque:
Miners saw signs everywhere "Gold Dust Bought" but only at the young banking and express company known as Wells,  Fargo & Co.  did they know they could get a fair price.   Wells Fargo set up shop in gold towns throughout California and their agents were truely the resident experts in the precious metal.   The company's accuracy was credited to the famous Gold Standard Balances,  the gleaming brass scales that accompanied the agents everywhere.   More than 1.4 million ounces of gold were weighed in on the scales at the Columbia building.   Wells Fargo closed the office in 1914 and donated the building in 1945 to the State of California as part of the creation of the Columbia State Historic Park.   Wells Fargo & Co.  is a trademark of Wells Fargo & Co.  and is used under license by F.J.  Designs,  Inc.

Information & history on rear of plaque:
Silver Dollar Saloon was built in 1860.   It served as both a bar and hotel,  and later as a brothel until 1975.   The gold region produced its share of adventure,  romance and history.   The Silver Dollar Saloon provided more than a place for weary travelers to rest.   It was a place for gold seekers to share their dreams of striking it rich.   The town of Marysville,  home to the Silver Dollar Saloon,  is actually older than the state of California.

Information & history on rear of plaque:
The National Hotel opened for business in 1856,  just a month after a fire gutted its offices.   The hotel is actually comprised of four buildings,  each stretching three stories high.   During the mining days,  these buildings were a pertinent part of town as the Wells Fargo Express,  Western Union Telegraph and assorted stage and mail lines had their offices here.   In use today,  the hotel is one of the oldest in the state.

Information & history on rear of plaque:
The Mariposa mining camp materialized in the spring of 1814 along the veins of the Mother Load and soon grew in size and importance.   Mariposa County was one of the original twenty-seven counties created in California and at one time,  was more than one-fifth of the state's area.   By 1854 it became evident that the county needed a courthouse.   Mariposa is the oldest county courthouse in continuous use west of the Rockies.   The second floor courtroom still contains many of the original furnishings.

Information & history on rear of plaque:
Newton Booth,  a shrewd and influential businessman,  built one of the largest wholesale grocery stores on the Pacific Coast.   A platform was installed on the roof of his building so that incoming ships could signal the cargo's worth,  giving him an advantage over his competitors.   Booth's success may have stemmed from the inspiration of John Sutter establishing Sutter's Fort.   As the settlement grew with the rush for gold,  it attracted businessmen like Booth looking for opportunities.

Information & history on rear of plaque:
One of the most massive migrations in human history,  the California Gold Rush,  began with John Marshall's discovery of gold in a sawmill ditch on January 24,  1848.   More than 90,000 people made their way to California within the next two years and by 1854,  over 300,000 lived in California.   We called them 49ers.