A state is born
The road to statehood took a most unusual path.
Modern 49ers
Prospectors still prowl the hills in gold fever's grip.
Landscape ravaged
Gold Rush opportunists left state with legacy of environmental damage.
Streams poisoned by mercury 
Used as a magnet for gold, mercury presents a serious environmental problem (approx. 80k)
Mining still tough
Hitting pay dirt is still hard today -- if not harder.
California's mining camps
California's mining camps around 1850 (approx. 50k)
Many found themselves
Some found riches in California, but many discovered who they were, writes California state Librarian Kevin Starr.
Harnessing rivers
The pursuit of gold gave Californians the drive to launch perhaps the world's most extensive water system.
Banks, businesses cashed in
'Mining the miners' gave birth to a sophisticated economy in California.
The evolution of gold mining
Gold mining has changed with the times (approx. 150k)
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