The mill that started the Gold Rush. The structure you see today is a full-scale replica built in the 1960s — the original sawmill was abandoned within a few years of the discovery and dismantled in the 1850s. The replica was put up using the original 1840s techniques: water-driven, with hand-hewn timber framing.
The reconstructed waterwheel sometimes runs on weekends. From the mill, a short path leads down to the actual discovery site on the bank of the American River, marked with a plaque and a short interpretive board. The river still produces small amounts of gold for amateur panners — a nice piece of historical continuity.