For the 150th anniversary of the California Gold Rush, we were asked to develop a multimedia piece to explore the untold stories of the men, women, and children who were lured to the West by the hope of easy riches and a new life.

While the main site documents the extensive exhibitions at the museum, our piece uses art, narration, and music to bring to life the true stories of dreams, hopes, and disillusionments.

It includes a montage about the effect of the Gold Rush on contemporary California as interpreted, in their own voices, by modern day chroniclers including Jerry Brown, Jim Houston, Jean Wakatsuki Houston, and David Brower. It also presents a look at three themes of the human experience of the Gold Rush: the environmental legacy, the peoples of California, and women in the Gold Rush.

Click on the water wheel to step into the past...hear the music... and listen to the stories of people whose lives were changed forever.