California Frontier
Prof. Damian Bacich shares the history you didn't learn in school. Each episode is a deep dive into the fascinating early history of California and the West. Listen to stories and interviews with scholars, experts, and people who are passionate about a time when California was the frontier of empire and imagination.
California Frontier
075: Life in the Gold Fields | Tales of Mexican California Part 4
Antonio Coronel’s Gold Rush Tales in Mexican California
In the final installment of 'The Tales of Mexican California,' we follow Antonio Coronel's vivid recount of his time in the Northern California gold fields post-1848.
Coronel, who initially settled in Los Angeles after arriving from Mexico in 1834, shares graphic and poignant stories from the Gold Rush era.
These include violent episodes, massacres of Native people, and the lawlessness that prevailed among fortune seekers.
Coronel details his own experiences with gold mining, the lucrative yet perilous nature of the business, and the eventual abandonment of his efforts due to lawlessness and threats of violence.
His firsthand accounts provide a unique perspective on the cultural and societal shifts during the transition of California from Mexican to American rule.
00:00 Introduction to Antonio Coronel's Gold Rush Adventures
02:12 The Gold Rush Begins: Challenges and Opportunities
04:36 Life in the Gold Fields: Wealth and Lawlessness
08:09 A Violent Encounter in Sonoma
12:50 Return to the Gold Fields and New Ventures
18:42 Conflict and Prejudice in the Gold Fields
29:46 Final Reflections and Departure from the Gold Fields
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Contact:
damian@californiafrontier.net
