Famous Folks: The California Gold Rush
Well-Known Californians During The Gold Rush
Lotta Crabtree
Carlotta (“Lotta”) Crabtree was an American singer, comedian, and actress whose claim to fame and wealth consisted of entertaining miners for approximately 20 years of her life, starting when she was only six years old.
Levi Strauss
Where miners saw holes in their pants, Levi Strauss saw opportunity. Day in and day out, miners tore their pants, and Levi sought to resolve this issue. He designed the durable denim jean, which to this day still earns big bucks for Levi’s company.
Mark Twain
Considered by many to be the greatest writer in American history, Mark Twain traveled west to reap the benefits of the Gold Rush. Though his gold panning efforts failed, his wit and satire prevailed, and he earned a great deal of money through his writing. He then invested in several fruitless ventures, and found himself bankrupt. Poor Mark Twain.
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