Tragedy at Convict Lake

Historical marker location:

Mammoth Lakes, California

( Marker is on Convict Lake Road west of U.S. 395, on the right when traveling west.)

The California Gold Rush of 1849 brought a huge influx of people to the state. In just two years, the population of San Francisco grew from 1,000 to 25,000. However, only a small percentage of gold-seekers actually struck it rich, and many ended up in debt or poverty.