A pioneer's true story of the California Gold Rush. In 1849, Alonzo Delano set out across the plains from Illinois intent on finding riches in the gold fields of California. As a reporter for several newspapers, Delano recorded his journey and life in the settlements of early California. Delano's well-crafted examination of life during the California Gold Rush vividly describes the hardships, tragedies, triumphs, during the growth of San Francisco, Sacramento, and other new communities during the formation of the Golden State of California. He brings to life the social and political interactions between the gold miners, gamblers, Native Americans, the Chinese, and others, all challenged by the blending of cultures, the expanding commerce, and the need for law and order during a time of crime and corruption. Delano settled in Grass Valley, California, where he made his home until his death in 1874. Linda Pendleton, a California native, has written an Introduction to Alonzo Delano's 1853 historical account. She is the author of nonfiction and fiction books, and has written Introductions to other historical books about California.