Boom Towns and Ghost Towns

· The California Gold Rush began in 1849, attracting thousands of gold hunters known as forty-niners.

· Gold and silver mines were discovered throughout the west.

Boom towns – towns that grew up near major mining sites

· Some boom towns developed into cities, such as Denver, CO, and Reno, NV.

· Many of these new towns became abandoned ghost towns when the ore disappeared.

· Mexican and Chinese miners faced severe discrimination.