Panama Star newspaper

Panama Star newspaper

Gold Rush
Newspaper
California
Transport

From eastern America one route out to the gold fields was via the Isthmus of Panama. The 4-8 day crossing offered an alternative to the long sea route via Cape Horn or the wholly overland route. Travellers initially progressed in dug out boats up the Chagres river and then overland by mules along 20 miles of old Spanish tracks. On arrival at Panama City on the Pacific coast travellers often had a lengthy wait for a steamship to transport them up the coast to their destination of San Francisco. The Panama Star was published mainly to inform - and occupy the time of - those travellers waiting for onward transport. The newspaper provided advice to travellers, warnings about health risks, and harrowing tales of prospectors’ experiences.

Middleton and Boyd, Panama City

Image and information:
Society of California Pioneers

http://www.californiapioneers.org/news/getting-to-the-gold-fields/

Further information about the newspaper:
Library of Congress

25 August 1849

Margaret Minchin

Unknown

English

Printed text - newspaper

19th century California