Coloma (Nisenan: Cullumah, meaning "beautiful") is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, US. It is approximately northeast of Sacramento, California. Coloma is most noted for being the site where James W. Marshall found gold in the Sierra Nevada foothills, at Sutter's Mill on January 24, 1848, leading to the California Gold Rush. Coloma's population is 529. The settlement is a tourist attraction known for its ghost town and the centerpiece of the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park. Coloma was designated a National Historic Landmark District on July 4, 1961. It lies at an elevation of 764 feet (233 m). Etymology The name comes from the Nisenan Indian name for the valley in which Coloma is located: Cullumah, meaning 'beautiful.' Coloma is on the South Fork American River that runs through the valley and was built on the original Indian village of Koloma. Former spellings include "Colluma" and "Culloma".. History Coloma grew around Sutter's Mill following the finding of gold. A post office was established in 1849 under the name Culloma, changing to Coloma in 1851. One of Coloma's earliest settlers was Silas Sanderson (1824–1886), who went on to become the 7th Chief Justice of California. Another was Nancy Gooch, who was one of the first black women to succeed in California. Ghost town While some people still live in the area, Coloma is considered something of a ghost town because civic buildings such as the jail have been abandoned and left to decay, and other buildings from its boom era (1847–1852) have been converted into museums and other historical displays. The tailrace of Sutter's Mill remains, as does a nearby reconstruction. In reality the meaningfulness of the township of Coloma has dissipated as residents who live in the wider Coloma Valley area generally share a community spirit. The local economy is based predominantly on agriculture and tourism. Of particular note is the rafting industry as the South Fork American River is one of the most popular white-water trips in North America. Demographics The 2010 United States Census reported that Coloma had a population of 529. The population density was . The racial makeup of Coloma was 462 (87.3%) White, 4 (0.8%) African American, 3 (0.6%) Native American, 8 (1.5%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 15 (2.8%) from other races, and 37 (7.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 63 people (11.9%).