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If the many diaries kept are to be believed, as many as nine out of 10 captains were incompetent and the promised travel time of 30 days was rarely met. In spite of this, and the unavoidable crowding of travel by sea, 15,000 people took this route in 1849 and investors for the journey were easy to find.

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Most overlanders began their journey on the Mormon or Oregon trails. The major trailheads for these routes were in Council Bluffs, Iowa, St. Joseph, Mo., or Independence, Mo. The overland trip typically took five to six months. Ten to 15 miles of travel in one day would be a good day.

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Over Land Route to the California Gold Rush

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On the Water - Fishing for a Living, 1840-1920: Commercial Fishers > Whaling

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American whaling flourished from the late 1700s through the mid-1800s. Hundreds of ships left American ports, hunting the planet's largest living creatures. Commercial whaling began in the Atlantic, but as whale populations declined, the chase spread to the Pacific and Arctic oceans.

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On the Water - Rigged Model, Steamship George Law (Central America)

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The Law's name was changed to the Central America during the rebuilding, possibly to reflect its most common route and because George Law had sold his interest in the company. On the vessel's second trip under the new name, it cleared Havana, Cuba for New York on 8 September 1857.

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"The Central America" ship

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On the Water - Maritime Nation, 1800-1850: Shipwrecks

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Ever-greater numbers of people traveled and worked at sea in the 1700s and 1800s. Ship design, navigation, and life-saving methods all improved dramatically. But crossing an ocean was a far riskier journey than it is today. Storms on the high seas might be the most terrifying of the dangers, but thousands of men and women lost their lives within sight of shore.

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On the Water - Maritime Nation, 1800-1850: To California by Sea

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Glittering rumors of gold for the taking spread from California around the globe beginning in 1848. Tens of thousands of people left homes and families to chase the dream of quick riches. For most of the world, the ocean was the only way to reach California. For Americans, it was the fastest way.

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On the Water - Van Valen's Gold Rush Journey

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Distance: 3,000 miles Estimated Travel Time: 3 to 7 months Most of the Forty-niners that were from the midwest or the east traveled on this trail. 32,000 gold-seekers traveled through present day...