If there’s one thing almost nobody can resist, it’s gold. The American Gold Rush is historical proof of that. Most famous was the first discovery of gold in California which led to a huge influx of “forty-niners” in 1849 hitting the West Coast to scrounge for gold by any means necessary. But the California Gold Rush was followed by similar crazes in Colorado, South Dakota, and even Alaska.

The Gold Rush helped stimulate infrastructure and westward expansion while also inflaming relations with Native Americans, damaging the environment, and contributing to a culture of lawlessness in the Wild West. Check out these old-timey photos from a time when greed drove hordes of people all the way across the country.