Marysville was established as a mining town in 1870 and named by Thomas Cruse, owner of the Drum Lummon Mine, for the first pioneer woman there, Mary Ralston. By 1900, the Marysville Mining District was reported to be the richest gold mining area in the world, with production of $60,000,000, one-half of it from the Drum Lummon mine. Other rich local gold mines producing at that time were the Bald Mountain, Bald Butte, Empire, Belmont, Penobscot, Gloster, and Shannon. At its peak, the town's population was estimated at 4000 residents, served by two railroads and 60 business establishments, including 2 newspapers.