In 1868, the Sweetwater Mines gold rush swept civilization into wilderness. Prospectors and miners swarmed gulches and hilltops in hopes of locating a new El Dorado. South Pass City, Atlantic City, and Miners Delight became local centers of commerce, governance, and social life. Thousands of new residents bolstered the political push to create Wyoming Territory. Soon, many proclaimed the district a humbug and moved on. Those who remained established a fresh existence where potential abounded in every experience. Their efforts ensured that the mines would boom again.