Why did unsuccessful prospectors stay in California after the Gold Rush?

Answer 1

The reason that Many people left California, but some stayed to become merchants who served miners is because The people found another way to become rich other than house keeping slavery and other things.

Answer 2

because they didn't have the resources to get back home plus it took them about a half of a year to get there and it would take a half a year to get back. and many of the wagon train suffered sever casualties getting even more would have died getting back

Answer 3

They found another way to become rich. Levi Strauss is a good example. He was a tailor who made pants with brads at the seams and in the wet dirty conditions that the miners worked and lived the pants wore out, but with the brads they lasted longer. About 90% of the people who came for gold never found it, but they found other ways to get rich.