 Located on the Feather River, Hock Farm was intended by Sutter to be a retirement location where he would relocate his wife and children.By 1864–65 Sutter could no longer maintain the farm as the California Gold Rush had depleted the area of manpower and Sutter could no longer hire workers due to his dwindling financial situation, squatters looting his beloved property of its cattle and timber and his own son, August Sutter, losing vast amounts of property holdings to swindlers as well as Capt.Sutter's own failed business dealings with swindlers and thieves that left him nearly penniless.