[4] Gold ore was discovered in Sunshine in 1873, and many prospectors moved to the area to seek their fortunes.

Sunshine built a stone schoolhouse in 1900, which is still in good condition and used for community events.

As gold became harder to find and extract, most mines shut down, and by 1908 Sunshine's population dwindled to about 200.

The remaining mines were closed in July, 1942, by a decree of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as the United States geared up for production of wartime materials.

It is bordered by the Crisman CDP to the south, and the Glendale and Lazy Acres CDPs are to the north.