Placerville (, ; formerly Old Dry Diggings, Dry Diggings, and Hangtown)
is a city in and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
El Dorado County, California
El Dorado County (), officially the County of El Dorado, is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 191,185. The county seat is Placerville. The County is part of the Sacramento- Roseville-A ...
. The population was 10,747 as of the 2020 census, up from 10,389 as of the 2010 census. It is part of the
Sacramento
)
, image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 250x200px
, map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
–
Arden-Arcade
Arden-Arcade is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sacramento County, California, United States. The population was 92,186 at the 2010 census, making it the second most populous census-designated place in California. It is east of the city of Sacr ...
–
Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
.
History
A former
Maidu
The Maidu are a Native Americans in the United States, Native American people of northern California. They reside in the central Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada, in the watershed area of the Feather River, Feather and American River, American ...
settlement called Indak was located at the site of the town.
After the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in nearby
Coloma, California
Coloma (Nisenan: ''Cullumah'', meaning "beautiful") is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, US. It is approximately northeast of Sacramento, California. Coloma is most noted for being the site where James W. Marshall found g ...
, by
James W. Marshall in 1848 sparked the
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California fro ...
, the small town now known as Placerville was known as Dry Diggin's after the manner in which the miners moved cartloads of dry soil to run water to separate the gold from the soil.
Later in 1849, the town earned its most common historical name, "Hangtown", because of the numerous hangings that had occurred there. However, there is debate on exactly how many lynchings occurred in the town.
The town had no police force (in 1849) and five immigrants attempted robbery of a Mexican gambler.
Of the five immigrants, two Frenchmen and one Chilean were known wanted men, and they were not given any trial, instead they were hanged on an oak tree on Main Street by a mob.
The name "Hangtown" stuck after that event.
By about 1850, the temperance league and a few local churches had begun to request that a more friendly name be bestowed upon the town. The name was not changed until 1854 when the City of Placerville was
incorporated. At its incorporation, Placerville was the third largest town in California. In 1857, the county seat was then moved from Coloma to Placerville, where it remains today. The town's first post office opened in 1850.
In 1871, the
Placerville Union Cemetery
Placerville Union Cemetery, formerly Union Cemetery, is a burial ground formed in 1871 by a group of fraternal organizations, and located in Placerville, California. It had been established as a private cemetery, and in 2005 the management was sw ...
was founded by a group of fraternal organizations, and it holds the graves of many of the city founders.
Placerville was a central hub for the Mother Lode region's mining operations. The town had many services, including transportation (of people and goods), lodging, banking, and had a market and general store. The history of hard-rock mining is evidenced by an open and accessible Gold Bug Park & Mine, now a museum with tours and books.
The
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific (or Espee from the railroad initials- SP) was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the ...
once had a
branch line
A branch line is a phrase used in railway terminology to denote a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line.
Industrial spur
An industr ...
that extended from Sacramento to Placerville. The track was abandoned in the 1980s. The
Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe Railroad (now abandoned) also operated an shortline that operated between
Camino, California
Camino ( Spanish for "Path") is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, and, per the 2010 census, has a population of 1,750. According to the USGS, it lies at an elevation of 3133 feet (955 m).
Nearby cities and towns include P ...
, and Placerville until June 17, 1986. The track right-of-way is now a 37-mile hiking and biking path that connects the city of
Folsom, California to the town of
Camino with plans to extend the trail across the entire El Dorado county and eventually to Lake Tahoe.
Placerville is now registered as
California Historical Landmark
A California Historical Landmark (CHL) is a building, structure, site, or place in California that has been determined to have statewide historical landmark significance.
Criteria
Historical significance is determined by meeting at least one of ...
#701.
Placerville's logo featured a hangman's noose, in reference to the town's history as "Hangtown," until 2021, when the town council voted to remove it.
An earlier proposal to redesign the logo had been rejected in 2020.
National Register of Historic Places gallery
Placerville has several buildings listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
; several are noted below.
File:2009-0724-F-TSodaWorks.jpg, Fountain-Tallman Soda Works
The Fountain-Tallman Soda Works is a historic building in Placerville, El Dorado County, California. It currently houses the Fountain & Tallman Museum, which is owned and operated by the El Dorado County Historical Society. The rustic vernacul ...
(now the Fountain & Tallman Museum)
File:2009-0724-Placerville-JPSodaWorks.jpg, John Pearson Soda Works
The John Pearson Soda Works, also referred to as the Placerville Soda Works, is a historic rustic vernacular Victorian brick building in Placerville, El Dorado County, California. The building, in the Gold Country region, was placed on the Nati ...
File:2009-0724-Placerville-CBhouse.jpg, Combellack-Blair House
File:2009-0724-Placerville-ConfidenceHall.jpg, Confidence Hall
File:2009-0724-Placerville-ChurchofourSavior.jpg, Church of Our Saviour
Geography
Placerville is located in the
Sierra Nevada
The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...
foothills where
U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlanti ...
crosses
State Route 49. It is the location of three
traffic signal
Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – known also as robots in South Africa are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control flows of traffic.
Traffic light ...
s along U.S. Route 50, which is otherwise a
freeway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
.
Downtown Placerville is about above sea level,
while unincorporated areas of the city range from to nearly .
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , over 99% of it land.
Climate
Placerville has cool, frequently wet winters and hot, dry summers, creating a typically Californian
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''Csa''). Average January temperatures are a maximum of and a minimum of . Average July temperatures are a maximum of and a minimum of . Annually, there are an average of 65.7 days with highs of or higher and 61.3 mornings with lows of or lower. The record high temperature was on July 4, 1911. The record low temperature was on December 9, 1972.
Average annual rainfall in Placerville is . There are an average of 66 days with measurable rain. The wettest calendar year was 1983 with and the driest 1976 with . The most rainfall in one month was in December 1955. The most rainfall in 24 hours was on February 14, 2000. Although snowfall is rare in Placerville, heavy amounts often fall in the mountains east of the city.
Demographics
The
2010 United States Census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...
reported that Placerville had a population of 10,389. The population density was . The racial makeup of Placerville was 8,716 (83.9%)
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 80 (0.8%)
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 162 (1.6%)
Native American, 98 (0.9%)
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 13 (0.1%)
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 867 (8.3%) from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 453 (4.4%) from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1,863 persons (17.9%).
The Census reported that 9,788 people (94.2% of the population) lived in households, 131 (1.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 470 (4.5%) were institutionalized.
There were 4,129 households, out of which 1,254 (30.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,607 (38.9%) were
opposite-sex married couples living together, 604 (14.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 250 (6.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 327 (7.9%)
unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 31 (0.8%)
same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,306 households (31.6%) were made up of individuals, and 599 (14.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37. There were 2,461
families
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideal ...
(59.6% of all households); the average family size was 2.97.
The population was spread out, with 2,277 people (21.9%) under the age of 18, 972 people (9.4%) aged 18 to 24, 2,468 people (23.8%) aged 25 to 44, 2,831 people (27.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,841 people (17.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.
There were 4,541 housing units at an average density of , of which 4,129 were occupied, of which 2,160 (52.3%) were owner-occupied, and 1,969 (47.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.8%. 5,023 people (48.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,765 people (45.9%) lived in rental housing units.
Government
![Placerville Courthouse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Placerville_Courthouse.jpg)
In the
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is a bicameral state legislature consisting of a lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members; and an upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members. Both houses of the Legisla ...
, Placerville is in , and .
In the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
, Placerville is in .
Economy
The region east of Placerville, popularly known as Apple Hill and Pleasant Valley, is becoming a center for wine production. The wine region is officially designated as the
El Dorado AVA
The El Dorado AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in El Dorado County, California, United States. Wine grape growers in the region produce a large diversity of varietals, notable varietals are Zinfandel, Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, ...
. The largest wineries in the area are Boeger, Lava Cap and Madrona, but most of the 30 plus wineries surrounding Placerville are family owned and smaller in wine grape and wine production. The region is "renown
dfor making vibrantly flavorful, distinctly delicious wines, grown in the dramatic elevations of the Sierra Nevada." The area is increasingly a center for sophisticated production of Rhone style wines, noted by El Dorado County having a local chapter of the
Rhone Rangers
The Rhone Rangers are a group of American winemakers who promote the use of grape varieties from the Rhône Valley. They are mostly based on the West Coast, particularly California, and have created a not-for-profit organization for the promotion ...
winemaker association.
Formerly known as Anderson Field, the arena and main grandstand that is now known as Placerville Speedway was originally built by the El Dorado County Fair during the winter months of 1956. Constructing a clay racing surface around the perimeter of the football field, Warren Jewitt and Bruno Romani created what was originally known as "Hangtown Speedway". Auto racing took place here for the first time on June 18, 1965.
Since 1965, Placerville Speedway has hosted several racing divisions. The track was cut out of a hillside, giving it higher banking, and covered with a dark red clay racing surface.
Placerville is home to the ''
Mountain Democrat'', the oldest continuously published newspaper in California, and Marshall Medical Center.
Transportation
![Lincoln Highway porcelain sign](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Lincoln_Highway_porcelain_sign.svg)
Placerville is served by two major highways.
California State Route 49
State Route 49 (SR 49) is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California that passes through many historic mining communities of the 1849 California gold rush. Highway 49 is numbered after the "49ers", the waves of immigrants ...
runs north and south, connecting the city with the other major communities in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlanti ...
heads west to
Sacramento
)
, image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 250x200px
, map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
and east to
South Lake Tahoe. This portion of U.S. Route 50 is a part of the
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway is the first transcontinental highway in the United States and one of the first highways designed expressly for automobiles. Conceived in 1912 by Indiana entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, and formally dedicated October 31, 1913 ...
.
El Dorado Transit runs public bus service, both local routes connecting Placerville to other populated areas on the western slope and weekday commuter service to/from Sacramento.
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
's thruway bus service stops in Placerville along its route connecting Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe.
Placerville is served by the
Placerville Airport. A "Good Neighbor" airport (one that takes measures for noise abatement), it has a runway, but is not currently served by any commercial air transport.
Culture
![Gold-133538](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Gold-133538.jpg)
Placerville has many old buildings from the Gold Rush days. A walk down Main Street also reveals many historical markers, signifying spots of certain events or persons of importance during this period. Placerville was also on the line of the
Pony Express
The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders. It operated from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861, between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pik ...
, a short-lived mail carrier service that connected California to the Midwest and East (basically from Sacramento to
St. Joseph, Missouri
St. Joseph is a city in and the county seat of Buchanan County, Missouri. Small parts of St. Joseph extend into Andrew County. Located on the Missouri River, it is the principal city of the St. Joseph Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includ ...
).
Historically, Placerville was often referred to by the name "Hangtown," because of the 3 unfortunates that were hung after being caught for cattle rustling by locals. Those traveling in the area can still see the site of the hangman's platform that was used for public hangings along with a commemorative mannequin ("George") hanging from a noose above the Old Hangman's Tree (now an ice cream parlor). The dummy enjoyed a brief hiatus when town officials attempted to freshen up the town's image before returning due to popular demand. In 2015 the dummy was stolen. It has since been replaced. In April 2021, the city council agreed unanimously to remove the noose from the city's logo.
Placerville is home to the legendary dish known as the "
Hangtown fry
Hangtown fry is a type of omelette made famous during the California Gold Rush in the 1850s. The most common version includes bacon and oysters combined with eggs, and fried together.
History
The dish was invented in Placerville, California, ...
" which includes eggs, bacon, and oysters.
There are multiple legends regarding the origin, but all stories agree that Placerville is the place of origin.
The
Southern Pacific Transportation Company branch line was purchased from the Union Pacific in 1996 for $14 million by the Joint Powers Authority consisting of Sacramento County, Folsom, and El Dorado County. The line is being converted to a hiking and biking trail, with over 12 miles of the rail line now paved as a Class 1 biking route.
Placerville is the home of
United Ancient Order of Druids of California Grove No. 1, which was established in 1860 as the first Druid hall in California. It was reinstated in 2017–18, along with several other historical fraternal societies. Main Street Placerville features a large stone column holding a glass and metal "torch" known as "The Druid Monument", commemorating the Order's inception there 1860. The City of Placerville is currently attempting to repave the roundabout containing the monument, possibly removing it permanently in the process—a proposal that has divided the community.
Notable people
Over the years many influential people had shops in Placerville, mostly along the now historic Main Street.
Gallery
File:2009-0724-PlacervilleTownHall.jpg, Town Hall
File:Placerville CA Bell.JPG, Placerville bell
See also
*
Community Observatory
* ''
Placerville Mountain Democrat
The ''Placerville Mountain Democrat'' (known locally as the ''Mountain Democrat'' or simply ''Democrat'') is the newspaper of El Dorado County, California, based in Placerville and is the oldest continuously published newspaper in the State of Ca ...
''
References
Sources
*
External links
*
The ''Mountain Democrat''(local newspaper)
Placerville Downtown Association
{{Authority control
Cities in El Dorado County, California
County seats in California
Cities in Sacramento metropolitan area
Incorporated cities and towns in California
Mining communities of the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
Pony Express stations
U.S. Route 50
California Historical Landmarks
Populated places established in 1848
Populated places established in 1854
1854 establishments in California