Salmon Falls is a former settlement in

El Dorado County El Dorado County (; ''El Dorado'', Spanish language, Spanish for "The Golden ne), officially the County of El Dorado, is a List of counties in California, county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. It was located on the South Fork of the

American River The American River is a List of rivers of California, river in California that runs from the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada mountain range to its confluence with the Sacramento River in downtown Sacramento. Via the Sacramento River, it ...

south-southwest of Pilot Hill, at an elevation of 469 feet (143 m). It was flooded by

Folsom Lake Folsom Lake is a reservoir on the American River in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California, United States. Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, which encompasses the lake, is one of the most visited parks in the California park system. Locate ...

. Nearby were waterfalls from which the place got its name. The site is now registered as

California Historical Landmark A California Historical Landmark (CHL) is a building, structure, site, or place in the U.S. state of California that has been determined to have statewide historical landmark significance. Criteria Historical significance is determined by meetin ...

#571.

Overview

Mining began at Salmon Falls in 1848, and the town was founded in 1850. Laying out of the town began at Higgins Point in 1853. The post office arrived in 1851, and remained in operation until 1912, with closures during parts of 1875 and 1893. The population peaked at 3003 during the gold years.

Hubert Howe Bancroft Hubert Howe Bancroft (May 5, 1832 – March 2, 1918) was an American historian and ethnologist who wrote, published, and collected works concerning the Western United States, Texas, California, Alaska, Mexico, Central America, and British Colum ...

, ''History of California'', vol. 6 (1848–1959), p. 352, San Francisco: The History Company, 1888 Salmon Falls, California was an old mining town established along the banks of the

at the mouth of Sweetwater Creek (northeast of present-day

Folsom, California Folsom is a city in Sacramento County, California, United States. The population was 80,454 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, up from 72,203 residents at the 2010 United States census, 2010 census. History The Nisenan tribe of Ind ...

). Since the construction of

Folsom Dam Folsom Dam is a concrete Dam#Gravity dams, gravity dam on the American River of Northern California in the United States, about northeast of Sacramento, California, Sacramento. The dam is high and long, flanked by earthen wing dams. It was com ...

in the 1950s (which created

) Salmon Falls is typically immersed in water throughout much of the year. However, at low-water levels old foundations, roads, and the old Salmon Falls Bridge are easily accessible. Remains from the local cemetery were exhumed and relocated along with remains from other town sites that were inundated by Folsom Lake after Folsom Dam was built (see Mormon Island).

References

External links

Salmon Falls Local History
{{authority control Former settlements in El Dorado County, California Populated places established in 1850 1850 establishments in California Ghost towns in California Destroyed populated places Submerged places in the United States California Historical Landmarks 1848 establishments in California