Before we leave the lower foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains and continue east into the higher country, I would like to spend a moment in the town of Placerville. When gold was discovered in 1848 at Sutters Mill a series of gold mining camps were started which today are now towns. Towns such as Sonora, Angels Camp, Jackson and many others dot along highway 49 which traverses along the lower foothills. Each of these towns are unique and have the old look of the 1800s. My favorite though is, Placerville. Gold was discovered in 1848 approximately 7 miles away and originally the small mining camp was called Dry Diggens. Later, the town was renamed Hangtown because it was the center of law and justice, hangings. In 1853 the town was renamed to its present name of Placerville. Placer mining is a type of mining using water to sift and separate the gold. Because Placerville sits half way between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe and is in the heart of Apple Hill and vineyards, it is a highly visited spot for tourist. Many people know Placerville as being the home of the famous painter Thomas Kincaid. Tom and I had an art class together in high school when we were freshmen. The last time I saw Tom was in 2008 at Gatlinburg, Tennessee in which we had some time to talk and laugh about our younger days. The second photo is of Placerville in its early days. The belltower in downtown makes it very unique. The 3rd Photo is one of Thomas Kincaids early paintings of Placerville. The 4th is the bell tower during Christmas. The last Photo is of the wagontrain which runs yearly starting in Nevada and ending after five days on the I n Placerville. Ill cover more of El Dorado County in future postings.
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 14:07:32 +0000
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