"The Gold Rush Town"
The camp became known originally as "Dry Diggings". There were so many mining operations, placer holes, in, on and around the mud streets of the camp that it was almost impassible. Placer mining refers to gold particles on or near the surface of the ground which can be obtained by washing. The name "Dry Diggins" refers to the practice of bringing dry loads of gold bearing soil to a water source for separation. Placervlle Creek runs through the town around which gold fever flourished in 1849 and today a lively historic, friendly, town has prospered. In 1850 the camp was named Placerville.
Contrary to popular myth and inacurate writting, the town was never named "hangtown"* The nickname arose from one single incident of quick and very dubious justice of three hangings in 1849. The nickname was described in the Sacramento Union in April 3rd of 1853 as "...the citizens find it ("hangtown nickname") difficult to get rid of the objectionable soubriquet" The hangtown nickname is still an objectionable soubriquet to most citizens but despite the outdated and inaccurate negative misnomer, the City of Placerville displays the nickname and a hang noose on its logo. The City of Placerville, in reality, is all about life, fun, and rich Gold Rush history, and is a wonderful friendly town for both residents and the many visitors and tourists alike. Downtown Placerville hosts many fun events year round on Main Street, looking very much as it did over 100+ years ago.
Perhaps some day a more appropriate, historic, logo and positive nickname will be a forthcoming to this, rapidly moving upscale, wonderful, historic town. Placerville, Ca "The Gold Rush Town".
*Footnote: California Place Names by Erwin G. Gudde, University of California Press, ISBN 0-520-01574-6 Library of Congress Catalog Card number: 68-11311
The Local El Dorado County, & Placerville Area Spirit:
We find there is an wonderful, overriding, golden community spirit in El Dorado County, & the Placerville Area. There is a spirit of camaraderie, helpfulness, friendliness, respect for neighbors and community that is very unique to this area. There is pride in its Gold Rush history and the ruggedness of all of us who live here. You can see and feel this spirit in the people who smile at you as you walk downtown Placerville, the caring and wonderful people who work in Marshall hospital, the people at the gas stations, the drug stores, and the restaurants and everywhere you go. There is even courtesy to other drivers at intersections. There are things that bind us all together here in El Dorado County and it creates a spirit of oneness making the area a truly wonderful place to live. It may be the great seasonal weather and what elevation you are at, or it may be the hilly terrain and all its ramifications, it may be in the sense of local history, but El Dorado County & Placerville area people are generally kinder, more helpful, and more respectful of each other than almost anywhere else. Those that have lived here for long may see this as just daily life, but frequently we hear comments from people who visit or move to Placerville that it is one of the friendliest places they have ever visited. The Placerville area is unique and wonderful. Downtown Placerville, although also a great tourism destination, is a totally vibrant working town heavily used and shopped by the local population. It is this attitude that is one of the cornerstones to our communities uniqueness and what keeps our area vibrant and the great place that it is. Historic home to Levi Strauss, John Studebaker, Mark Hopkins, Phillip Armour among others. The El Dorado County & Placerville Area includes the Gold Rush towns Placerville, Camino, Diamond Springs, Shingle Springs, El Dorado, Cameron Park, Coloma and Marshall Gold Discovery Park, Pollock Pines, Georgetown, Rescue, Gold Hill, Somerset, Garden Valley, Green Valley, Latrobe, Kuburz, Twin Bridges, Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, and all the great surrounding towns and districts that make up this wonderful section of the Great Sierra Nevada Mountains in El Dorado County, California. It is in this spirit of the Gold Rush, El Dorado County & Placerville area that we provide the Local Services of The Gold Trail Company."
El Dorado County Fair honors John Studebaker by holding annual wheelbarrow races in June.
Later John joined his brothers in South Bend Indiana to build over 750,000 covered wagons for the great western migration. John Studebaker lived to see the company build gasoline powered automobiles bearing his name.
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