Colfax, Railroad city in Placer County, California
Colfax sits in California's Gold Country foothills at about 2,400 feet (740 meters), where Interstate 80 and State Route 174 intersect. The small community centers on its historic railroad depot and the streets running through its modest downtown area.
Gold miners began settling the area in 1849, but the Central Pacific Railroad's arrival in 1865 brought real growth and transformed the landscape. The town took its name from Vice President Schuyler Colfax, a key supporter of railroad expansion.
The town is named after Vice President Schuyler Colfax, with a bronze statue honoring him at the main intersection. The restored 1905 Southern Pacific depot serves as a reminder of how railroads shaped the community's identity.
The Amtrak station on Railroad Street offers regular service with the California Zephyr for long-distance travel in both directions. The town sits right on Interstate 80, making it easy to reach by car and a convenient stop for road travelers.
In 1852, one of California's earliest stagecoach robberies took place near here when the Reelfoot Williams Gang struck the gold country route. This bold crime marked the settlement as a focal point of the frontier chaos during the height of the Gold Rush.
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