Placerville

Placerville is a town in El Dorado County in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California, set on a hillside across several valleys. Main Street runs along a slope and the older neighborhoods stretch on both sides with a clear elevation shift between districts.

The camp started in 1848 as Dry Diggin's, a gold mining settlement, and took the name Placerville in 1854 at incorporation. The town served as a supply station for mining areas and later grew into an administrative center for the region.

The old name Hangtown refers to three hangings during the early days of the Gold Rush, when frontier justice was common. Bell Tower Brewery on Main Street recalls the old bell tower building, keeping memory of the town's rough past alive.

Highways 50 and 49 cross in the center and link the town to Sacramento in the west and mountain towns in the east. Parking along Main Street fills up on weekends, so walking from the public lots at the edge of town is often easier.

A small wooden bell pavilion stands at the crossing of the two highways and recalls the fire warning system of the gold rush days. The bell used to ring during fires, which regularly broke out in the tightly built wooden houses of the town.

Location: El Dorado County

Website: https://cityofplacerville.org

GPS coordinates: 38.72972,-120.79861

Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:05