1893 Map of Placerville

About this map

The Placerville region, deeply carved by the north, middle, and south forks of the American River, appears here as a landscape defined by the legacies of the Gold Rush. This 1887 survey, published at the turn of the century, reveals an intricate network of mining camps and hard-rock operations like the Mammoth Mine and Starlight Mine. The Sacramento and Placerville Railroad terminates at the county seat, serving as the vital link between these foothills and the valley below. Local history is etched into the terrain through family-named landmarks such as Grizzly Bear House and the Mile Hill Toll House, while vanished or diminished settlements like Spanish Diggings, Georgia Slide, and Poverty Bar underscore the transient nature of early California mining life.