1893 Map of Placerville

About this map

Placerville and the surrounding gold country of El Dorado and Placer counties are captured here in a period of transition between peak mining years and established settlement. The landscape is defined by the deep canyons of the North Fork American River, Middle Fork American River, and South Fork American River, which dictated the location of early camps and crossings. The Sacramento and Placerville R.R. terminates in the south, while an extensive network of roads connects legacy mining sites like Spanish Diggings, Georgia Slide, and Mammoth Mine. Smaller outposts such as Volcanoville and Kentucky Flat appear alongside numerous family-named mills and waypoints, including Dyers Mill and Sommerset House, illustrating the persistent timber and travel economy of the Sierra foothills.