1949 Map of Placerville

About this map

Placerville and the surrounding gold country of the western Sierra foothills appear here during the late 1940s, a period when the region's deep mining heritage still defined its landscape. The map captures an intricate network of hard-rock mines and prospects, such as the Sugarloaf Mine and Vandalia Mine, scattered among family-named settlements like Kingsville and Smiths Flat. In the southern reaches, the Shenandoah Valley reveals a rural agricultural pattern, anchored by the Shenandoah Sch and Shenandoah Cem. Cultural history is evident in the inclusion of the Shingle Springs Indian Reservation and several distinct burial grounds, including a Chinese Cemetery near Logtown. The Southern Pacific railroad corridor winds through the center, connecting established hubs like Diamond Springs and Shingle Springs to the wider California economy, while a network of siphons and canals suggests the critical role of water management in this mineral-rich terrain.