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1949 Map of Placerville

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Placerville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Placerville and the neighboring Mother Lode settlements are depicted here as they appeared in the late 1940s, a landscape deeply marked by its gold-mining heritage. Industrial sites such as the Union Mine, Starlight Mine, and the Crystal Mine dot the terrain, while the Southern Pacific railroad provides a vital transportation link through Shingle Springs and Diamond Springs. The presence of the Shingle Springs Indian Reservation and several historic sites like the Logtown (Site) near Nashville reflect the complex layers of residency and settlement in El Dorado County.

Water management is central to the local economy, evidenced by the intricate system of the Plymouth Ditch and the winding course of the Cosumnes River and its multiple forks. Smaller settlements like Latrobe in the southwest and Fiddletown in the southeast preserve the character of rural California before mid-century expansion. Genealogists can trace local legacies through family-named features like the Miller Ranch or scattered rural institutions including the Brandon School and Shenandoah Sch.