1976 Map of Placerville

About this map

The South Fork American River corridor serves as the primary axis of this survey, where gold rush history remains etched into the landscape at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in Coloma. The map reveals a transition from the foothill communities of Placerville, Diamond Springs, and Shingle Springs into the high elevations of the Sierra Nevada and the Desolation Wilderness. A complex water management system is evident through numerous reservoirs such as Union Valley Reservoir and Ice House Reservoir, which support the region's hydro-economy. Transport patterns are dominated by U.S. Highway 50 and the Camino Placerville & Lake Tahoe RR, connecting the timber and mining districts of the Georgetown Divide with the growing settlements of El Dorado County. Farther south, the rural character of Fiddletown and Grizzly Flat contrasts with the alpine terrain near Lake Tahoe and Pyramid Peak.