Historical Markers in
Placer County, California

A Brief History of the Blue Anchor Shed A Safe Harbor A Tradition of Basketmaking Adobe Store Building Allexey W Von Schmidt American Hotel Auburn Depot Auburn Depot Auburn Drug Company Auburn Iron Works Auburn Native Sons Hall Auburn Post Office Auburn Public Library Bank of Italy Building Barker Hotel Beerman Plaza Benito Juarez Big Bend Bloomers Cut Bosse-Morgan Building Brye House Butcher Shop Butterfield/Jansen Building Camp Flint Cape Horn Promontory Carnegie Museum Central Square Chicago West Building Chinese Houses Chinese Railroad Workers City of Auburn Claude Chana Colfax Colfax Freight Depot Colfax Methodist Church Colfax Passenger Depot Colfax Record Colonel C. Lincoln Wilson Compressed Air Engine Conflict Over Water Development & Conflict Duane Leroy Bliss Dutch Flat Eagles Hall Early Tahoe City East Auburn Bell Tower Emigrant Gap Emigrant Gap Emigrant Wagon Route Emmada Building Farlow Building First Brick Building in Colfax First Clay Pipe Plant in the West First Mining Ditch First Placer County Hospital First Transcontinental Railroad First Transcontinental Railroad Fleming Building Ford & Co. Building Forest Gift Shop, Cisco Grove Forest Hill Foresthill General Store Foresthill Protestant Cemetery Foresthill School Bell Fruitvale School / Country School Era in Western Placer G. Willment General Store Garbolino Building General Gomez Cigar Factory George A. Wyman Gietzen Fire Station Gold Bug Stamp Mill Gold Discovered Just Downstream in Auburn Ravine! - Why Daylight North Rich Ravine? Gold Run Grand Central Hotel Griffith Quarry Haman House Historic Bell From St. Dominic's Church at Iowa Hill Historical Auburn Fire House Hydraulic Mining I O O F Building Illinoistown Illinoistown Lodge No. 51 Incorporation IOOF Hall Iowa Hill Jacob Feldberg – L. Newman, Clothing Jacob Keck, Sr. Jean Baptiste Charbonneau John Butler, Druggist Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe Outlet Works and Gatekeepers Cabin Lake Tahoe Railway and Transportation Co. Lawyers Row Leopold & Josephine Lobner Lest We Forget Liberty Tree Memorial Lincoln Avenue Businesses Lincoln Highway Lincoln Highway Lincoln World War II Memorial Location of Camp Flint Loomis Loomis - Transcontinental Railroad Loomis Chinatown Loomis Town Hall Maidu Interpretive Center Manzanita Marguerite Mine “Quartz Rock” Masonic Hall and Roseville Theater Building McRae Building McTyeire Memorial Church Meadow Lake Memorial Hall Michigan Bluff Michigan Bluff to Last Chance Minard Building Murphy’s Saloon Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad New Hoppert Building Newcastle Portuguese Hall Nyack Lodge Odd Fellows Hall, Auburn Lodge #7 Old Four Fingers Old Joe Old Masonic Hall Erected 1860 Old St. Mary’s Olivers Olympic Silver, 1956 to 1971 Onyx Club Overland Emigrant Trail Pioneer Express Trail Pioneer Ski Area of America Pioneer Tourism, 1896 to 1926 Pioneers of Deadwood Placer County Bank Placer County Courthouse Placer County Emigrant Road Placer County Museum Placer Press Post War, 1946 to 1955 Railroad Hobbies Building Rainbow Lodge Red Mountain Reuben F. Nelson Footbridge Roads and Bridges Robert G. Fowler - Colfax Rocklin Rocklin Roundhouse Rocklin Veterans Memorial Roseville Roseville - Placer County Vietnam Memorial Roseville Carnegie Library Roseville Junction Monument Roseville Korean War Veterans Memorial Roseville The Beginning Roseville Tribune and Register Building Roseville V.F.W. Post 1661 Veterans Memorial Roseville Veterans Memorial Roseville's First Hospital Roseville’s First City Hall Schuyler Colfax Sheridan Cemetery Southern Pacific Caboose Southern Pacific Railroad No. 2252 Steam Locomotive Southern Pacific, 1926 to 1945 St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Bell Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party Susan's Spot Tahoe City Tahoe City Begins, 1860 to 1895 Tahoe City's Constables Tahoe City's “Big Tree” The Auburn Joss House The Auburn Masonic Hall The Chinese Coolie The Finnish Temperance Hall The Fletcher Moon House The Gatekeeper’s Cabin and Museum The Historic Cooper Amphitheater The Junction House The Lincoln Highway The Owl Club Building The Plentiful Lake The Railhead Saloon The Roseville Methodist Church The Sacred Lake The SPMW 7221 (SPMW 221) Rotary Snow Plow The Stevens Trail The Tsuda Grocery The Watson Cabin The West House Town of Ophir Trains and Tourists Travelers’ Rest Trott Hotel Truckee Trail - Leaving Summit Valley Truckee Trail - Through Boulder Field Truckee Trail - To Summit Valley Union Shed Veteran's Memorial Hall Virginiatown Wells Fargo Express Office – 1852 Western States Endurance Run Finish Line William B. Layton Park Wise Power Plant Yankee Jim's
The California Gold Rush of 1849 brought a huge influx of people to the state. In just two years, the population of San Francisco grew from 1,000 to 25,000. However, only a small percentage of gold-seekers actually struck it rich, and many ended up in debt or poverty.
California random facts
Placer County, located in Northern California, has a rich history dating back thousands of years. The earliest inhabitants were the Nisenan Native American tribe, who thrived in the region for centuries before the arrival of European settlers. In the early 1840s, the area attracted gold seekers during the California Gold Rush, which led to the significant development and transformation of the county.

The discovery of gold in Placer County in 1848 sparked a massive influx of fortune seekers from around the world. Thousands of miners poured into the region, establishing camps and settlements along the rivers and creeks. The town of Auburn, founded in 1848, served as the county seat and quickly became a bustling mining hub. Placer County produced large quantities of gold, contributing to the wealth and economic growth of the area.

As the gold rush subsided, Placer County experienced a shift towards agriculture and logging. Farmers and ranchers settled in the fertile valleys, cultivating crops such as fruit, vegetables, and grains. The timber industry also played a significant role in the county's economy, with vast forests providing valuable resources for construction and development.

Over the years, Placer County adapted and diversified its economy. The completion of the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s brought increased connectivity and transportation options to the area. The tourism industry began to flourish in the 20th century, with visitors drawn to the natural beauty of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada mountains. Today, Placer County is known for its picturesque landscapes, outdoor recreational opportunities, and vibrant communities that blend a rich history with modern amenities.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Placer County, California.

  • 1848: Gold is discovered in the American River, leading to the California Gold Rush.
  • 1851: Placer County is established on April 25, 1851, becoming one of the original 27 counties of California.
  • 1852: Auburn is designated as the county seat of Placer County.
  • 1864: The Central Pacific Railroad reaches Auburn, providing access to transportation and stimulating economic growth.
  • 1932: The Auburn Dam is proposed, but delays and controversies surrounding its construction persist for decades.
  • 1960s: Suburbanization and population growth accelerate as Placer County becomes an attractive residential area for those working in Sacramento.
  • 1994: The Auburn-Foresthill Bridge, spanning the North Fork American River Canyon, is completed, becoming the highest bridge in California.
  • 2008: The state government designates a portion of Placer County as the Placer County Wine Region, recognizing its growing viticulture industry.