Placerville

Placerville is a city in and the county seat of El Dorado County, California. It is located in the Sierra Nevada foothills where U.S. Route 50 crosses State Route 49. The population was 10,747 as of the 2020 census, up from 10,389 as of 2010 census. The city has several buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places; several are noted below. Placerville's logo featured a hangman's noose, in reference to the town's history as "Hangtown," until 2021, when the town council voted to remove it. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a area of 5.15 square miles (15 km²), over 99% of it land. The town's first post office opened in 1850. The Southern Pacific Railroad once had a branch line that extended from Sacramento to Placville. It was abandoned in the 1980s. The track right-of-way is now a 37-mile hiking and biking path that connects the city of Folsom, California with the town of Camino with plans to extend the trail across the entireEl Dorado county and eventually to Lake Tahoe. It's about 1,867 feet (569 m) above sea level, while unincorporated areas of the city range from 1,800 feet (550 m) to nearly 4,000 feet (1,200 m) The town has a cool, dry, Mediterranean climate, creating a typically Californian Mediterranean climate.

History

Placerville is the primary city name, but also Kelsey are acceptable city names or spellings, Bucks Bar, Cedar Ravine, Five Mile Terrace, Gold Hill, Newtown, Old Fort Jim, Pleasant Valley, Swansboro Country on the other hand no longer accepted or obsolete and are no longer used as a designation. After the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in nearby Coloma, California, in 1848, the small town now known as Placerville was known as Dry Diggin's. In 1849, the town earned its most common historical name, "Hangtown", because of the numerous hangings that had occurred there. The name was not changed until 1854 when the City of Placumer was incorporated. At its incorporation, Placville was the third largest town in California. The town had many services, including transportation, lodging, banking, and had a market and general store. It was a central hub for the Mother Lode region's mining operations. The Southern Pacific Railroad once had a branch line that extended from Sacramento to Placerville. The track right-of-way is now a 37-mile hiking and biking path that connects the city of Folsom, California to the town of Camino with plans to extend the trail across the entire El Dorado county and eventually to Lake Tahoe. It is now registered as California Historical Landmark #701. The city's logo featured a hangman's noose until 2021, when the town council voted to remove it. An earlier proposal to redesign the logo had been rejected in 2020. The history of hard-rock mining is evidenced by an open and accessible Gold Bug Park & Mine, now a museum with tours and books. A former Maidu settlement called Indak was located at the site of the town. A group of fraternal organizations, and it holds the graves of many of the city founders.

National Register of Historic Places gallery

Placerville has several buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Several of these buildings are in the city's downtown area. The buildings are listed in alphabetical order by year of construction.

Geography

Downtown Placerville is about 1,867 feet (569 m) above sea level. Unincorporated areas of the city range from 1,800 feet (550 m) to nearly 4,000 feet (1,200 m) According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.8 square miles (15 km²), over 99% of it land. It is the location of three traffic signals along U.S. Route 50, which is otherwise a freeway. The city is located in the Sierra Nevada foothills where U.N. Route 49 crosses State Route 49. It has a population of about 3,000. It was founded in 1872. The town is located on the banks of the Sacramento River. The river is a tributary of the San Francisco Bay. It runs through the city. It also has a small airport. The area is known as "Placerville, California" and was once known as the "City of Gold" because of the town's gold mining history. It became a city in the early 20th century. In the 1930s, the town was known for its gold mining activities. It still has a gold mine and is a popular tourist destination today. It's located in a valley that is part of the California Gold Rush region. The Sierra Nevada Mountains are a major source of natural beauty. It lies in the foothills of the eastern Sierra Nevada. The elevation is about 569 feet (500 m) and the city is in the eastern foothills.

Climate

Placerville has cool, frequently wet winters and hot, dry summers. Average annual rainfall in Placerville is 38.11 inches (968.0 mm) There are an average of 66 days with measurable rain. The wettest calendar year was 1983 with 74.55 inches (1,893.6 mm) and the driest 1976 with 11.85 inches (301 mm) The most rainfall in one month was 23.29 inches (591.6mm) in December 1955. Most rainfall in 24 hours was 6.22 inches (158 mm) on February 14, 2000. The record high temperature was 114 °F (46 °C) on July 4, 1911. Although snowfall is rare in the city, heavy amounts often fall in the mountains east of the city. The city is located on the California Coast and is located in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is one of the few cities in California to have a large percentage of people who live in the Bay Area, making it a popular tourist destination. It also has a high percentage of residents who live outside the city limits, especially in the northern and eastern parts of the town. It has a relatively mild climate (Köppen Csa) with average temperatures of 53.4°F (11.9°C) and a minimum temperature of 32.5 °C (0.3 °C). It is the only city in California that has a population of more than 1 million.

Demographics

The 2010 United States Census reported that Placerville had a population of 10,389. The population was spread out, with 2,277 people (21.9%) under the age of 18, 972 people (9.4%) aged 18 to 24, 2,468 people (23.8%) aged 25 to 44, and 2,831 people (27.2%) aged 45 to 64. The median age was 40.4 years. There were 4,541 housing units at an average density of 781.2 per square mile (301.6/km²), of which 4,129 were occupied, of which 2,160 (52.3%) were owner-occupied, and 1,969 (47.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.8%. 5,023 people (48.3% of the population) lived in owner- occupied housing units and 4,765 people (45.9% of population) living in rental housing units. The average household size was 2.37. There were 2,461 families (59.6% of all households); the average family size was2.97. The city is located on the California Gold Rush Highway. The Gold Rush Trail runs through the city. It was built in the late 1800s and early 1900s as a way to get to Yosemite National Park. The town is now a popular tourist destination.

Government

Placerville is in California's 1st Senate District and 5th Assembly District. It is in the U.S. House of Representatives' 4th congressional district. Placerville has a population of about 2,000. The city is located in the Central Coast region of California. The town is located on the San Joaquin River, a tributary of the San Francisco River. It has a reputation for being a hotbed of illegal activity, particularly in the 1990s and early 2000s. It also has a history of violence, particularly against women and blacks. It was the site of the infamous "Pleasant Valley Massacre" in the late 1970s and 1980s, when a group of young women were killed by a mob of white men in the town. The killings were blamed on the white men, who were also responsible for many of the city's other violent crimes, including the murder of a black man in the early 1980s. The community has a long history of racism, especially among the white population. In the early 1900s, the town was home to the first African-American mayor, George W. Bush, who was elected to the California State Senate in the 1930s. He was re-elected to the State Assembly in the 1940s and 1950s, and later to the United States House of Reps. in the 1950s and 1960s. In 2008, the city was the location of one of the nation's first gay pride events, held in the summer of 2008.

Economy

The region east of Placerville, popularly known as Apple Hill and Pleasant Valley, is becoming a center for wine production. The wine region is officially designated as the El Dorado AVA. The largest wineries in the area are Boeger, Lava Cap and Madrona, but most of the 30 plus wineries are family owned and smaller. The region is "renown[ed] for making vibrantly flavorful, distinctly delicious wines, grown in the dramatic elevations of the Sierra Nevada" The area has a local chapter of the Rhone Rangers winemaker association. The area is home to the Mountain Democrat, the oldest continuously published newspaper in California, and Marshall Medical Center. The town is also home to a number of non-profit organizations, including the American Lung Association and the American Diabetes Association. The city is also the location of the California State Fair, which runs through the end of the year. The state's largest employer is the University of California, Los Angeles. The local economy is based on agriculture, with the majority of the city's population living in the region. The economy is also based on tourism, with many visitors coming to the state for the state fair and the California Golden Gate National Park. The community is also known for its large number of wineries, many of which are family-owned and smaller in wine grape and wine production, as well as its many restaurants and bars. It is the home of the National Football League's San Francisco 49ers football team.

Transportation

Placerville is served by two major highways. California State Route 49 runs north and south, connecting the city with the other major communities in the Sierra Nevada foothills. U.S. Route 50 heads west to Sacramento and east to South Lake Tahoe. Placerville Airport has a 4,200-foot-long (1,300 m) runway, but is not currently served by any commercial air transport. El Dorado Transit runs public bus service, both local routes and weekday commuter service to/from Sacramento. Amtrak's thruway bus service stops in Placville along its route connecting Sacramento and South Lake. Tahoe to Sacramento route is a part of the Lincoln Highway, which runs from Sacramento to the lake. The city is also served by the California State University, Sacramento, which has a campus on the western edge of the city. The campus is located on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas and is known as the "Gateway to the West" It is the only major university in the state, and is located in the foothills of the western Sierra Nevada. It is also home to the University of California, Los Angeles, and the California Institute of the Arts. The University of Nevada, Sacramento has a chapter of the College of Arts and Sciences, which is based in the city's downtown area. The College of arts and sciences is a division of the California College of Science and Technology, which also has a satellite campus in Sacramento. The California State College of Technology, San Diego, has a branch in the town of Yreka.

Culture

Historically, Placerville was often referred to by the name "Hangtown," because of the 3 unfortunates that were hung after being caught for cattle rustling by locals. Main Street features a large stone column holding a glass and metal "torch" known as "The Druid Monument", commemorating the Order's inception there 1860. The Southern Pacific Transportation Company branch line was purchased from the Union Pacific in 1996 for $14 million by the Joint Powers Authority consisting of Sacramento County, Folsom, and El Dorado County. The line is being converted to a hiking and biking trail, with over 12 miles of the rail line now paved as a Class 1 biking route.Placerville is the home of United Ancient Order of Druids of California Grove No. 1, which was established in 1860 as the first Druid hall in California. The city council agreed unanimously to remove the noose from the city's logo. There are multiple legends regarding the origin of the legendary dish known as the "H Hangtown fry" which includes eggs, bacon, and oysters. All stories agree that Placville is the place of origin for the dish, but all stories agree it was created in the Gold Rush days. The city is currently attempting to repave the roundabout containing the monument, possibly removing it permanently in the processa proposal that has divided the community. It was reinstated in 201718, along with several other historical fraternal societies. A walk down Main Street also reveals many historical markers, signifying spots of certain events or persons of importance during this period.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Placerville, El Dorado County, California = 1.2. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 50. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 98. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Placerville = 4.8 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 4,505 individuals with a median age of 36.1 age the population grows by 2.94% in Placerville, El Dorado County, California population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,913.53 residents per square mile of area (738.79/km²). There are average 2.28 people per household in the 4,215 households with an average household income of $44,291 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 12.10% of the available work force and has dropped -5.76% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 16.38%. The number of physicians in Placerville per 100,000 population = 184.6.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Placerville = 38.3 inches and the annual snowfall = 2.8 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 66. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 244. 92 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 32.3 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 73, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Placerville, El Dorado County, California which are owned by the occupant = 50.19%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 35 years with median home cost = $256,810 and home appreciation of -8.20%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $8.37 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,814 per student. There are 20.6 students for each teacher in the school, 2812 students for each Librarian and 625 students for each Counselor. 7.41% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 11.73% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 7.83% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).