Wanting to stroll in the sun, we drove an hour west of Tahoe for a day in Placerville. With a temperature of 20°+ warmer than home, it was the ideal way for four friends to spend time together, elsewhere.

For new readers, in 1848, gold was discovered on the American River near Placerville. The gold rush quickly populated the town, soon known as Dry Diggins, and by 1854 it had the third largest population in the state. As one would expect, a very vigorous economy developed and by the early 1850s the town had a fire department, post office, newspaper, and a Pony Express and Wells Fargo stage office. Notables who arrived included Mark Twain, Levi Strauss, and John Studebaker. Those who resorted to unlawful deeds met their end by hanging. In 1854, Dry Diggins’ name was changed to Old Hangtown, and it became the El Dorado county seat. Subsequently, the name was changed to Placerville, reflecting the city’s gold mining heritage.
Our day started on the patio of Sweetie Pie's for coffees. It is one of the three original wooden homes on this stretch of Main St.
Our history lessons were learned at the Fountain & Tallman Museum, the oldest extant building on Placerville’s Main Street, and the pride of the El Dorado County Historical Society. It is the site of John Fountain & Benjamin Tallman's Soda Works (1852), which provided clean drinking water and refreshments to early pioneers. The museum building style is called rock rubble construction and is a prime example of the first permanent buildings that transitioned Placerville from a mining camp into a proper town. The stone walls of the building are more than 2 feet thick; sufficient to keep ice and soda supplies cool. It is also the perfect start of a stroll through this historic town.
Since I've explored this museum several times, I was most interested in the temporary exhibit, Snowbound. "From pioneer mailman Snowshoe Thompson to Olympian Spider Sabich, discover how El Dorado County’s snowbound past gave rise to a culture of adventure, innovation, and world-class skiing. See rare artifacts, vintage skis, and local legends who helped make the Highway 50 corridor a hub of winter recreation."






During our day here, we patronaged The Bookery twice. The building itself has a rich history. It once housed the Blue Bell Cafe and was famous for its Hangtown Fry, a concoction of eggs, oysters and bacon made from a gold rush-era recipe. Earlier, it was where Ben Nickerson arrived in 1849, leading a grizzly bear and a donkey in order to stage fights. Public opinion forced him to look for a new business, so he erected a huge canvas tent gambling hall and did so well that in 1852 he built a two-story building with a piazza. He called it Union Hotel which had 75 sleeping rooms, two parlors and a 10-pin bowling alley. All was lost in one of the fires of 1856.
The Hangman's Tree was a real oak tree used for vigilante hangings during the Gold Rush, giving the town its "Hangtown" nickname. The tree's stump is preserved in the cellar of this building. Who knew?!
I've been wanting to dine at Mel's after seeing American Graffiti on its 50th anniversary. While not the original used in the film, the 50's vibe was groovy indeed. It was a great stop to review all we had seen and experienced on our day in Placerville.
Four old friends: learning, exploring, dining, shopping, and just delighting in one's company. Oh, and warm sunshine. Days don't get much better than this.