About Old Hangtown (Placerville) California

Placerville: Placerville is a charming California "Gold Rush" town named after the placer gold deposits found in its’ riverbeds and hills in the late 1840s. The city is centrally located between Sacramento, the State capitol, and South Lake Tahoe, the world-famous recreation center. Situated above the fog line and below the snow line, Placerville boasts an ideal climate with four distinct seasons. Placerville’s treasured heritage is reflected in the historical, nineteenth century architecture of its downtown core. In addition, Placerville is the county seat and the center of financial, commercial, civic, and government activity. The 9,000-plus residents of Placerville enjoy an excellent quality of life with low crime rates, good schools, a low cost of living and an excellent quality of life. Home prices are very affordable. Single-family homes can be found for under $100,000 and range to $800,000 and more. Horse properties are also available in the area. MORE

CAMERON PARK: Cameron Park is a relatively new community in El Dorado County California and nearby neighboring communities include Placerville, El Dorado Hills & Shingle Springs. In the 1950s, visionary Larry Cameron purchased the 5,000 foothill acres that now encompass Cameron Park for ranching purposes. Over the years, with the help of others, Cameron divided the land into lots of varying sizes. Cameron Park today reflects a wide scope of interests, with ranch-sized properties, medium and high-density residential, shopping areas, a championship country club, recreational lake and the Airpark Estates. The Cameron Airpark Estates provides a unique opportunity for pilots to commute from home to destination without ever leaving the plane. Wide streets double as taxiways between homes and the airstrip. Cameron Park offers a wide variety of homes, housing types and prices. Prices for single-family homes in Cameron Park begin in the mid $100,000s and run to $1 million and more for large estate properties. Cameron Park was conceived as a community to meet many needs and continues to strive for that goal.

SHINGLE SPRINGS: Originally an early, bustling, California gold mining settlement, Shingle Springs has evolved into a peaceful country community with ranches and homes on acreage. Adjacent to Cameron Park in the Sierra Nevada foothills, Shingle Springs is halfway between the San Francisco Bay Area and the scenic Lake Tahoe Basin. Unlimited recreational activities are less than two hours away by car. Residents enjoy the peaceful nature of the town that offers small-town charm, yet has access to all the amenities of a larger city. Premier wineries, Apple Hill Ranches, Historic Coloma, the American River and the El Dorado National Forest are all located within minutes of the city. The community offers a wide variety of housing types and prices. Prices for single-family homes begin in the mid $100,000s and run to $1 million and more for large estate properties with magnificent views.

The history of Shingle Springs is one of boom, bust, boom. When gold was discovered in the area in the early 1850s, people rushed to stake their claim. As claims failed, the miners moved on, but cattle ranchers and farmers saw the value in these hills and continued to support the area. The first post office was established on February 3, 1853, the first general store in 1865. In 1866, the Sacramento Valley Railroad was extended to Shingle Springs. As a railroad terminus, the town boomed with trains and stages departing daily. It became one of the busiest business centers in the Golden State. But in 1867, the railroad found a new route through Auburn. Some area residents moved on, but many decided to stay and establish Shingle Springs as a permanent community. On May 11, 1865, the name was changed to Shingle. It stayed that way until 1955, when it again became Shingle Springs. Today the city is once again experiencing prosperity as resident seek a simpler way of life.

El Dorado Hills