Hangman's Tree

El Dorado County · 305 Main Street, Placerville · location approximate

This city in the days of 1849 was called Hangtown. This was the site of Elstner's Hay Yard, on which stood the "Hangman's Tree," where vigilantes executed many men for various crimes. The stump of the tree is under the building on which the plaque is placed.

1971 register text, presented as a historical document. It uses the period's terms for Native people; the state's landmark listings still carry most of this wording, and the California Office of Historic Preservation maintains the program's current texts.

Many of these plaques have since been recast or their texts revised. The California Historical Landmarks program and its current texts are maintained by the California Office of Historic Preservation. California Office of Historic Preservation ↗

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Marker data: State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation, California Historical Landmarks (1971)

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