Old Dry Diggins—Old Hangtown—Placerville

Old Dry Diggins—Old Hangtown—Placerville is a California Historical Landmark in Placerville, El Dorado County.

El Dorado County · Bedford and Main, Placerville · location approximate

Directions to the area ↗Start a road trip Historical trails

Established on banks of "Hangtown"Creek as rich mining camp in spring of 1848. Millions in gold were taken from its ravines and hills. Supply center for mining camps and transportation terminus for the famous Comstock Lode. John M. Studebaker, Mark Hopkins, Leland Stanford, Phillip Armour, and Edwin Markham were among well-known men who contributed to Placerville's history. Also"Snowshoe" John A. Thompson, who carried from 60 to 80 pounds of mail on skis from Placerville over the Sierra to Carson Valley during winter months.

1971 register text, presented as a historical document.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 ↗

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Example

under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s

what this marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years here

From one family's 77-marker roster

Upload your family tree and TreeAlive finds the markers near where your own ancestors lived.

See your family's markers

Start with a tree file, a FamilySearch sign in, or a WikiTree ID.

Report a problem with this page

The marker isn't at this spotOur pin may be off. If you know where it stands, tell us.I couldn't find the markerWe record what the source recorded. We have not been to look.The sign reads differentlyExpected here. This page shows the older published text, and some signs were recast later. Telling us still helps.The historical map looks wrongThe period map behind the pin, not the marker itself.Something else

We may pass what you report to the state's marker program. Please don't include personal details.

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

More markers nearby

Studebaker's Shop (Site of)under 1 mi
Hangman's Treeunder 1 mi
Placerville—Overland Pony Express Route in Californiaunder 1 mi
Methodist Episcopal Churchunder 1 mi

On the National Register nearby

Confidence Hall90 ft
Fountain-Tallman Soda Works300 ft

Places within about 300 feet of this marker that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A nearby listing is not always the marker's own subject.