We feel the same about Placerville, our hometown. Many historic buildings, roads, and mines remain to this day, validating the quaint scene that Browne painted with words in the 19th century. Sweet peas, mustard, lupines, and California poppies bloom along well-traveled roads and over the hills. And even though the sound of modern automobiles has replaced that of wagons, Placerville still retains much of its early charm.
Bell Tower in Placerville
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The Bell Tower - The 100th anniversary of the Bell Tower on Placerville's Main Street was celebrated in 1998. This metal tower was built in 1898 to replace the wooden one built in 1865.
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See our Photo Gallery for more views of Placerville. For the history of this town, see the Gold Rush Chronicles. For City information, click here.
The 2000 Great Race - On Saturday, June 24, 2000, the entrants in the History Channel's Great Race made a pit stop in Placerville before finishing the Race in Sacramento. Out of 18 pit stops across the nation, Placerville won the "Greatest American City" award. The $5000 prize went to the El Dorado County Library.
The autos—from a '15 Ford Model T, the oldest, to a '64 Studebaker convertible— traveled across the nation, starting in Boston. About 100 vintage cars stopped in Historic Downtown Placerville on their way to the finish line in Sacramento, competing for $250,000 in a timed, controlled-speed endurance rally.
The 2006 Great Race
Overnight in Placerville on July 6, 2006
Day Schedule for July 6, 2006
For more information on Historic Downtown Placerville, click here.
