Placerville, El Dorado County California

Placerville, El Dorado County, P O, incorporated City and County seat, 60 miles east-north-east of Sacramento, is reached by stage from Shingle Springs, 12 miles distant, the terminus of the Placerville and Sacramento Valley Railroad, and is connected with surrounding towns by numerous stage lines. This is one of the oldest towns in the mining region. Being on the principal route of overland immigration, the locality a broad basin in the mountains, pleasant and inviting, and withal exceedingly rich in the precious dust the pioneer had come so far to seek, it was rapidly settled, and a wealthy and prosperous city built up. From 1819 to 1852, it bore the name of Hangtown, but a more refined taste changed the title to Placerville. Hangtown Creek, running through the city, a sparkling mountain stream when the immigrant of 1819 settled upon its grassy banks, is now discolored and sluggish from the washings of many mines. For the first twelve or fourteen years of its existence, Placerville was exceedingly prosperous, having a population of from 5,000 to 7,000, being the center of trade of a rich mining section and great thoroughfare for travel. It declined in importance with the decline of attention to mining and the transfer of travel to other routes, but more extensive developments of the mines of the vicinity, together with its agricultural capacity, give promise of restoring its prosperity. Several quartz veins of undoubted value are within the city limits, and the surrounding hills are generally masses of gravel, constituting a mining resource that, with the application of enterprise, aided by capital, will restore the place to its former prosperity. Two newspapers, the Mountain Democrat and the El Dorado Co. Republican, are published weekly.

Alden Samuel J & Company, druggists. Main
Allen Harvey S, gun and locksmith. Main
Anderson James M, surveyor, Main
Ballard & Simmons, liquor and billiard saloon, Main
Barrs Frederick F, watch maker and jeweler. Main
Beffa Angelo, liquor saloon, corner Main and Bedford
Blair Brothers, lumber, hay, grain and barley. Main
Blanchard George G, attorney at law. Main
Brewster C W, dry goods, clothing, boots and shoes. Main
Brian Henry, hotel. Main
Brown Abraham A, tailor. Main
Brown C B, stoves, glass, tin and hardware, Mam
Brown W H, sheriff, Court House
Butts James, barber. Main
Carpenter G J, attorney at law, Court House
Cartéche John, cigars and fruits. Main
Cary House, Varoria & Company, proprietors. Main
Central House, George C Congdon, proprietor. Main
Cleese Si Anderson, liquor saloon, Main
Cohn Edward, tailor. Main
Coleman Asa, groceries and provisions. Main
Collins Frederick, teal estate and commission. Courthouse
Congdon George C, proprietor Central House, Main
Conklin E B, principal Placerville Academy, Main
Cooke J, physician, Cary House
Co-operative Meat Market, Main
Crippin Brothers, feed stable. Main
Crocker Benjamin S, dry goods, clothing, boots and shoes. Main
Crocker William H, groceries, provisions and liquors, Main
Culbertson A T & Company, furniture, bedding and undertakers. Plaza
Darlington Abraham, general merchandise. Main
Davis B P, proprietor El Dorado County Republican, Main
Degelman John, boots and shoes, Main
Donch John W, harness and saddlery. Main
Donohoe W M, searcher records and real estate agent, Court House
Dunn Daniel, blacksmith, Sacramento
El Dorado County Republican, B F Davis, proprietor. Main
Fox A Dater, blacksmiths and wagon makers, Main
Frasor Thomas, notary public. Main
Gardner C A, liquors, corner Main and Coloma
Gardner & Bentoen, house and sign painter, Main
Gilbert George H. photographer. Plaza
Glynn Frederick W, dentist, Main
Goldner Julius, groceries and varieties, Main
Hall Albert P, druggist. Main
Henry Gaterman, furniture and undertaker, Main
Hoffman S S, physician, Coloma
Hofmeister Frederick, hotel. Main
Hanger Frederick, butcher. Main
Jantzen & Kempthorn, liquors. Main
Jewel Raphael, cigars, tobacco and fancy goods, Main
Johnson William H, barber. Main
Jones William, lumber dealer. Main
Keespe Joseph, cigars, tobacco, confectionery and toys. Main
Kemp William, cooper. Main
Kiene E Mrs, proprietress Placer Hotel, Main
King Charles M, livery stable. Main
Kuhn F W, physician. Mill
Kunkler E A, physician. Main
Lacey William, bakery. Main
Landecker Louis, groceries, provisions and liquors. Main
Lohmann W, physician. Main
Lowry Albert J. postmaster, agent Wells, Fargo & Company, and insurance agent. Plaza
Marks L D, groceries, provisions and fruits. Main
McBride R B, general merchandise. Main
McDonald G F., Mrs, millinery and dress making. Main V
Mehren Jacob, liquor saloon, Main
Metzler Mathias C, liquor saloon. Main
Meyers George, liquor saloon. Main
Mierson, Jewell & C, brokers, clothing and gents' furnishing goods. Main
Morey H S, foundry and machine shop. Mill
Norris Oliver V, boot and shoe maker. Main
Mountain Democrat, W A Selkirk, proprietor, Coloma
Muffley W N, proprietor Central House, Main
Newell J M Rev, clergyman (Presb), Coloma
Nugent T C, insurance agent and superintendent Placerville Water Works, Main
O'Connell Patrick Rev, clergyman (RC), Sacramento
Oliver James M, barber. Main
Parkhurst Oscar, dry goods, clothing, boots and shoes, Main
Patten Thomas R, attorney at law. Main
Patton & Mayer, blacksmiths and wagon makers, Main
Pearson John McF, soda manufacturer and ice dealer. Main
Perkins J L, books and stationery, Plaza
Pierce C C Rev, clergyman (Episc)
Plunado Francis H, shoe maker. Main
Post B F, contractor and builder
Rolleri Joseph, liquor saloon. Main
Selkirk W A, proprietor Mountain Democrat, Coloma
Sheldon H B Rev, clergyman (Meth), Cedar Ravine
Sieg Frederick, liquor saloon, Coloma
Sigwart Joseph H, watch maker and jeweler. Main
Simon Michael, dry goods, clothing, boots and shoes. Main
Simons Lenore Miss, music teacher, Central House
Simpson James, bakery and confectionery, Main
Spencer, W E, dentist, Main
Spickert Jacob, shoe maker, Sacramento
Squires Ogden, attorney at law. Court House
Stephens Thomas R, livery stable and stage proprietor, Main
Stewart Albert G, agent W U Telegraph Company, Cary House
Stimpson S F, homeopathic physician. Main
Teare Philip, attorney at law. Main
Tracy Henry N, shoe maker. Main
Varorra & Company, proprietors Cary House, Main
Walz John, butcher. Main
Weathekwax C U, stoves, glass, tin and hardware. Main
White D J, liquor saloon. Main
Wilcox & Brown, general merchandise. Main
Williams George E, attorney at law. Main
Wirtz Jacob, proprietor City Gardens, Coloma
Wonderly John, groceries, provisions and liquors. Main
Wonderly Nicholas, blacksmith and wagon maker. Main
Worthen H W A, physician, Main
Zeiss Jacob, Brewery, Main

California Gazetteer | AHGP California

Source: Pacific Coast Business Directory for 1876-78, Compiled by Henry G. Langley, San Francisco, 1875