SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
LEGENDS OF
GOLD COUNTRY
The region has a rich history and entrepreneurial spirit, including the
glimmer of ore and the boom of agriculture and wine
by Christina Kiefer
According to El Dorado County
folklore, Sailor Jack, a young
immigrant from Finland, was
stumbling about the shrubbery
along the South Fork Weber Creek
outside of Newtown in 1853. Some veteran
miners in town had convinced the
inexperienced, hopeful prospector there
was a huge fortune in the area. Sailor
Jack did not know the miners were
playing a joke at the expense of his naivete,
but in a twist of fate, he stumbled
upon gold and returned with massive
nuggets to the old miners’ chagrin. The
site became a productive mine early in
the gold rush of California. It is just one
of the many legendary stories from the
gold rush era.
During the gold rush, an estimated $2
billion in gold was extracted, but some
prospectors failed to strike it rich. While
many miners moved on as the mines
dried up, eager to find their fortune
elsewhere, others decided to stay, finding
they could be successful ranching and
farming. It may have been the allure of
gold that brought people like Sailor Jack
to the West, but it was the promise of the
land that made many stay.
Today, the area is known for its agriculture
and agritourism, exemplified by
the 50-plus family farms in Apple Hill in
Camino, founded in 1964. Apple Hill has
apple orchards, Christmas tree farms and
pumpkin patches that draw more than 1.2
million visitors annually.
Placerville, the hub of commerce
during the heyday of the gold rush, still is a
mainstay of the “Mother Lode” region and
the seat of El Dorado County. Visitors to
El Dorado County can take a step back in
time when they visit Placerville.
“Our history is No. 1,” says Cleve Morris,
city manager for the City of Placerville.
“It’s something we’ve been able to cherish
and preserve.”
Small businesses like Placerville
Hardware are testaments to preservation.
Established in 1852, the hardware
store claims to be the oldest west of the
Mississippi. The family-owned Placerville
News Company has been in business
since 1856. “We have a great community,
a vibrant and historic downtown, and
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