Ever watched a wild west movie with cowboys in action? Well, here’s your chance to go behind the scenes! The best historical spots in Placerville showcase landmarks and structures from the Gold Rush days. 

Apart from the scenery, you can take home souvenirs from their gift shops and wine and dine at their homegrown restaurants and bars. 

Grab a map and do a self-guided tour or explore the best historical points in Placerville with an experienced tour guide.

Best Historical Spots in Placerville

Fountain and Tallman Museum

524 Main Street  – (530) 626 0773

Built in 1852, this museum has two floors featuring mineral ores, porcelain wares, artifacts, and furniture. 

If you’re a fan of Thanos’ infinity stones, visit the first floor and see the precious stones from the Sierra Foothills. The gemstones on display include quartz, plagioclase, and feldspars. While not as magnificent as the infinity stones, they represent our area’s gemstones.

A significant piece of history for Placerville is a replica of the soda machine that carbonated water from the spring for household and commercial use in the 1800s to 1900s.

Once you go up the second floor, you will find one of the world’s first washing machines made of wood! Snowshoe Thompson’s handmade skis are there as well. He used it to carry mail from Placerville to Genoa in winter. Additionally, check out the Tracy family’s shoes made of wood and iron.

 El Dorado Historical Museum

104 Placerville Drive – (530) 621 5865

Go on a treasure hunt at El Dorado Museum and find gold mining equipment like gold pans and stamp mills. A stamp mill crushes rock by pounding it versus grinding the material down to smaller pieces. 

Ancient farming tools like a large flywheel, powered by steam engine cars, and orchard sprayers are also on display. Admission to the museum is free.

Aside from the sights, you can ride the mini train at the El Dorado Western Railroad. Kids can ride here too. The ride costs $8 for adults and children nine years and up and $3 for kids eight years and below. 

Please visit their website to check the museum and railroad schedules.

Gold Bug Park and Mine

2635 Gold Bug Lane – (530) 642 5207

For part two of treasure hunting, tour the hand-dug Priest Mine, which connects to the Gold Bug Mine. Learn about hard rock mining as you download the audio tour app or opt for guided tours. Activities in the area also include hiking, gem panning, and souvenir shopping. Visit the Gold Bug Park website for more details. 

Are you considering buying or selling a home in the South Placer County area? We’d love to help you! Please click here for our contact page, and we’ll reach out to you promptly. 

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Thanks for visiting!