Historical Marker · No. 487
Diamond Springs
Diamond Springs, El Dorado County · California
Erected by State Department of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with the citizens of Diamond Springs and the Mother Lode Lions Club of Diamond Springs and El Dorado
In 1854 five towns ran for the county seat and this one finished third, behind Coloma and Placerville. That is the whole shape of Diamond Springs: rich enough to be a contender, never quite the winner. A fire took almost the entire main street in August 1856 and it rebuilt anyway. The plaque credits lumber, lime and agriculture for what came after the gold. From 1927 a noisy aerial tramway carried limestone three miles down from the quarry to a plant in town, which ran until the late 1970s.
What the plaque says
Diamond Springs This town, settled in 1848, derived its name from its crystal clear springs. Among the richest spots in this vicinity its diggings produced a 25 pound nugget, one of the largest ever found in El Dorado County. Its most thriving period was in 1851. Later it became a contender for the county seat. Through its lumber, lime production, and agriculture, Diamond Springs retained some of its early importance. California Registered Historical Landmark No. 487 Plaque placed by the State Department of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with the citizens of Diamond Springs and the Mother Lode Lions Club of Diamond Springs and El Dorado.
Where it stands
38.69396, -120.81730 · Directions
Worth the stop nearby
- Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park — 8.4 miThe tailrace at Coloma where a carpenter found gold in January 1848 and the world came running.