Miwok & Maidu Indian tribes once roamed the southwestern portion of what is now El Dorado County. The Maidu tribe stayed to the north, while the Miwok were more southern with a few villages along the coast. In the winter, most of the Maidu lived in tepee-shaped, bark-covered lodges. In the summer, they lived in the open. They were a gentle, hard-working group of people who spoke softly to one another to avoid damaging the keen sense of hearing required to be a successful hunter. Mortar stations (grinding rocks) used in preparing their food can still be seen today near Latrobe. The rivers and creeks provided abundant salmon, eel and other fish. The game they killed included antelope, elk, deer, rabbits, squirrels and quail and common plants in their diet were acorns, hazelnuts, ferns, purslane, mustard, wild onions, berries and grapes.Under Spanish and Mexican Rule
The colonization of California began with the Spanish Empire's discovery of New Spain. Along with Mexico, the states of Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, California, and other lands, made up what was once known as New Spain. At the time of Spanish colonization in California, all land title was vested in the Spanish Empire by virtue of discovery. Private land claims in California emanated from the Spanish and later Mexican, government's practice of granting sovereign lands to private individuals. When the United States took possession of California and other Mexican lands in 1848, it was bound by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo to honor the legitimate land claims of Mexican citizens residing in those captured territories. According to the El Dorado County Assessor's office and El Dorado Historical Museum, there were no Spanish or Mexican land grants in what later became El Dorado Hills.
The colonization of California began with the Spanish Empire's discovery of New Spain. Along with Mexico, the states of Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, California, and other lands, made up what was once known as New Spain. At the time of Spanish colonization in California, all land title was vested in the Spanish Empire by virtue of discovery. Private land claims in California emanated from the Spanish and later Mexican, government's practice of granting sovereign lands to private individuals. When the United States took possession of California and other Mexican lands in 1848, it was bound by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo to honor the legitimate land claims of Mexican citizens residing in those captured territories. According to the El Dorado County Assessor's office and El Dorado Historical Museum, there were no Spanish or Mexican land grants in what later became El Dorado Hills.
The Gold Rush
In 1848, gold was discovered by James Marshall at Coloma. "Gold fever" brought fortune seekers from Mexico, Europe and other states to California. In 1849, Californ
ia became a state and by 1852, the gold rush was virtually over. Settlers could claim up to 160 acres by occupying and making improvements to the land and by 1852, over 12,000 Californians had set up farms. During this time, the area of what is now the south side of El Dorado Hills was known as Clarkston's Town and later Clarksville, named after Luther Brown Clark and his brother Harry who had a stopping place on the main road. At its peak, Clarksville had several hundred people with recognized names such as Barton, Thomas, Fisk, Russi, Taylor, Van Wicklin, Wilson, Fitch, Kyburz, Murphy, Tong and Joerger. A plat map dated 1895 at the El Dorado County Historical Museum shows the current Serrano area once belonged to the Anton Russi family and a 1925 plat map indicates that it then belonged to the Frank X. Walker family. All that remains of the town today are two brick walls from the general store and a couple of dilapidated houses beyond repair.
In 1848, gold was discovered by James Marshall at Coloma. "Gold fever" brought fortune seekers from Mexico, Europe and other states to California. In 1849, Californ
ia became a state and by 1852, the gold rush was virtually over. Settlers could claim up to 160 acres by occupying and making improvements to the land and by 1852, over 12,000 Californians had set up farms. During this time, the area of what is now the south side of El Dorado Hills was known as Clarkston's Town and later Clarksville, named after Luther Brown Clark and his brother Harry who had a stopping place on the main road. At its peak, Clarksville had several hundred people with recognized names such as Barton, Thomas, Fisk, Russi, Taylor, Van Wicklin, Wilson, Fitch, Kyburz, Murphy, Tong and Joerger. A plat map dated 1895 at the El Dorado County Historical Museum shows the current Serrano area once belonged to the Anton Russi family and a 1925 plat map indicates that it then belonged to the Frank X. Walker family. All that remains of the town today are two brick walls from the general store and a couple of dilapidated houses beyond repair.El Dorado Hills
Allan H. Lindsey is considered to have "founded" El Dorado Hills in 1959 when he bought 20 parcels of ranch lands totaling about 11,000 acres of what was once Clarksville. The largest pieces of property purchased by Allan Lindsey were the Joerger and Walker ranches. The name El Dorado Hills was chosen because he believed it captured the spirit of the Gold Rush as El Dorado means "the gilded one" or "the golden one" in Spanish. According to Lindsey's original plan, El Dorado Hills would be developed into 12 distinct villages, each defined by natural parks, arterial streets and unique architectural style and 2,000 acres of open space. In addition, each village was to have its own shopping center and recreational club. In 1962, the first village was completed and a family moved into the area. The second and third villages also soon opened. Raley's supermarket, the first community shopping center to open, was completed in 1970. By the late 1960s, property in El Dorado Hills wasn't selling as fast as Lindsey had planned due to cutbacks at nearby industries, so Lindsey was forced to sell out to the John Hancock Insurance Company.
They did little development in the 1970s and by late in the decade, they had begun to sell off the land one parcel at a time. In 1978, a group of investors purchased additional undeveloped acreage in El Dorado Hills. In 1980, another economic downturn began and interest rates began to rise. The owners worked on a master plan for the area, but the community saw little or no development. In 1989, 3500 acres of the property, which became Serrano, were sold to the Parker Development Company.
In the 1990s, real estate development picked up and one of the largest master-planned developments in the area was started by Parker Development loosely following Lindsey's o
riginal vision for the area. The Serrano Visitor's Center opened in 1995 and began selling custom home sites as a series of neighborhoods attached to the basic street system of Serrano Parkway and Silva Valley Parkway. The Serrano development includes 1000 acres of open space, 63 acres of parkland, a 200-acre private championship par-72 golf course, village green and outdoor amphitheater, on-site public library, three on-site schools, spectacular views, and 23 miles of hiking and biking trails.
Today, El Dorado Hills encompasses 17.9 square miles of land along the western boundary of El Dorado County, California and is located about 30 miles east of Sacramento and 20 miles west of Placerville on the western slopes of the Sierra. It is an unincorporated community and most of the community services (garbage collection, cable TV, street lighting) are supplied by the El Dorado Hills Community Services District. Fire and police services are supplied by El Dorado County.
(Sources: El Dorado County Tax Assessor's Office; El Dorado County Museum;The El Dorado Hills Handbook by Anna Van Raaphorst-Johnson & Richard H. Johnson; Serrano Visitor's information packet; Grants of Land in California made by Spanish or Mexican Authorities by Cris Perez; westernlivingcenter.com; El Dorado County 2007 Economic and Demographic Profile published by Center for Economic Development, California State University, Chico)
Allan H. Lindsey is considered to have "founded" El Dorado Hills in 1959 when he bought 20 parcels of ranch lands totaling about 11,000 acres of what was once Clarksville. The largest pieces of property purchased by Allan Lindsey were the Joerger and Walker ranches. The name El Dorado Hills was chosen because he believed it captured the spirit of the Gold Rush as El Dorado means "the gilded one" or "the golden one" in Spanish. According to Lindsey's original plan, El Dorado Hills would be developed into 12 distinct villages, each defined by natural parks, arterial streets and unique architectural style and 2,000 acres of open space. In addition, each village was to have its own shopping center and recreational club. In 1962, the first village was completed and a family moved into the area. The second and third villages also soon opened. Raley's supermarket, the first community shopping center to open, was completed in 1970. By the late 1960s, property in El Dorado Hills wasn't selling as fast as Lindsey had planned due to cutbacks at nearby industries, so Lindsey was forced to sell out to the John Hancock Insurance Company.They did little development in the 1970s and by late in the decade, they had begun to sell off the land one parcel at a time. In 1978, a group of investors purchased additional undeveloped acreage in El Dorado Hills. In 1980, another economic downturn began and interest rates began to rise. The owners worked on a master plan for the area, but the community saw little or no development. In 1989, 3500 acres of the property, which became Serrano, were sold to the Parker Development Company.
In the 1990s, real estate development picked up and one of the largest master-planned developments in the area was started by Parker Development loosely following Lindsey's o
riginal vision for the area. The Serrano Visitor's Center opened in 1995 and began selling custom home sites as a series of neighborhoods attached to the basic street system of Serrano Parkway and Silva Valley Parkway. The Serrano development includes 1000 acres of open space, 63 acres of parkland, a 200-acre private championship par-72 golf course, village green and outdoor amphitheater, on-site public library, three on-site schools, spectacular views, and 23 miles of hiking and biking trails.
Today, El Dorado Hills encompasses 17.9 square miles of land along the western boundary of El Dorado County, California and is located about 30 miles east of Sacramento and 20 miles west of Placerville on the western slopes of the Sierra. It is an unincorporated community and most of the community services (garbage collection, cable TV, street lighting) are supplied by the El Dorado Hills Community Services District. Fire and police services are supplied by El Dorado County.
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(Sources: El Dorado County Tax Assessor's Office; El Dorado County Museum;The El Dorado Hills Handbook by Anna Van Raaphorst-Johnson & Richard H. Johnson; Serrano Visitor's information packet; Grants of Land in California made by Spanish or Mexican Authorities by Cris Perez; westernlivingcenter.com; El Dorado County 2007 Economic and Demographic Profile published by Center for Economic Development, California State University, Chico)
2 comments:
Pam -
Where is the historical town of Clarksville? How do you get there from El Dorado Hills?
Since I'm a VanWicklin I'd really like to go see this town... Seems perfect for photographing in the fall.
Thanks!
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