Placerville, CA

Placerville, formerly known as Hangtown, is now the county seat of El Dorado County in the Sierra Nevada foothills. It's situated right alongside Highway 50, so if you're headed to South Lake Tahoe, you'll pass right by it. If you've never been there before, be sure to make a stop and check it out. It has a colorful historic downtown filled with shops, cafes, and lots of art galleries displaying the work of local talent. 

Back in its day, Placerville was the hub for all the mining operations in the Mother Lode region. Hence, the moniker "Hangtown;" apparently, the town saw its share of hangings during the Gold Rush era. It's now registered as a California Historical Landmark and has several buildings listed on the National Register of Historical Places. Here's a glimpse of downtown Placerville...

Historic Main Street...

The Old Belltower...

Historic Main Street...

Inside an art gallery...

Here's where all the hangings took place...

Confidence Hall (on the left) was the first fire station...

Outside the Court House...

In spite of its higher elevation, the area east of the town is increasingly becoming a quality wine producing region and is home to some notable wineries. So try a bit of wine tasting after you've strolled through the downtown!