Placerville, Idaho, Boise County is a enchanting ghost town that once thrived during the great Idaho Gold Rush. Today, it is a reminder of the bustling life that once animated its streets. Below is detailed information about the town.
County: Boise County
Zip Code: 83666
Latitude / Longitude: 43.939° N, 115.934° W
Elevation: Approximately 4,429 feet (1,350 meters)
Time Zone: Mountain Time Zone (MT)
Established: 1862
Disestablished: Not formally disestablished, but declined considerably after the late 19th century
Comments: Placerville was established in 1862 following the discovery of gold in the Boise Basin. The town quickly grew to accommodate thousands of prospectors seeking fortune.
Placerville had numerous saloons, stores, and even a newspaper at its peak. However, as the gold rush waned, so did the population, leaving behind a ghost town.
Remains: Many original buildings remain in Placerville, including old cabins and the historic St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. The remnants of the town’s once-bustling streets offer a glimpse into its vibrant past. Some structures have been maintained, while others have succumbed to the elements. Placerville received its name because of placer mining in the vicinity.
The ghost town is located 17 miles east of Horseshoe Bend. The townsite was selected December 1, 1862, and by December 16, six cabins were in the camp. By the early summer of 1863, the town had 300 buildings and a population of 5,000.
At the meeting of the first legislature held in Lewiston in 1863, the citizens obtained a charter for their city. Father Mesplie, a Catholic priest, held the first church service on January 4, 1864. In that same year, a stage line was established between the Basin and Wallula to carry Wells Fargo Express.
It ran every other day from Placerville and went through in four days. By July 1864, 4500 claims had been recorded in the district. Unlike Florence’s earlier northern Idaho mining areas (northeast of Riggins) and Pierce, the Boise Basin mines provided good returns over many years, the peak years being 1863-66, during and immediately after the Civil War.
For that reason, the Boise Basin rush was significant for an early Idaho settlement. It brought a substantial number of people who stayed to establish towns and provide a population base for retailing and agricultural settlement in the Boise Valley.
Boise Basin had a higher percentage of families than most mining areas, and the major towns, like Placerville and Idaho City, acquired substantial buildings, lodges, churches, schools, and post offices.
Placerville was unusual because it had a street grid and a town square known locally as the “plaza.” Additionally, it had an Episcopal church-which is still in use currently, thirteen saloons, seven restaurants, five butcher shops, five blacksmith shops, as well as hotels, druggists, express agents, bakeries, livery barns, carpenters, sawmills, and –attesting to the presence of women—dressmakers and a millinery shop.
Current Status: Placerville is considered a ghost town but still has a small population and serves as a site of historical interest. It is also a part of the Boise National Forest, attracting visitors interested in its rich history and natural beauty.
The population was 53 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Boise City–Nampa, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area. Only a few early buildings remain in Placerville: as in most mining towns, Placerville suffered more than once from fires that burned a large part of the town.
The most remembered fire is the 1899 fire, which practically destroyed the town. Today’s streetscape dates mostly from the rebuilding immediately after that fire and another fire that burned several buildings ten months later.
During the war years, Placerville just maintained like the rest of the nation. Wartime restrictions included a suspension of the mining industry. There was no growth — only a feeling of “things have to get better.”
In the early 1970s, the upper lots were auctioned off, creating what is now known as the “upper subdivision.” Both permanent and vacation homes were built on these lots. Then, as of now, there was only one business in Placerville, the city store.
Remarks: Placerville represents the transient nature of mining towns and the impact of gold rushes on settlement patterns. It continues to draw visitors and historians interested in Idaho’s mining history and serves as a poignant reminder of the dreams and challenges early settlers and prospectors faced.
Mining in Placerville began with placer workings for gold, but miners soon turned to quartz mining. By 1864, a stamp mill was working in the area. Hydraulic giants were also used. By 1870, however, much of the excess population of the region had been drained off to other mining rushes, and returns on claims had fallen somewhat.
The population in Placerville shrank from 2500 in 1864 to 318 in 1870. By that time, a good percentage of the population was Chinese, and as the Chinese were allowed to work, the less rewarding claims the white miners would not touch. The Chinese also established services like laundries and restaurants.
Placerville continues to survive with a few full-time residents and some part-time residents. The Village Market store has closed, but Donna’s Place II is open. The tourism industry, which includes, among others, history seekers, hunters, ATVs, and snowmobile recreationists, also continues to add life to the small city.
The incorporated city is governed by a mayor and city council, who meet regularly at City Hall. The city is served by the Placerville Fire Department, which has its fire station adjacent to the city plaza and the East Boise County ambulance service.
Public donations and volunteers maintain two city museums open on weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day and by special request.
