Before the
arrival of the Spaniards in 1542, Native American people who were the Maidu and
Miwok groups lived freely in the Sierra foothills. They gathered acorns and
berries along the hillsides and creeks. The local natives organized themselves into
villages. Ironically this is a characteristic they share with today’s residents
of El Dorado Hills.
California
between 1542 and 1848 was controlled first by Spain and then Mexico. The
arrival of the first Europeans did have a significantly big impact on the
Indians living in the western part of California, however the local native’s
way of life remained stable during this period.
The Mexican-American War and the Gold Rush were two major events
that produced overwhelming political and social upheaval for California as well
as the Sierra foothills.
The Park Canal and Mining Company in 1875
rebuilt, formed and began rebuilding and also enlarging 250 miles of the old
miners’ ditches, including some running to Bass Lake which was then called the
American Reservoir.
Ranching in El Dorado Hills and El Dorado County
During the mid 1800’s, 1884-85 a Clarksville town directory
included not only farmers, ranchers and dairyman, the Clarksville town
directory included:
■ Sheep herder
■ Teamster
■ Carpenter
■ Laborer
■ Miner
■ Hotel owner
■ Saloon owner
■ Physician
■ Magnetic healer
Cemeteries in the El Dorado Hills area
Clarkesville: This is a private cemetery located on the south side of
Highway
50, on the hill above the new Town Center East.
Markers
in the Clarksville Cemetery include names like Ball, Beffa, Carsten,
Chappel,
Clark, Davidson, Donahue, Everett, Fitch, Joerger, Johnson, Kyburz,
Martin,
McFadin (McFadden), Miller, Morse, Patterson, Roberts, Sailley, Sherman,
Showers,
Smith, Strohecker, Taylor, Wilson, and York.
The
Clarksville Cemetery was closely associated with Mormon Tavern and is
also
known as the Clarksville / Mormon Tavern Cemetery.
Early Development of El Dorado Hills
The last 40 years, since the early
1960’s real estate, commercial as well a community development has been
dominate in the El Dorado Hills area.
Allan H Lindsey has been considered to
have been the person who “founded” El Dorado Hills in 1959. He bought 20
parcels of ranch land totaling about 11,000 acres. Lindsey gave El Dorado Hills
it’s names and also began to make a master plan for a community of what he
hoped would be about 75,000 people.
Lindsey
purchased the best known parcels was the 1,800 acres from Joseph J. Joerger
family. This was the site of a famous Mormon Tavern which was described in
“Inn’s along White Rock Road and Highway 50, which was in the early developer’s
master plan. Lindsey was inspired by a Viennese architect who had built so
called “new towns”, or master planned communities in Europe. Victor Gruen in 1954 designed the first
regional shopping center, the Northland Shopping Center in Detroit. He also in
1956 developed the first enclosed shopping called Southdale Shopping Center,
near Minneapolis. Gruen also was responsible for the residential and commercial
master plan for Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Lindsey’s original vision for El
Dorado Hills was to develop 12 distinct villages, each were defined by general
terrain, natural parks, arterial streets, and a unique architectural style.
Each village was to have its very own shopping center and recreational club.
This community would also have 2,000 of open space.
—Early advertising for the master-planned community
of El Dorado Hills
Plans
called for 17 elementary schools, 5 junior highs, and three high schools.
The
design for an executive airport similar to the one on Cameron Park was
submitted
and approved by the California Aeronautics Commission.
The El Dorado Hills Handbook 171
A brief history of development in El Dorado Hills
