The city of Auburn was
founded in 1849, and by 1850 the town had grown to 1,500 people - mainly
due to the California Gold Rush. This beautiful map provides a look back
to the early beginnings of the city, and includes insets of the towns
early structures. Complete reference list below.
The following booster
statement was included on the map:
Auburn, Placer County, Cal.
The county
seat of Placer County, Cal., is situated in the foot-hill portion at an
elevation of 1,360 feet, and is on the main overland route, the
C.P.R.R., 36 miles from Sacramento, the Capital, and 126 miles from San
Francisco. Auburn was settled in 1849, and has long been noted for its
beauties of scenery and as a health resort. The doctors throughout the
State recommend its climate for those troubled with asthma and pulmonary
troubles. Its elevation and fresh resinous air make it peculiarly
grateful to such. School facilities consist of public schools and the
Sierra Normal College.
Churches are Congregational,
Catholic, Methodist, and a Protestant Episcopal Mission. There are large
hotels which entertain in first-class manner the local traveling and
health-seeking public. Stages run daily to Placerville and Georgetown in
El Dorado County, and Forest Hill and other towns in Placer County. It
is a large freight shipping station to the neighboring mountain towns.
The Wild rushing American River, in its canon 1,000 feet deep, is piped
spring water to the lower part of town, but there will be finished in
January, 1888, a most perfect system of water works for the town and
surrounding hills. 3,800 feet of 13 inch pipe will carry Bear River
ditch water to a hill having two reservoirs of 2,000,000 gallons
capacity each, 345 feet above the Post Office ; thence a 13 inch pipe
3,600 feet to depot, with fall of 140 feet, thence in a 6 inch pipe
5,200 feet to lowest part of town, with 220 feet fall, or a total of 360
feet from reservoirs. This assures abundance of water for house,
irrigation, fire, sewer and manufacturing purposes. All kinds of fruits
and berries flourish here, deciduous as well as citrus. A few banana and
rubber trees are growing in yards. It is the natural home of the orange,
olive and vine. The Auburn Orange Growers' Association has 16 acres of
growing orange trees, also a few lemons, in their grove near Auburn,
which is the second larges in Northern California. An olive oil mill
will be erected this season. The College Tract is a choice, centrallly
located piece of rolling ground, subdivided into building lots. Streets
and alleys are being graded, and water pipes will soon be laid to each
lot. The population of Auburn is 2,000 and growing fast. In 1887 there
were established new business houses as follows: A Second Bank, 2 Dry
Goods Stores, 1 Grocery Store, 1 Drug Store, 1 Variety and News Depot,
besides numerous residences; and 6 new Real Estate Agents have begun
business in addition to the one office of 1886. A modern poet could
truthfully sing -
"Sweet Auburn ! loveliest
village of the plain,
Where health and
plenty cheer the laboring swain,
Where
smiling spring its earliest visit paid,
And parting summer's lingering blooms delayed."
Placer County, California.
Placer County in
area is larger than the State of Rhode Island. It extends from near the
Sacramento River on the west in a north-east direction to the State of
Nevada and Lake Tahoe, about 160 miles. The width varies from 10 to 30
miles. The adjoining counties in the north are Yuba and Nevada ; on the
south El Dorado and Sacramento ; on the west Sutter. In altitude above
the ocean it reaches from 100 feet in the western and agricultural
portion to the Sierra Nevada mountains, many of whose peaks are 10, 000
feet high. The elevations of the towns on the railroad are indicated on
the map. For convenience it may be described in three sections,
mountain, foot-hill and valley. In the mountains limbering and mining
are the chief industries. Fruits of all kinds flourish in the middle or
foothill portion, the western portion being in the famed Sacramento
Valley. Health resorts are numerous. Miles of R.R., 117. Transportation
facilities being from 12 to 36 hours nearer Chicago market than any
other County in the State. The chief industries are lumbering, quarts
and drift mining, fruit raising, granite cutting, pottery and terra
cotta works, stock raising and general farming.
In 1886
Placer County received first prize for County exhibit at State Fair, and
first prize at Sacramento Citrus Fair. The county ranks third in the
State for the number of growing orange trees. Placer County has has no
bonded. Taxes are low. Annual rainfall at elevation of Auburn is 30
inches, increasing further up the mountains. Irrigation system, with 500
miles of main and lateral ditches, water supply abundant. Value of raw
land, from $10 to $100 per acre, according to location.
Its soil embraces timber, mining, orange, olive, grape, ordinary fruit
and valley lands, and is granite and red slate in character. From Colfax
to south-western portion may be considered in the thermal belt, most of
which is suitable fro raising oranges, olives, and the raisin grape.
Higher in the mountains the pear and apple reach perfection.
The lowest temperature in Riverside, Southern Cal., last year was 21
above zero. The lowest for Auburn and vicinity was 26. The temperature
for the month of January, 1887, at Colfax, Placer Co. with an elevation
of 2,422 feet averaged 36 degrees ; Riverside, five degrees of latitude
further south -- over 360 miles -- averaged fro the same month 35.9
degrees. November 19th, 1887, a banana plant was in full bloom near
Newcastle. Some of the best drift and quartz mines in the State are
worked on the Forest Hill divide. For nearness to markets, both local
and eastern, varied industries, temperate climate and beautiful scenery,
cheap and productive soil with abundance of water, the future
possibilities of Placer County are not surpassed in the whole State.
Features numbered references to the following locations:
1.
Reservoir
2. Birdsall and Hamilton's Villa Sites.
3.
Auburn House.
4. Borland Hotel.
5. C.P.R.R. Depot.
6. Arlington Hotel.
7. Sierra Nevada Mts.
8. Putnam
House.
9. Congregational Ch.
10. Catholic Church.
11.
Public School.
12. Methodist Church.
13. Sierra Normal Coll.
14. County Hospital.
15. Court House & Jail.
16. Orleans Hotel.
17. American Hotel.
18. Bear River Ditch.
19. Agard's Olive
Orch'd. |
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| Item# |
Size |
Shp Wt |
Price |
Click to buy |
| 1W-CA-AU-1887-S |
24" x 17" |
2 lbs |
$29.95 |
 |
| 1W-CA-AU-1887-M |
36" x 26" |
2 lbs |
$44.95 |
|
| 1W-CA-AU-1887-L |
42" x 30" |
4 lbs |
$59.95 |
|
| 1W-CA-AU-1887-XL |
59" x 42" |
4 lbs |
$79.95 |
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All reproduction prints are printed as "museum quality",
using advanced ink formulas and durable museum quality paper. The
reproduction prints reflect the state of repair of the original conserved
document. Stains and imperfections reflected in the original map
at the time it was collected for conservation are left un-retouched, as
they reflect the character and charm of the vintage original. Some major imperfections, such as dark fold lines have been removed when
possible. Maps are printed as ordered and are not returnable unless
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