Elizabethtown, California
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Elizabethtown, California was a California Gold Rush town that began in 1852. It was named after the only unmarried woman in the miners camp called Elizabeth Stark Blakesley.
It is said that the value of gold taken from the Elizabethtown area ran into the millions of dollars. It was started from other gold mining camps all around American Valley (where Quincy, CA is now at). In 1852, a 10 to 15 family wagon train came up Beckwourth Pass (which was created by James Beckwourth, the first pioneer to this area). They brought a large supply of horses, oxen, cows, and other needed supplies and were the first settlers of American Valley. When they got there, they found a population of hundreds of Maidu Indians, which were peaceful and friendly.
The Population of Elizabethtown got up around 2000 and 2500 people between 1853 and 1856. The first year over 30 county licenses were issued for business in the area. The Main Street extended across the entire town. There were many stores, two-story buildings, saloons, gambling houses, shops, gilded palaces, lodging houses, and eating houses. They also had a lodge for the Sons Of Temperance (see Temperance movement) which had over 200 members.
In 1857 and 1858 there was some demoralization within the town with the Comstock mines in Virginia City, Nevada (see Comstock Lode). Many residents ended up living in Indian and Honey Lake valleys. Many buildings were moved to Quincy and rebuilt there and slowly the town dissolved into history.
Today there is excavations of brick foundations being found in one of the creek beds there. You will also find a stone and metal monument to the town by the Native Sons and Daughters of Quincy on September 9, 1927. It is located 2 miles north of Quincy off Highway 70. You will see a California Historical Marker right off the Highway. To get to there, turn off on Purdy Lane and drive to the end of the street. Then walk on a marked trail that says "Elizabethtown" and try not to make too much noise, the path is on someone's property. Walk around 1/5 a mile and you will get to a big creek bed, where excavations are, and on the other side of the creek bed is the stone monument with the metal plaque, as seen in the photo here.
